Page 125 of Love Collided

She was already wrapping her legs around me, but I slowed. “I really wouldn’t mind having you in my bed every night. What would you think about me moving in temporarily? Just until I find a new place.”

“I guess that wouldn’t be theworstand I do kind of feel bad that you are giving all of this up for me. Honestly, this bed is so comfortable. I think you moving in for a little while might benefit me a lot.”

“Is that a yes, then? I am going to have to start packing, and actually having a place to take some stuff would be great.”

A door slammed, making us both freeze.

“Were you expecting someone?”

I shook my head, already knowing that there was only one person who would let himself in to my place unannounced.

“Chase?” a man’s voice rang out.

“Shit,” I whispered. “Get dressed and I’m going to apologize in advance for this. I was hoping to deal with this without you here. Get dressed, and please don’t be mad at me for any of this.”

“What is happening? Who is that?”

I pulled on a pair of shorts and grabbed a t-shirt. “My dad.”

By the timeI walked out into the kitchen, I was seething.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, heading to grab my cup of coffee and trying to draw any attention away from the bedroom. It’s not that I didn’t want him to know I was with Scout now, I was about to tell him that exactly, but more that I didn’t want to subject her to the horrible things my dad would say right to her face.

“I came to see why you haven’t responded to me in days,” he said, looking over the living room. He always checked on things and snooped through my stuff when he was here.

“Because I’ve been busy?”

“Too busy running around with that girl? Too busy with school? What are you so focused on? Because I have a pretty good suspicion that it’s with her and not on what it should be.”

“And it should only be on school so I can become a lawyer and help your slimy ass company win horrible cases?”

“Chase,” he warned as I grabbed a drink.

“Father,” I said back.

“Have you been to your classes?”

“Not in two weeks or so. I’ve needed some time to think.”

“What is there to think about? The schooling that I’m paying for, the apartment that I’m paying for, the cars?”

“Technically, the cars came out of my trust fund, so those are mine,” I snapped back. I already made sure they were in my name, so besides the cars and a few boxes from the apartment, I was fine to take all my stuff and never speak to him again.

“Those cars won’t be yours for long after you get into gambling debt with her,” he said, cocking an eyebrow. My heart sank, but I tried to not let it show. “Did you think I wouldn’tfind out about that? That she’s running around with gambling brokers, in debt to them, and let me guess, she wants you to pay them off?”

I didn’t respond, knowing that anything I said would just be twisted to help him win his case.

“Oh god, don’t tell me that you’ve already paid them off for her. How much?”

“They aren’t her debts, and it’s none of your business. How did you know about that, anyway?”

“I heard everything about her father’s case. That news travels fast in my circles. Did you think I wouldn’t be asking around about her and that group she hangs around with? I know everything about them, and I know damn well they are not good for you to be around.” He shook his head, but froze when he looked at my arm. I had completely forgotten about the tattoo. “What the hell is on your arm? Is that a goddamn tattoo with a car name in it? What the fuck would you want a tattoo for?”

I smiled, looking down at the knife. I’d hadn’t made such a good decision in months, if not years. I loved seeing it there, and I loved that it reminded me of her every single time.

“I will not have you throwing away law school because of one fucking girl who isn’t keeping her legs closed and likes cars. That’s the stupidest thing you can do.”

The room went silent, the tension heavy as we stared each other down. This was it, a few more words, and I would be done with this forever. The thin rope of restraint I was holding onto snapped, and apparently, I wasn’t the only one.

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