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“Are we going now?” I asked, a little afraid, but I needed to know the plan, and I hoped we left because Abel had drained the energy out of me, and socializing wasn’t something I wanted to do now.
Abel lifted his brow and shook his head. “Really, Chan? We just got here. We have an act to perform. We have to present like nothing’s wrong. You’re the doting girlfriend, and I’m the devoted boyfriend.” His voice gave me a chill, and he acted aloof.
Abel talking about the acting made me wonder if we were breaking up. Did this tip him over the edge? I swallowed and held my tears off. “Is it just an act now?”
Abel’s eyes flickered from the anger to something softer for a second, but it didn’t last long. “You’re mine. None of that’s changing. Now clean your face and pull yourself together.”
Abel marched toward the door, unlocked it, and shut it before I said anything.
The purse Kailey lent me had been thrown on the floor. I bent over, collected the spilled items, and got a good look at myself in the mirror. Grabbing some toilet paper, I wiped in between my legs and straightened my clothes, and I went to work, touching up my makeup and smoothing my hair. I didn’t look as good as when we arrived. The flushed cheeks and wrinkles in my dress wouldn’t go unnoticed by the keen observer.
As I stepped away from the mirror to take in my body, I gasped at the prominent finger marks and smudges on the mirror. I found some washcloths in a bottom drawer and cleaned it off.
Taking a few breaths, I looked over the bathroom and myself one more time and prepared myself to go and look for Abel in the crowded home. I hated being alone, but I deserved it for the secrets I kept from him. More punishments would inevitably come later, but so far, he’d taken it easy.
When I opened the door, I gasped and smiled weakly when Abel stood against the wall, his arms crossed, waiting.
“You waited.”
“I won’t ever leave you alone.” He narrowed his gaze on me. “You should know that.”
Smiling big, I nodded and reached out and grabbed his hand, which he lifted. “I do.”
Abel nodded, laced our fingers, and led me to the party. My heart sped up at how he tenderly held me close once we entered the crowd.
Chapter 20
Abel
Ever since the party, I had been even more short-tempered than usual. I snapped at anybody who got too close, but more specifically, I had to constantly fuck Chan to complete exhaustion. I took her several times, only to work her over again. It was the only way I powered through my chronic anger and didn’t go out and commit another felony. Watching her squirm to sit down had been the only thing to put a smile on my face.
After we stayed at my father’s party for the appropriate amount of time, I took Chan to my place and had her tell me everything that had happened recently.
It gutted me that she’d been alone with her mother in the hospital room, and that her stepfather had been so calloused. If I had been there, things would’ve worked out differently, he’d have been less of an asshole to Chan. I wanted to be there for her, but she didn’t allow it. As much as I hated Gloria, it didn’t stop me from loving Chan and wanting to be there for her.
The biggest shocker though, was finding out that Richard Barclay had fathered Chan. It made the interest Blake had shown in her even more repulsive. I had trouble believing the bastard was in the dark about Chan’s parentage, but I didn’t bring it to Chan’s mind. She already had so much to stress over, and I wanted to take it all away.
On Friday morning, I caught Chan trying to sneak away after I showered, but this time, she didn’t devise a ridiculous excuse.
“I’m going to see my father since I couldn’t spend yesterday with him. We’re going to have our own little celebration today.”
“Great. I’ll come with you.” I grabbed my keys.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“What? You don’t want me officially meeting your dad? You forget I’ve met him a few times.”
Chan lowered her gaze and bit her bottom lip. “No, I have so little time with him that I don’t want to share it. I finally have a parent interested in me and want him to myself.” The sadness lacing her voice made me feel like a tool.
Wrapping Chan in a hug, I held her close. “Tell you what, I’ll take you and drop you off. You text me when you’re ready, and I’ll come and hang out with the both of you for an hour, and then I’ll bring you home. That way, you have your day with your dad.” I needed to talk to Mr. Barclay, but I didn’t want to interrupt her time with him either. If I had my dad how he used to be, I’d like the time alone too.
“Really? Is it okay?”
After kissing her head, I said, “Of course, it’s okay.”
“If you’ve already met my dad, why do you want to go so bad?”
Instead of answering, I led her to the door, and once we got to the car, I vaguely said, “Just want to have a little guy talk with him. Get to know him as your dad and him to know me as your boyfriend.”
