“You know what I mean. They didn’t make you who you are. That just happens. They had money, and that allowed you to live a certain way, but you are who you are, so fuck all that.”
Trooper kissed me on the forehead and it eased a little of my tension, but I still felt off, almost unbalanced.
“You knew about William? Is that what you were arguing with my parents about the night you met them?”
“Nah, I didn’t know back then. That’s when I found out, though. I asked your mom after something your fath… William said, but she told me to ask Story. I was confused as fuck as to how she knew him. None of it made sense, but she wouldn’t tell me anything else besides asking him. I went to see him the next day and he told me everything.”
“That was like a month ago. Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
I sat up and pulled away from him, watching his face ball up.
“Because he asked me not to and I had to respect that. He’s in prison, Sophie. Ain’t much that makes him happy, but there’s a lot of shit that doesn’t. I didn’t want to make things worse for you or him. When he asked me not to, I agreed.
“He gave you up because he had to, not because he wanted to, and honestly, I think he loved your mother enough to let her do it. William ain’t shit. He’s a fucking coward and he had Story locked up because he was too weak to admit defeat.
“He’s only breathing right now because of you. You don’t think I would have shot his ass last night? Trust me, I’ve killed for less, and for you…” He paused and looked me right in my eyes. “Just know where you’re concerned, it won’t take much for me to take a life.”
His words were harsh, but he meant them. He had no intention of hurting me by not telling me about my father. Keeping Story’s secret was out of loyalty to him. That didn’t mean he was disloyal to me. Trooper wasn’t like that. I didn’t have to know everything about him to know that was true. I saw it in his actions and how he dealt with the people close to him. Mainly Carlos and now me. Trooper took that responsibility seriously.
“Do you have anywhere to be?” I exhaled slowly because I just needed to sleep. I wanted Trooper here with me. Being with him made everything wrong in the world feel right and I needed that. It wasn’t going to solve my problems, but right now, it would make my life feel less complicated.
“Nothing’s more important than you right now. What’s up?”
I saw the truth in his statement from the expression on his face and that made me smile inside.
“I just want to sleep,” I said softly, moving my body away from his enough to rest my head in his lap. One of his hands moved through my hair while he slid the other one down the side of my body. His touch alone calmed me.
“Got to sleep then. I’ll stay as long as you need me to.” Trooper leaned down, tucked my hair behind my ear, and kissed my temple.
My eyes closed and within minutes I was out. It wasn’t going to fix things, but right now it was what I needed.
When I opened my eyes again, my living room was dark. The blinds that had sunlight shining through them, now had reflections of the city. It was quiet, other than a light snore coming from above me.
I sat up slowly and pulled myself into a seated position before I stretched and quietly moved to my bedroom. I didn’t want to bother Trooper, but needed to use the bathroom and figure out what time it was. Apparently, I had been asleep all day, which meant I was more exhausted than I thought.
After I used the bathroom and washed my hands, I grabbed my phone and climbed on my bed to check my messages. I had three missed calls from William and a text from my mother asking me to call her. I also had two missed calls from Maddie and a text saying she was there if I needed her. She mentioned that she was going to dinner with Carlos but would come over if I needed her.
I smiled, thinking about the two of them. It happened fast, but I thought he was exactly what she needed. After tossing my phone onto the bed next to me, I fell back into my pillows and covered my face with my hands.
Maybe I was overreacting. I wasn’t sure why this family thing bothered me so much. People dealt with things like this all the time, but knowing William had sent an innocent man to prison just to keep him away from me and my mother bothered me. I also couldn’t stop thinking about my real father. I wanted to know who he was and what he was like. Regardless of the decisions my mother made, she loved him. I saw it in her eyeswhen she talked about Story and I wanted to know what about him stole her heart.
I hated the choices she’d made, but she was my mother and always would be. I was an adult, but this situation made me feel like a slighted child. Most people would tell me to get over it and move on, but I couldn’t. Everything about me had somehow shifted in a way I couldn’t make sense of.
My ringing phone got my attention and I grabbed it, holding it up over my face, feeling annoyed at the sight of William calling me. He wasn’t going to go away easily, so I decided to answer, speak my piece, and get it over with.
“What?”
“What?” He laughed arrogantly. “Sophie, I’m still your father. Blood doesn’t change that and you need to respect me.”
I shot up in my bed quickly and my grip on my phone tightened.
“You’re right, blood doesn’t change that, but your selfish behavior did. You should have given me the ability to choose. You can’t just play God with people’s lives.”
“I did, I can, and I will. Believe me, I’ll do it again. He’s a gotdamn criminal, Sophie. What choice was there to make? He’s no better than that man you think you’re in love with, probably even worse. You should be thanking me for making that decision for you. Look at your life. You’re rich and successful and would have never had any of that without me.”
“I can’t believe you. Are you really that arrogant? Who cares about any of that? You sent my father to prison, and for what? Because my mother would have chosen him over you? Yes, I love my life, but I love my family even more. That used to be you, but not anymore. Maybe things would have been different for me if he had been in my life, but who’s to say I wouldn’t have been happy? The choice wasn’t yours to make.”
I must have been yelling because Trooper stood in my bedroom doorway glaring at me on the phone with William. I saw his irritation in his expression.
