Page 79 of The Law of Deceit

“Dempsey.”

Mom’s sharp tone cuts through the noise and everyone falls quiet. She’s not one to yell or get pissed about anything, especially not at family dinner.

I lift my gaze to find her staring at me with narrowed eyes and pursed lips.

“What?” I snap, her sudden focus on me that’s drawn everyone else’s focus too irritating me.

Her nostrils flare at my rudeness. “Something’s going on with you. You’re being secretive. Are you doing drugs?”

Spencer barks out a laugh but smothers it when Aubrey smacks his shoulder.

“Mom,” I say, unable to keep from laughing too. “No. I’m not doing drugs. Chill.”

She drops her fork to her plate with a loud clatter. “I will not chill, Dempsey. Whatever is going on with you is turning you into someone I don’t recognize. Tell me what you’re hiding.”

A spear of anger pierces my chest. “Maybe I’m finally becoming who I really am.”

“A reckless jerk?” Mom asks, voice shaking as her eyes brim with tears. “That’s what it seems like. First, you buy a motorcycle, then you embarrass us and Sloane in front of the whole town, and now you’re staying out all night. I think it’s drugs. Is it drugs?”

Tate clears his throat. “Jamie,” he says gently, “perhaps the three of us could pop into Nathan’s office to discuss this.”

She ignores him, hastily swiping her tear that races down her cheek. “Tell me. Are you still harassing my best friend? She’s too old for you, you know.”

Ahhh.

So my parents aren’t as blind as I thought them to be. Especially not Mom.

“She’s not too old for me,” I grind out, unable to keep the lid on this any longer. “She’s perfect for me.”

Gemma gasps and shakes her head as if to warn me to stop talking. I’m done keeping secrets. If they want to accuse me of shit, they may as well get it right what I’ve done wrong.

“Sloane has known you since you were a baby,” Mom hisses. “She’s changed your diapers. Why in the hell would she ever be romantically interested in you? You’re a child, Dempsey!”

Fuck this.

I jump to my feet, sending my chair scraping across the wood floors. Glowering at my mother, I growl, “I am not a fucking child, Mom, and you know it.”

“Dempsey,” Dad warns, voice deep and authoritative. “Sit down.”

“No,” I snap. “I’m tired of being told to sit down, shut up, and obey, obey, fucking obey. From day one, me and Gemma have been your two perfect children the two of you have loved parading around town. I’m sick of it. I don’t want to be a goddamn trophy like the rest of your kids. I want to enjoy my life and love whoever the hell I want to love.”

“She’ll never love you back,” Mom yells, tears freely falling now. “She won’t. She’d never do that to me.”

“It’s not all about you,” I grit out. “And we’re well on our way, Mother. You want to know what’s really going on with me? Where I really was last night?” I smirk at her. “In your best friend’s bed.”

As soon as the words tumble past my lips, I know I’ve gone too far. Mom shrieks, covering her mouth with a dainty hand, and shakes her head. Dad glares at me as though he wishes I were a kid he could bend over his knee and spank the snot out of.

“I love her,” I say softly. “She loves me too.”

I can feel everyone’s eyes on me. It’s annoying as fuck to be the center of attention and for my big secret to be served as dessert, but at least I only have to say all this shit once.

“I’m going to her house and I’m staying the night. Maybe we can talk again when you’re done treating me like a fucking kid.”

Dad stands and crosses his arms over his chest. “You won’t be taking the Tahoe.”

And yet, they still treat me like a fucking kid.

Ignoring him and Tate’s whispered calls to me, I storm out of the dining room and up the stairs. Angrily, I stuff a bunch of clothes and shit into a bag, grab my iPad and some toiletries, and then am back downstairs within minutes. Mom is hiding out in the kitchen, sobbing. The rest of the family is whispering. Dad stands beside the garage door, holding the Tahoe keys hostage.

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