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“He’s caused more pain to this family than you could possibly understand.” The vein in his forehead started to throb as his face flushed red with anger. “I have every right to despise that piece of shit.”
But I did understand. I knew my mother didn’t want me to know, so I pretended I didn’t know anything. “You have every right to despise his father—who’s dead. Bones wasn’t even born when all of this stuff happened.”
“I don’t care,” my father hissed. “Some rivers run too deep. Some blood is too thick. My hatred for his father is powerful, so dominant, that I would even hate his fifth cousin twice removed. Anyone who shares that animal’s blood is my enemy. He’ll always be my enemy. My family is the most important thing in the world to me, and I would never risk that by declaring war against him. If we can coexist peacefully, that’s fine with me. But I’ll never, ever, welcome him into this family. I’ll never let you marry someone like him.”
Mom turned to him slightly, her eyes full of warning. “Crow…”
“Let me?” I challenged, my eyebrows rising. “First of all, there’s been no talk of marriage yet. We’re just trying to get through this right now. And secondly, let me?” I couldn’t believe my father, the man who encouraged me to be so independent, had said those words to me. “No one lets me do anything.”
“This is different,” my father said. “I never thought I would have to say that to you. I never thought you would be so stupid as to actually get involved with someone like him. Are you fucking kidding me, Vanessa?” His nostrils flared as his green eyes bored into mine.
I held his gaze, my breath shaking.
Mom placed her hand on his forearm, silently commanding him to calm down.
“Stupid?” I asked, my voice cracking with pain. “You’re the one who’s so blind you can’t even see what’s right in front of you—”
“A stupid daughter,” he snapped. “That’s what I see.”
I’d never heard my father talk to me or my mother that way. I’d never seen him be so cruel, so ruthless. He’d never hurt me like this, had always been the man who looked at me with love and affection. I pushed back the chair and stormed off because I would much rather wait outside for Bones to pick me up than listen to my father talk to me that way. Besides…I was on the verge of tears.
“Crow.” Mom’s threatening voice filled the air. “You need to stop this now. Apologize and get her back or—”
I didn’t hear the rest of what they said because I left the room and stormed toward the front door. Once they couldn’t see me anymore, tears streamed down my face. I’d been hurt a few times in my life, but hearing my father, my hero, speak of me so poorly…hurt me straight down to the bone.
I got outside and pulled out my phone to call Bones, to get a ride out of here as soon as I could. This place had been my home my entire life, but now it felt like something else…something I didn’t recognize. I pressed the phone to my ear and let it ring.
The phone was snatched out of my hand. My father ended the call then sighed as he looked down at me. He handed the phone back, a new look of disappointment in his eyes. This time, he didn’t seem angry with me…but with himself. “I shouldn’t have acted that way. I let my anger get to me, and I just…I’m sorry.”
I took the phone and squeezed it in my hand as my father stood over me.
“Please come inside, and let’s talk about this.”
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I didn’t mean what I said. Please come inside, tesoro.”
The use of my nickname softened me.
“I’ll listen this time.” He pleaded with me with his eyes.
My phone rang, and Bones’s name appeared on the screen as Griffin.
My father glanced at it before he looked at me again.
I took the call. “Hey…”
“Did you mean to call me?” he asked in his masculine voice. “Do you want me to come get you?”
My father kept staring at me, still begging me.
“No…I’m gonna stay a little longer. I called you, but I changed my mind.”
Bones paused before he spoke. “Alright. I’m here when you need me.” Click.
I listened to the line go dead before I put my phone in my pocket.
“Thank you.” My father moved back to the front door and stepped aside so I could walk in first.
We went back to the dining room, and my mom looked visibly relieved when I returned. We sat down again, the three of us. The table was between my parents and me, a thick piece of wood dividing us on either side of this battle.
