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She glances up at me, eyes shining with unshed tears. I reach out and squeeze her hand. I’m not letting her give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
“Screw you.” I spit at our father. “You can’t control every little thing she does. Besides, me and a few boys from the team are going as well. We’ll look out for them.”
Dad snorts. “You think that sets my mind at ease? This ismyhouse,myrules, andmydaughter will not be going to a music festival with drugheads.”
“Don’t you mean,Mum’shouse?” I sneer, knowing how to hit where it hurts. I know it kills him that she’s the reason we have this place.
“Conrad.” Ellie tugs on my arm. “Just leave it.”
I shrug her hand away. “No, Ellie. Enough is enough.” I step into Dad’s space. “I’ve had enough of you trying to control our lives. You need to back off. If Ellie wants to go to the damn music festival, then she’s going to go. Be careful, old man, or you’re going to push us away altogether.”
His nostrils flare as he bares his teeth. “I’ve had enough of your disrespect, boy. Grab your shit and get out of my house.”
“Dad–” Ellie tries to step in between us, but I put my arm out to block her.
“Make me.”
Ellie screams as Dad grips a fistful of my shirt.
“What on Earth is going on here?” Mum rushes into the entryway. “Bill! Let go of him now.”
I stumble back as Dad releases me with a shove.
“Conrad, Ellie. Go to your rooms.” There’s no arguing with her. I shuffle Ellie in front of me to the stairs. “Bill,” she says, gesturing to the living room, but Dad turns and storms past her, heading for the gym. A moment later, a door slams shut, and she visibly flinches. Mum glances up at us, an unrecognisable look in her eyes. “Go,” she tells us, indicating the stairs.
Adrenaline is coursing through my body. I’m fully wired, but I roll my shoulders and let out a sigh as I jog up the stairs. Ellie follows me into my bedroom.
“Conrad–”
“Forget it, El. You’re going. Don’t listen to him.”
She sits on the edge of my bed. “What the hell was all that about?”
I contemplate telling her, but I don’t want to upset or worry her any more than she already is, so I just shrug.
“Connie, he kicked you out.”
“I’m not going anywhere, El. At least not until you do.”
She sighs, playing with the envelope. “Don’t antagonise him, Conrad. Where are you going to go if he follows through?”
I grimace. Once upon a time, I would have just gone to Jasper’s. “Relax. Mum won’t let him.”
She worries her bottom lip as she thumbs through the tickets in her hand. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
I’m not letting her do that. “You’re going, Ellie, and you’re going to have a good time.”
“Are you really coming?”
“Yeah. I got some extra tickets so I’m coming with Dave and Kody.”
“Thanks for getting the tickets.” She opens the envelope and pulls them out. “I still can’t believe you got freaking VIP passes. We get to go backstage! That’s insane. Rupert really came through.”
“Yep.”
“I hate this,” she says, her smile fading. “This thing between you and Dad. I don’t get why he’s like that with you. He’s not like that with anyone else.”
“It’s nothing new.” I run a tired hand over my face. “Go get some sleep. I’ll drop you at Harley’s on my way to the stadium tomorrow morning if you want.”
