This went better than I expected, but I’m under no illusion that our parents aren’t disappointed in all of us after everything that transpired today.
“I’m in too. What do you say, Zee?”
Zara nods. “I’m starving; I could definitely eat.”
What the hell, I can always eat. “Yeah, I’m in too. Ares?”
My brother rolls his eyes. “If Dad’s paying… but be warned, I’m hungry.”
Dad nods. “Of course I’m paying. It’ll be good to have dinner as a family and show our faces in town after the spectacle we offered earlier.”
Lev and Zara are already outside, and Kelly has her purse in her hands, ready to leave. “My love, before we go, there’s something I would like to discuss with the boys, and I think you might want to be present for this conversation. Do you mind telling Lev and Zara that we’ll meet them at the restaurant?”
Chapter 21
Forgive Us Father
CHANCE
And here it is.
I lower myself right back onto the spot I was occupying a minute ago on the couch with Ares right by my side.
Once our stepmother returns to the room, Dad’s hard stare is back on us. It’s funny how everyone says that I’m Dad’s carbon copy; when he has this scowl on his face, he looks much more like Ares.
I fully expect him to start yelling at us about the illegal races, but he doesn’t.
“I thought I had been clear about what Kelly and I expected from the two of you once we became a family. I told you what kind of conduct you two needed to have when it comes to your sister. What part of being siblings you didn’t get?”
Oh, fuck.
“What are you talking about, sweetie?” Kelly looks confused. “Isn’t Zara with Lev?”
Dad’s scowl darkens. “That’s what makes it even worse. If putting our family and your brotherly bond in jeopardy weren’t enough, you don’t care about hurting your best friend. I thoughtI raised you better than that. Which one of you is sleeping with Zara behind Lev’s back?”
What the fuck? I’m offended that Dad would think Ares and I would stoop that low.
“Neither of us is sleeping with Zara behind Lev’s back.” I bite out.
He rolls his eyes. “Come on, Chance. I guess I deserve that you’d think I’m deaf and blind after you’ve all been racing in my town for weeks and I have been none the wiser. But I have eyes and ears, and it would behoove you to stop lying to me. Work has been intense lately, and it has taken me away from the house more than I expected, but it took one hour with all of you to see it as clear as day. The way you look and speak to her would have been enough to tip me off all on its own. Baby? Princess? That isn’t how you speak to a sibling. But it’s the way you touch her that shows you up without a doubt. So stop lying to us. Which one of you is she sleeping with?”
Ares speaks before I can.
“We’re both sleeping with Zara.”
“But we aren’t doing it behind Lev’s back.” I add.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father this shocked. Not even earlier when he was blindsided by our petition first, and by finding out about the races later.
Even then he wasn’t rendered speechless, but I think we might just have broken him. He is staring at me and Ares with his mouth gaping open.
Kelly, on the other hand, gasps. “What… how… I think you owe me and your father an explanation.”
I brace myself for the possible fallout that could result from the truth. And I’d be lying if I said that I’m not relieved that the truth is finally coming out. I’ve been wanting to come clean with Dad about my feelings for Zara for a while now. Life has just been too crazy to find the right time. I guess that time is now.
“Look, Dad.” I look him right in the eye. “When you told us what you expected our relationship with Zara to look like on the night of the wedding, I didn’t like it. But I love you, and I’ve always wanted you to be proud of me. God knows that after we lost Mom and Atlas, you fucking deserved to be happy. So I tried. That night I told Zara that we could only be friends. But no matter how hard we tried, we still love each other. She’s my person, and I’m hers. I’m sorry about lying to you; it wasn’t our intention. We just wanted to figure things out between us and talk to you once we were sure our feelings for each other were the real thing. I swear I was gonna talk to you. Then the whole racing thing happened, and things got really crazy. But I love Zara with all my heart, and she loves me. I hope you aren’t going to ask me to choose between my love for you and my love for her. I can’t live without her, Dad.”
Ares
