Page 143 of You Said I Was Your Favorite

I glare at him, my chest aching, the tears threatening yet again. I am so tired of crying. “You can’t make me stop seeing him.”

“Oh yes, I can. I’m your father and as long as you live in my house, I have every right to tell you what you can and cannot do. If I have to, I’ll even go to Matthews myself and tell him that Lancaster is harassing my daughter. Matthews will make his life a living hell for the rest of the year. Might even kick him out of school.”

Shock courses through me, leaving me breathless. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would.” The determination that appears on his face is downright frightening. “Don’t test me.”

“You wouldlieto get rid of Arch?”

“I would do whatever it takes to protect you from harm, and that’s all he’ll bring you. You just can’t see it. See how terrible he is. He’s a horrible person, sweetheart. Mark my words if I let this continue, he will ruin you. Now go inside.”

The tears fall from my eyes and streak down my cheeks soundlessly. I just stare at my father in disbelief, my mind scrambling, unable to come up with a response.

He nods curtly, stepping aside so I can head into the house. “Someday you’ll thank me for this.”

Thank him for destroying the one good thing that has ever happened to me?

I don’t think so.

FORTY-FIVE

ARCH

I’m restless.Anxious. Two emotions I rarely deal with but shit.

It’s late. Past ten and I still haven’t heard a peep out of Daisy. I’m tempted to go over to her house and make sure she’s okay, but I don’t want to cause any unnecessary drama with her dad so I remain in my room, pacing the floor. Hoping like hell Ralph wasn’t too upset with her when she came home.

He probably was.

And it’s all my fault.

I’m in bed when the text finally comes and I check it immediately, frowning when I read what she said.

Daisy:I can’t see you anymore.

Wasting no time, I immediately call her. She answers on the fourth ring, her voice the barest whisper. So low, I can barely hear her.

“Please don’t call me anymore, Arch.”

My heart seizes in my chest, threatening to stop beating. “What the fuck, Daze? What are you talking about? Why can’t you see me anymore?”

She remains quiet and I swear I hear her sniffling. Like she’s crying.

“Is it your dad? Did he tell you that you can’t see me?” I press when she doesn’t say anything.

More crying.

I sit up in bed, my gaze going to the window. I wish I could see her house from here. See her bedroom window and the light on inside and know that she’s safe and sound. That she’s still mine.

“This is bullshit. Your dad can’t tell you what to do. You’re eighteen and almost done with school. If you want to be with me, you can.”

“I can’t. I can’t do this,” she croaks into the phone, and fuck, I can literally feel how sad she is. It’s washing over me, leaving me wrung out. “Everything’s too complicated right now, and I don’t see how we can fix it. It’s probably for the best anyway. We’re too different. We would’ve never worked.”

“You really believe that?” I retort, letting my frustration shine.

None of this sounds like Daisy. More like it sounds as if someone—her dad—fed her a bunch of lines and she’s regurgitating them.

She goes silent and I wait for her to say something.

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