Page 56 of Secret Love

“Is she mad?” I ask after he hangs up.

“Not mad.” He smirks. “Just disappointed.”

I hang my head in my hands. “Well, my dad is definitely pissed.”

“He’ll live.”

I move to stand. “We should go home.”

Fox grabs my elbow and laughs. “Wait,” he says. “There’s no rush. You’re already in trouble. Ten more minutes ain’t gonna make it worse. Trust me.”

His eyes fall to my lips and my pulse spikes all over again. There’s still time to try that kiss but what if we were stopped for a reason? What if I make a huge fool of myself with the guy I’ve been crushing on since the day I met him?

What if? What if?

“No,” I say. “We should go.”

Fox nods, though I sense a little disappointment in his eyes. “All right,” he says, releasing my arm. “Let’s get you home.”

* * *

“Roxie, go to your room.”

I cringe. Not because this is the first time my father has ever said those words to me in that tone. It’s because of the name. Like that’s what I’ve always been called.

“Daddy, I can explain—”

“Go,”he says again. His eyes become narrow slits of anger and annoyance, but he’s not looking at me.

He’s looking at Fox beside me.

I nod at my father and Cora and turn to walk up the stairs without saying a word.

“All right, look, Bennett,” Fox begins, sly and cool as always. “Don’t punish her. It was all my idea.”

I stop at the top of the stairs to listen.

“Of that, I have no doubt,” my father growls. “You want to tell me what the hell you were thinking?”

Fox chuckles and my chest skips. “Chill out. So, we missed a few classes. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“You think dragging my daughter out of school wasn’t a big deal?”

“You were dragging her out anyway, right? What difference does it make?”

“That is none of your business or concern, Fox.”

“She was freaking out. What was I supposed to do? She needed a break.”

“A break from school?”

“No, a break from you.”

“Excuse me?”

“A break from you,” Fox repeats. “Seriously, are you ever gonna let her make her own decisions? Or do you have the next thirty years of her life all planned out?”

“She’s my daughter!”

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