“Let’s forget about the five families. I’m not afraid of you, Mr. Cichello.”
He lunges at me.
“Dad no,” Serenity cries out.
“That’s enough,” the familiar voice yells in the distance.
Shit.
“Tizáno, you’ll fight a boy?”
I cringe at his words.
“He wants to act like a man, I’ll treat him like one,” Tizáno spits.
“You won’t fight my son,” Dad confirms.
“It’s clear he’s got a thing for your daughter.”
“Dad, she’s my girlfriend,” I add.
He places a hand on my shoulder, silently telling me to stop talking.
Dad steps in front of me, facing off with Tizáno. “They’re kids. If you try to keep them apart, you’ll only push them together.”
Tizáno is practically foaming at the mouth. “It’s my job to protect my daughter from the wolves. You remember what we were like at his age?”
Dad sighs. “I do. I also know my wife’s father tried to keep her from me. That didn’t work.”
My father stretches out his hand. “It’s good to see you, Tizáno. Let’s talk business at the country club, Wednesday at four in the afternoon.”
Tizáno stares at Dad’s hand before shaking it. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you.”
Serenity peeks at me, then darts into the house.
“Serenity,” I call out.
She never looks back.
My father curls an arm around my neck. “Ride with me, son.”
Later that night, I send off a text to Serenity.
Me: What are you doing?
Serenity: lying down. Why did you provoke my father?
Me: I didn’t provoke him. He’s just overprotective of his baby girl.
Serenity: My brother gets away with murder. Not sure why my dad has to act this way towards me.
Me: Like I said, you’re his little girl.
Whom I plan to deflower.
Serenity:
Yeah, I guess.
