No. I. Did. Not. Say. That.
Fuck me sideways.
“A cow? What in the world? What is wrong with him? Who talks to people like that?”
Oh, thank you, Jesus. “I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t make sense. Who calls a skinny person a cow? Do you eat a lot of hamburgers?”
No, I’m the size of a cow. “I don’t know, Mom. He’s so mean to me, and he started saying my boyfriend only wants me for sex and all this other nasty stuff.”
“I’ll kill him,” she promises, and I shake my head. She’s so violent when it comes to the people she loves. “I’ll have to get help with the body if he’s big. We’ll need to hide it from Dad ’cause he’s a Johnny Do-Gooder. But Jude, Jace, and Jayden will bury a body. Shit, Grandma will help me.”
I love my mom. I smile, wiping away my tears. “I can’t even tell my boyfriend. He’ll lose his mind.”
“Sounds like my kind of guy. Protective.”
I think back to how he tried to protect me from his mom. “So much so. It’s sweet.”
“Good. I’m sorry, honey. Sounds like it was a bad night.”
“It was great until all that.”
“What an asshole. So where are you going?”
I glance at the time. “I guess a hotel. Owen has early skate in the morning, and I don’t want to disturb him. But I know he’ll be pissed if I don’t call and let him know.” I’m met with silence, so I ask, “I shouldn’t call him, huh?”
She clears her throat. “Am I to assume that the Owen you speak of is, in fact, Owen Adler, son of Shea and Elli Adler?”
Wow. Okay, Angie, let’s just keep digging that hole. Jump on in and cover it to hide from the endless bad choices you’re making!
I blink, feeling like a complete idiot. “Can I choose not to answer that?”
“You can, but I’ll assume the answer is yes, and since your father heard me, I’m pretty sure he is getting on the phone to call Shea Adler.”
I hear my dad in the background as he says, “Shea, sorry for calling so late, but are you aware your son is dating my daughter?”
“Fuck me.”
“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Mom laughs, but my dad’s voice is anything but fun.
“I thought we had a pact. I told you to keep that boy away from my daughter!”
I let my head fall into the steering wheel.
Can I get a break here?
“Mom, let me call Owen. I gotta warn him.”
“Too late, my love. Dad is already calling him.”
I hear my dad’s rough voice. “Owen Adler? Yeah, hey. Why’s it so loud there? This is Benji Paxton. Yes, Pax’s dad. I got a bone to pick with you, boy.”
“Fucking hell, Mom. Let me let you go. I’m going to head to his place.”
“Good idea. Get there before Dad does.”
“Are you serious?”
Mom snorts. “He’s putting his shoes on.”
“For a walk?” I ask, hopeful.
“Sure, probably to South Carolina.”
I drop the phone, shaking my head and closing my eyes, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.
Alas, I don’t.
And I know for sure, Owen is going to realize I am not worth all this trouble.
When I get to Owen’s, the yard is full of cars. I bring in my brows as I park in a spot down the road and grab my things. I look like an idiot with my plants and bag, and honestly, I should have left all this in the car in case Owen breaks it off with me since my dad is a psycho and I’m showing up on his doorstep like an orphaned cow. Still, I head to the door in my Crocs since I took off those heels that were breaking my ankles slowly but surely. I approach the front door and knock, but no one answers. I knock once more, this time with my foot, and I may have kicked the door open.
May being the operative word.
The door flies open, and soon all these people are looking at me. When I say people, I mean mainly females. Gorgeous ones, in short dresses and high heels. Blond hair, blue eyes, and all so stunning. I look around the room before I enter, and I don’t see Dart or Owen. I step inside.
“Are you lost?” someone asks, and then I hear laughter.
Annoyed, I ask, “Where are the people who live here?”
A girl points to the kitchen. “D’Artagnan is in there, but some other guy is back in his bedroom.”
Dread fills my stomach. All these girls… Shit, Owen’s probably back there with one of them. I kick the front door shut and ignore everyone’s laughter and looks as I head through the living room and down the hall to Owen’s room. The TV is super loud, and the door is shut, so I kick it.
“Go away, you bloodsuckers!”
I make a face at the door and kick it once more.
“Jesus Christ!” I hear him roar as the door flies open. Owen is only wearing a pair of tight boxer briefs that hug his thighs and include one hell of a bulge. Confusion fills his features for only a second before he grins, but then his grin drops. If I weren’t so upset, his facial changes would be comical. “What’s wrong?”
I move past him to enter his room, and he shuts the door behind me. “I told Leroy to go fuck himself because he was making fun of my dress, and London told me I needed to find another place to live. I didn’t want to stay there because I’m so mad and I don’t trust them.”
Owen makes a face as I set my stuff down on Evan’s bed. “What did he say to you?”
I can’t tell him the truth. “He was calling me names.” I sit on the edge of the bed, covering my face. “So, I called my mom to tell her I had to use my credit card to get a hotel and let it slip that you’re my boyfriend. Dad freaked out, and I figured I shouldn’t use the card and came here instead to make sure my dad didn’t scare you off.”
He sits down beside me and wraps his arms around me, bringing me and my plants in close. “Okay, first, your dad can’t scare me off. And second, I’m going over there to kill him.”
“No, don’t. It’s not worth it, and I’m already worried about my job.”
“This is insane. He needs his ass kicked.”
“I know, but please don’t. I can’t handle it. I’m so overwhelmed right now.” I start to cry once more, and his grip on me tightens as he kisses my temple.
“It’s okay, sugar. I got you.”
“I’m sorry for showing up—and my dad.”
“Don’t be. I want you here. You’re safe here.”
“I know, which is why I came here.” I close my eyes and hold my plants as he holds me.
He kisses my temple and whispers, “Were you aware there was a pact made between your dad and my dad to keep us apart?”
I look up at him, confused. “Seriously? That was a real thing?”
“Apparently my dad forgot about it because he didn’t think we’d ever get together after we grew up.”
“I’m sorry. My dad is a weirdo.”
Owen grins. “He loves you,” he says softly. “I would have told him the same if he would have given me a chance, but he did a lot of yelling. I figured I’d let him get it out.”