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I storm into my room and dial the man.
“Start talking,” I demand the second he answers his phone.
My dad sighs. “Oakley, honey, stop.”
“No. No freaking way.” I drop onto my bed, sitting Indian-style. “I thought it was strange when Alec was suddenly back at Blackline, your program that I’m running. I guess I told myself that maybe he needed a job. I don’t know. But this? Here! Dad … what the hell? How could you possibly allow Alec to stay here with me?”
“Now, honey—”
“Don’t now, honey me! He’s rude and impulsive, and he hates me! I—”
I stop short when my dad starts laughing like a madman.
“Really?” I deadpan.
He cuts his laugh, clearing his throat. “Oakley, listen to me. That man couldn’t hate you if he tried. And, believe me … he’s tried.”
“He’s irrational and …” I search for the right word but come up short.
“He’s strong and dependable, loyal and fearless.”
“Dependable? Did he not tell you about his first night here?”
“Yeah. About that.”
Shit.
“I set myself up for that.” I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Yeah, you did. You know my rules. I don’t care that you’re twenty. My house, and that means, keep that goddamn boy outta your room!”
I sigh, looking to the ceiling. “You’re okay with Alec living here, but Rowan can’t even be in my room?”
“No, he can’t.”
“You’re insane.”
“No, I’m smart.”
“Whatever.”
“Back to Alec.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t want him here.”
“Too bad. You need him there.”
“What’s going on, Dad? Are we even gonna talk about the break-in? This is the second one now! And that’s not including the one at Blackline!”
He’s quiet for a few moments before he speaks, “I’ve spent most of your life protecting you, baby girl. But I’m not so sure I can anymore. Talk to Alec. He’ll help you understand.”
“Dad—”
“Do you know the one thing strong enough to overcome anything? Solid enough to beat evil?”
“What?”
“Love, Oaks. Love. When you love someone, you feel invincible. Your strength becomes theirs, and you feed off each other until, eventually, you are unstoppable.” I hear his deep inhale. “Be unstoppable, Oakley.”
“Dad, Rowan and I—”
“This isn’t about Rowan. It never has been. Open your eyes, baby girl. It’s time.”
“It’s time.”
Alec steps around the corner then, gray sweats and another long-sleeved shirt covering his body.
“That’s the same thing Alec said to me.” I sniffle, my eyes locked with his. “What’s it mean?”
“He’s waited a long time. Find your strength. Be brave, Oaks.”
Tears fall, my heart crushing for reasons I can’t explain. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you, too. And, Oakley?”
“Yeah?”
“I trust him. You will, too.”Chapter TenOakley“Come on, Oakley, try it!” Rowan chuckles, circling his plastic spoon in my face.
“Ew, no!” I laugh, pushing his arm away. Then, I pull my sleeves down over my hands.
“I thought you said she was down,” Rowan’s friend and classmate, Gio, teases, shoving Rowan’s shoulder.
Rowan grins and looks back to me. “She is.”
He winks, and I drop my chin to my knees.
We’re sitting in the back of Rowan’s truck, on lunch, and he and his friends are trying to get me to taste some soup concoction they bought off the Asian food truck.
“Come on, Oak. Don’t make a liar out of me.” He raises the spoon to his lips, slowly blowing on the steaming soup.
My gaze lowers, watching as his tongue pokes out to test the temperature before he again brings it to my lips.
With a deep breath, I open up, allowing him to place the spoon in my mouth, tasting as he asked. It’s a bit sour for my liking, and the texture is kind of weird, but instead of focusing on the taste, I find myself staring at Rowan.
His forehead pinches slightly, and those amber eyes scan mine.
I wish he could see what I see when I look at him—how great we’d be if we were more. It would be so simple for us.
“Well …” Gio turns back, interrupting whatever this was.
Rowan is quick to clear his throat and hop out of the bed of the truck. “Gotta take a piss,” he mutters, disappearing.
Gio, oblivious, turns his grin back to me, raising an expectant eyebrow.
I waggle my hand. “Not horrible.”
With a laugh, he hits the side of the truck and turns back to his conversation with the other trainees.
As soon as Gio’s attention is elsewhere, I drop against the window, wondering why Rowan always pulls back. Every now and again, I can see it in his eyes. The curiosity, him wondering what it would be like to have me. The lust is gone as rapidly as it came, replaced with anguish, like he feels bad for considering.
Maybe it’s purely physical attraction, and that’s why he won’t budge.
I glance toward the building, expecting to find Rowan walking back this way, but instead, I find a tall, guarded, and gloomy Alec Daniels.
I take a deep breath as my eyes take him in.
