Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
My father's jaw tightens, and he straightens to his full height. Some say I take after my mother; fewer say I look like my father. Staring at him now, the hard line of his jaw and similar dark hair peppered with gray, I can’t say I see it.
His eye twitches, and it’s the only sign I ever get that he’s truly pissed. "Excuse us for a moment. I need to have a word with my son."
The way he grits out the words… He’s furious, and that’s fine ’cause I’m angry too.
My father grips me by the back of the neck, his fingers digging into my pressure points. I welcome the pain and bite back an asshole retort. The woman skitters away from us and toward the bar.
Good fucking riddance.
My father leads me through the double doors that exit to an empty room. As soon as we're alone, he releases me with a shove. I’ve barely turned around, and he’s on me. He attacks like a provoked dog, giving me no time to prepare for his assault. His fist lands against my cheek, pain radiating through my face. I remain standing, my muscles burning with rage that needs to be unleashed. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve thought about killing my father before, about watching every last drop of blood drip out of his body.
One day, it’s going to happen. I swear it. I’ll snap, and there won’t be any coming back. I grit my teeth as he lands another blow, this one on the opposite side. It’s easy enough to tell people the injuries are from practice or a game, so it gets swept under the rug like it’s no big deal. Not that I could report my father for abuse anyway. Corruption is at its finest in this town. We own the police, doctors, and nurses.
I sigh as my father stands, straightening his suit jacket. "Are you done, or do you need more?”
I keep my face blank, not reacting either way. The spots where he hit me throb, and I know it won’t take long for a bruise to form. "What do you want me to do? Just tell me so I can do it and get the fuck out of here."
"In a rush to be somewhere? Did you stop and see your mother?"
I’m not about to play games with him. "Yes," I bite out. "I always see her when I come home. I'm just glad she couldn't come tonight."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
I don't want to fight here, not here, not right now. I sigh loudly and blow air out through my nose. "Nothing. It means nothing."
His dark eyes narrow, but he doesn't pursue it. “I want you to meet my investor's daughter. Dance with her, get her a drink, charm her. Do not fuck her, even if she tries to climb you like a goddamn tree. Do you understand me?"
"Flirt with the investor's daughter. Got it."
He blinks and opens his mouth like he might say more, but then stops. "Yes, flirt. Nothing more. Get in there and charm her. Get her phone number. Make her feel wanted. Special." He sneers the word special, then turns on his heels and heads back into the party.
I follow a minute later, letting him get some distance, and make a beeline straight for the bar. In minutes, I've thrown back two shots and a bourbon. Enough to take the edge off so I don't get myself beat in front of the city's elite. I think the worst part is that these assholes would watch, toast, and then walk away while my blood sprays the parquet floor.
I won't be a source of entertainment for them. It’s even worse on nights like tonight, when my friend’s parents are here. Lee, Sebastian, and Aries have their own parental issues to deal with, but it doesn’t make them witnessing my humiliation at the hands of my father any less.
Sometimes, my friends show up, too. Those nights are a little easier to bear, as my father always tries to be on his best behavior, like he’s somehow going to win them away from me.
When I've fortified myself, I approach my father who's talking to a young woman and an older man. The girl is the one, I assume, he wants me to charm. Maybe I should take her to the other room and flip up her skirt just to spite him. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much effort.
I turn on the smile and ask her to dance. She watches me with enough hunger in her eyes. Just like all the bitches at school do. She wants me, and I could have her just as simply if I wanted. I lead her onto the dance floor and wait until she speaks.
"So your father says you play football."