“Arloe, listen—”
“No,” I cut him off. “I’m done listening. I want you to leave. Now.”
“Honey, these are dangerous men. I don’t want to leave you here.”
I laugh. “Funny. Cancer is pretty dangerous, too, but you never had a problem leaving mom to deal with it alone.”
He shakes his head, regret swimming to the surface of his eyes. “The stuff between me and your mother was more complicated than you think. You’ve never let me explain my side of the story.”
“There is nothing complicated about what you did. It’s very black and white.”
“Arloe, please.” He clutches his hands together and brings them to his chest.
“Leave.” I point to the door. “This conversation is over.”
He stands and shoves his hands into his pockets. “I’ll be in town for a few days. If you change your mind, give me a call. My number hasn’t changed.”
As he starts toward the door, I do the same. Silence suffocates us as I open it. His eyes catch mine, but I look away. The puppy dog eyes may have worked on my mother for a while, but they won’t work on me. I’m not a child who is easily persuaded to believe everything an adult says anymore. I am an adult and can form my own opinions and conclusions on shit without his influence.
As he crosses the threshold into the hallway, he turns around like he is going to speak again, but I close the door without giving him a chance.
I’d like to think I’m strong and can hold my ground, but in reality, I do love my dad and he knows that. He knows exactly what chisels to use to chip away the walls I’ve built around myself to keep him out.
I slump against my door, knowing he’s still on the other side, and wrap my arms around myself. I may hate him most days, but times like this—times I’m so confused about my feelings and wants and where I should be going in life—I would love to have a relationship with him and get advice, but it just won’t happen.
He and I are too different to see eye to eye. He’s closed-minded and set in his ways, whereas I love change.
Maybe that’s why my growing feelings are so strong with Easton. Because I never know what to expect with him. He’s constantly keeping me on my toes.
I push out a deep breath then stand. Right now, I just need to focus on getting through my day and doing the things I need to since I’m off.
I move back to my kitchen and grab the abandoned mug I left on the counter and finally pour coffee into it with a sprinkle of sugar. I take a sip and wince at how quickly the pot went to room temp.
I slide to the microwave and pop it inside then watch it spin round and round for a moment. When the timer hits three seconds, a knock sounds from my door again.
Frustrated, I stomp back to it and throw it open, knowing exactly who is on the other side. “I told you—”
I’m cut off when the cold black metal from the barrel of a gun is placed on my forehead.
Chapter Sixteen
Easton
Pulling through the gate at my father’s house is almost the same as every other time. Almost… I’m positive he wants to meet to grill me about what happened with Barron, and normally I would be slightly worried, but not today.
Today I’m even more pissed off than I was in the moment with Barron. After being with Arloe, it’s made me realize there is no turning back now. There is no forgetting her or leaving her. She is who I want, and I will keep her.
I park by the front door, exit my vehicle, and don’t bother locking it on my way inside. I push open the big wooden door and wait to see if there is any noise or movement. When I see nothing, so I go directly to the stairs and start up them. Making it to the top, I continue straight until I’m at his office door. I don’t knock before entering. He’s expecting me.
As soon as my shoes breach the threshold, he greets me. “Son.”
I tip my head and shoot my eyes to the corner of the room. I’m not surprised when I catch Jude’s stare and a look of disgust on his face.
“I see you got your bitch boy here,” I remark, settling into the chair across from Dad’s desk.
Jude scoffs and steps forward, taking a seat next to me. “Why so hostile, E? Is it because you’re not capable of doing a job alone?”
“Boys.” My dad holds up his hand. “Now isn’t the time for your shit talking.”
I lean back into my chair and cross my ankle over my knee. “Come on, Pops. It’s always a great time to talk shit.”
His eyes narrow into slits on me. “Easton, I’m disappointed in you.”
“What’s new? You always feel some sort of way about one of us, but don’t worry. One of my siblings will take my place by tomorrow and be a new target for your disdain.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t understand how one girl can cause such a change in you.”
His words spark something in me. Something that makes me want to come to Arloe’s defense because I know that simple statement is more than what he said. It’s a warning to get my shit together or he will step in and do what he can to take her from me.
It’s classic Dad. Always putting his nose in everyone’s business so he knows exactly what he can use against us. It’s just another way to try to control us. To try to keep us in line and do what he wants.
“You know,” I start, changing the subject. “I come to these meetings with you every time you call, and every time it’s the same. You want to chap my ass over something when in the end, the job was done. You can be disappointed in me all you want. It won’t change my feelings at all. I’m done with this shit, and I’m done with this family.”
Jude scoffs. “You can’t just be done with your family, dumbass.”
I raise my eyebrow at him. “Yeah? Then who is going to stop me from walking out that door?”
I stand and start toward the exit, solidifying the point I’m trying to make. I pause for a moment and stare them both down. “Surely it won’t be you, Dad.” I nod at him. “And I know it won’t be you.” I turn back to Jude.
Jude stands from his seat and cracks his knuckles. “Trust me, E. You don’t want to do this.”
I glance at my father and see him looking at Jude just as hard as me, but instead of the disapproval he normally wears, he’s staring at him with pride.
Typical.
“Let him go, Jude. He’ll realize his mistake soon enough.”
I chuckle and step back into the hall. This isn’t a mistake, but I don’t bother telling them that. Everyone seems to be so far up his ass they can’t see what I see. All they want to do is please him—make him proud, but this isn’t the way to do it.
Most dads want to see their sons go to college, win a baseball game, or marry and start a family of their own. But not our dad. He only wants to see how far he can push us to do his dirty work.
His sense of pride is based on how long our track record of being criminals is. How many times we’ve bought our way out of arrests, how many lives we’ve taken, and most of all, how much money we make him.
I’m sick of living life under the thumb of someone and only doing what I’m told. I was raised to break the rules, so why is this any different? I shouldn’t have to be tied to someone who only thinks about their own gain and nothing else.