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“Nothing,” I said, gravel in the back of my throat. “I just really need to use the bathroom.”
My black acrylic nails were on the door handle when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. “Isabella!”
Blade and I turned around to find my father glaring at me as my mother climbed out of the car, already buzzing from the cocktail she probably had with breakfast.
“Hey,” I whispered, clinging even tighter to Blade’s arm. “Mom and Dad, this is Blade Eggleston.”
The look of disgust on both of their faces was unmistakable. They glared at him, but to his credit, he stood there proudly, unaffected. I think he got off on the idea of pissing them off just as much as I did.
“Yes,” my father said. “We’ve heard an awful lot about you, Blade. Haven’t we, dear?”
My mother nodded but kept her eyes fixated on me, specifically my plunging neckline. “Where on earth did you get that awful dress? A stripper store? Is that how you’re paying for college now?”
Blade’s chest puffed up in my defense, but I squeezed his hand. I needed to reassure both him and myself that I could handle it.
At least, I hoped that I could.
“You’re lucky we even showed up to this thing, Mom. Besides, it’s not like I bought it with your money.”
My father clicked his tongue before sidestepping around us with my mother, shaking his head before going inside. I suddenly felt like I was about to pass out right on the ground. Blade steadied his hand on my back to give me the strength to keep standing.
“Maybe coming here wasn’t a good idea. You don’t look so good.”
No shit. I didn’t feel good. “No, it’s okay. I just…never mind. Let’s go inside.”
Blade tried taking my hand as I reached for the door, but I recoiled. I needed to stand on my own two feet. It wasn’t until we were inside the hotel that I had no choice but to lean on him. The heels were killing me, and I’d only been in them for a short period of time.
“As hot as you look,” he said as we headed to our table, “maybe heels weren’t a good idea. However, we can put them to good use later on.”
Blade pulled me in for a passionate kiss in the middle of the dining hall, where the event took place, causing several people to gasp. I ate it up, though, seeing as how my parents were among the ones disgusted by our public display of affection.
“Is that Blade Eggleston?”
Blade and I froze mid-kiss as a man’s face came into my view.
“Dr. Westmeyer,” I said as Blade and I composed ourselves.
“Isabella, always a pleasure to see you.” He looked me up and down, pausing at my cleavage along the way. “I’m surprised to see you here with the most popular football player at Exley.”
“You two know each other?”
Blade shrugged before shaking the doctor’s hand. “Can’t say that we’ve ever met, but it’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“I’m a huge college football fan. In fact, I met Isabella’s parents at Exley University many, many moons ago.”
The three of us awkwardly laughed in unison. It was the kind of fake laughter that resonated with people like the doctor. Blade looked at me from the corner of his eye before the doctor spoke up again.
“I don’t mean to make things awkward, Isabella, but your parents didn’t tell me that you and Jason broke up.”
My parents were glaring at me from across the room, fully aware of the conversation taking place. It’s almost as if they sent him over to speak in their stead because they were too cowardly to confront Blade on their own. For all their wealth, for all their power, for all the times they made me feel small, they couldn’t do their dirty work on their own.
“No, you’re fine, Dr. Westmeyer. I’m not surprised they didn’t tell you. It was time that I finally break free of him, and they don’t approve.”
Blade squeezed my ass, forcing an uncomfortable chuckle from my throat.
Dr. Westmeyer finished the rest of his champagne and nodded approvingly at Blade. “Well, it looks like you’re doing fine for yourself. How long have you two been going out?”
“Um, I can’t remember the date, to be honest with you, Doctor.”
