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“Tessa, enough.” My father stands, his face a thundercloud. “Get out of this office right now.”
“Why, so you can keep screwing behind Mom’s back?”
“You think she doesn’t know?” He gives a dry laugh that sounds painful. “What do you want?”
“Jesus.” I wipe a hand over my mouth, trying to process all this.
My perfect parents, who wouldn’t accept anything less than a perfect daughter. Who want to control my career as well as my personal life, who chose Sean for me and don’t care how much I suffered with him.
“What I want,” I say, slowly and deliberately, “is for you to back out of my life.”
He snorts and sits back down. “Another tantrum? Really, Tessa.”
“You sold me to get your deal with the Anholts.”
He rolls his eyes. “So melodramatic. I didn’t sell you. I only wanted you to talk to Sean. He’s heartbroken over your reaction. He’s a good man.”
“No, he isn’t.” Anger makes me bold, bolder than I’ve ever been with him, and I cling to the heat it brings. “He hurt me. He forced me to do things…” I bite my lip, try to steady my voice. “He’s an asshole.”
“Now, Tessa, don’t exaggerate.”
“Exaggerate? You don’t know him.”
He shifts, his leather seat creaking. “No. But he comes from a good family. He’s young. He’ll mature.”
“He hurt me on Saturday. He hit me. He told me I’m a slut.”
Dad lifts a brow. “Told you that if you behave like one, you’ll be treated like one.”
I step back, the air leaving my lungs. I want to slap him and kick him and scream like a banshee. “You…” The words desert me. How can he say such a thing to me?
He doesn’t care. Sean has his blessing to do what he will with me.
“Are you done?” He nods at the young woman who flees the room. “Have we made enough of a spectacle of ourselves?”
No, we haven’t, I want to say. You’re an asshole, as much as Sean. You should sit behind bars. I should curse you to hell.
My hands clench at my sides. I try to think rationally. To decide what to do. This scene isn’t what I’d expected coming here. These revelations. This coldness in the face of the truth.
What, you thought he’d break when you told him Sean hurt you? That he’d apologize and open his arms for you?
Christ.
“I want to talk to you about the future,” I manage through gritted teeth.
“The future. Seriously?” He pretends to be bored, flipping through a file.
My fists tighten until my nails bite into my palms. “I want to take a break from college, and those clubs you made me join.” Sweat trickles down my back. I ignore it. “I need some time out. Need to find myself, decide what I want to do with my life.”
“We’ve had this conversation before. You don’t get to…” he pitches his voice high, “take some time off to find yourself.”
“I’m not asking for your permission,” I bite out.
“And who do you think will pay you to sit and do nothing?”
“Christ, Dad. I don’t want your money. I’ll work.”
“You? You will work?” He laughs, and I can’t stand it anymore.
