AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you okay?”
“Never better, little doe, don’t worry.” He wipes his nose and climbs to his feet. Alaric looks between us, his eyes narrowing, so I step closer, drawing his attention from Gray before he starts attacking him again.
“I am not a child anymore, Dad.” I hold up my hand when he goes to speak. “Please listen to me. I know you want to protect me from the world, but you can’t protect me from everything. You need to let me live and give me space to make my own mistakes and choices. I love you, and I’m forever grateful for you loving my sister and taking me as your kid, but I’m grown now, even if you refuse to see it.”
“You’re still my kid,” he warns.
“I know, and you are my father in every single way that matters. When I was younger, I needed you. I needed you so badly. Your protection, your guidance, and your love. I still need all of that, Dad, but now you’ll have to offer me all those gifts in different ways, because if you insist on keeping this tight leash on me, then sooner or later you are going to push me away.” He jerks like I struck him. “Because that’s what’s happening, Dad. I keep secrets because I know you’ll judge me, because you’ll lock me up and throw away the key.”
“Because I love you,” he snarls.
“I know. But love shouldn’t come with rules and strict stipulations. You should love me for who I am, every part of me, even if you don’t like them. I never loved you less for who and what you are.” He staggers back. “That’s all I’m asking from you. If you can’t do that, then maybe I should leave.”
“Zoey!” Layla gasps, her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m not a little girl anymore, Layla, and we both know we’ve been through too much to think I was even when I was younger. You saved me, both of you, and you gave me a good life, but now I need to live it as I choose to. I spent so long facing death; I need life.”
“And him?” Alaric snarls, not hearing me and instead focusing on Gray. “This is all because of him, isn’t it?”
“No.” I sigh. “It’s not. He’s a good man. If you gave him a chance, you’d see that. It’s only your overprotectiveness of me that refuses to give him one. If you did, you’d see that you and Gray are more alike than you think. It’s probably the reason why I—” I cut off right there.
Gray’s eyes widen when I say that.
“Get out,” he demands of Gray, and he knows not to push his luck.
With one more lingering look at me, he thanks Layla and walks away. I watch him go before meeting Alaric’s eyes.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you, Zoey.” My full name makes something inside me crack. It wasn’t about me choosing Gray over him, but finally telling him everything I wished I had. “You’re changing right before me. I knew every time you lied to me, and it hurt. It hurt Layla too.”
“I never wanted that,” I tell him, tears filling my own eyes. “I never want to hurt either of you, but I’m so tired of splitting my life just to pretend to be the person you want me to be. Why can’t who I am be enough? Why can’t you get to know me now as an adult and stop looking at me like a child?”
The look in his eyes is clear. He’s not angry, he’s disappointed in me, and that’s worse.
“Go home, Zoey. We will talk when I am calmer. Anything I say now will only hurt us both.”
“Al—” I start, but he turns and walks away, slamming a door deeper in the house. I look at Layla, desperate for her to understand. “I didn’t want this to happen.”
“I know.” She smiles softly, walking around the table and cupping my cheek like she did when I was a kid. “Sometimes people have to be pushed to see the truth, and sometimes life is hard and it hurts, but that doesn’t mean you stop loving the people you care about. He’ll get over it. He just needs time to lick his wounds and realize his baby girl is not a baby anymore.”
“And you?” I whisper, searching her gaze.
“I will always love you, and I will always be in your corner. You are an incredible person, Zoey, and I cannot wait to meet the part of you that is willing to stand up for a man like Gray. It’s like you said. If Alaric wasn’t consumed by his own fear and hatred, he would see he’s just like him, and so are you. Stubborn, wild, intelligent, and brave.” I swallow back the pain, and she wipes away my tears. “It’s why you butt heads. Now go after your man. Anyone willing to risk your father’s wrath is a man I can see you loving through thick and thin. You have never been one to shy away from a challenge, my sweet Zoey, and I don’t think you should start now.”
“I love him,” I admit.
“I know, and he loves you. He wouldn’t have come here tonight if he didn’t,” she says with a grin. “All I ever wanted was for you to be happy and safe, but I’m starting to realize the life I wanted for you might have been the life I wanted for me since I never got to live it, and that I shouldn’t expect you to follow my own dreams and path. You’ll make your own, you always have, and I’ll be right behind you, Zoey, cheering you on all the way.” She kisses my head and goes after her brooding, hurt husband.
Sure, I did the right thing.
No one has ever stood up for Gray, and if I hadn’t, I would be no better than those who hurt him. I’ll always stand up for him, even if it breaks my own heart.
Even if that means I lose my father too.
Turning, I go after Gray, hoping Alaric will find it in his heart to understand.
I hope I haven’t lost the only father I’ve ever known, but I’m finally being me.
Every flawed, reckless, incredible part of me.
