Page 59 of Not Your Little Girl Anymore

“Absolutely not.” I keep my voice stern, so she knows I’m serious. She may think her father has been a god sent, but he’s far from it. My heart tugs behind my ribs, wishing I could tell Summer the truth. That her father was the one who arrested me the first time. It was her father who planted drugs on me so he could arrest me again and again.

It was her father whom Jules called when she wanted to get the restraining order in place.

It’s eating me alive, holding this all inside of me when it demands to be set free. But I can’t tell her, not right now. It’s not the right time.

“Alec,” she says softly. “I understand your concern. I really do, but this is my problem. You read the texts. Whatever he wants to talk about is urgent. I have to.”

“No fucking way.” I lean against the counter, waiting for her to give up. Nothing she says will change my mind. Worry wiggles its way through my bloodstream. She doesn’t budge. “And if he lays a fucking hand on you again?”

A small smile plays at her lips, aggravation slithering through me. Just as I go to say something, her hands come up to my face, holding it gently in place. Her doe eyes stare at me intently and fuck me for wanting to shove her onto her knees and slip my cock down her throat while she stares at me like that.

“I can take care of myself. I promise. But…” Her hands drop to her sides, and she turns around, taking a few steps away from me. I already miss the way her hands feel.

“But?”

She turns to face me. “My father doesn’t like you. He’s a stubborn old man, and I know things won’t go over smoothly if he sees you’re with me. But, if it makes you feel better… park a couple of houses down, keep your windows cracked, and if you hear me scream, then you will know I need you.”

The muscles in my jaw shift. I glare at her for a long moment before my eyes pull together, and I sigh, giving in to the stupidest fucking plan. Her father is a smart man. How else would he have been able to set someone up multiple times?

Groaning, I say, “Fine. Let’s go.”

She nods, but it’s the worry that glosses in her eyes that catches my attention as she gathers her things, slipping her shoes on. It takes everything in me not to tie her up and force her to stay here. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t at least give her the benefit of the doubt?

When we get outside, I open the door for her so she can slip inside. Then I’m zipping around the front and hopping into the driver’s side to drive straight to her house.

The entire ride is excessively quiet, and it makes my stomach knot up. I make small glances at her and can see that she’s nervous. She’s picking at her fingernails, and her foot is slightly moving up and down.

I reach an arm over and give her thigh a gentle squeeze. She looks at me with a soft smile.

“I can do this,” she reassures me.

“I have no doubt that you can’t.”

Pulling over two houses down from hers, my insides twist. She doesn’t get out right away, and there is a tiny sliver of hope that she changed her mind.

If only that were the case. The second I see her hand reach for the handle, I grab her arm. “I’m going with you.”

She looks at me with concern. “Alec, you can’t. Not for this.”

I look at the window, gripping the back of my neck with my eyes closed. I don’t need her to remind me that going inside with her is a bad idea and will only make things worse. I’m just pissed off that I can’t do a single thing about it.

“Please,” she begs.

Turning my head to her, I reach up and run my thumb along her cheek. My eyes fall to her mouth and slide back up to her eyes. “If you need me, scream.”

She nods and gets out of the car, leaving me behind to wait.

Chapter Twenty-three

Summer

My father was a hero to me. I say was because I’m not so sure about that now. Growing up, I looked up to him. I wanted to be exactly like him. Or, the man I thought he was.

Little did I know, I never really knew who he was.

After a while, seeing as many bodies as I’m sure he has seen, I suppose that can change someone mentally. Do enough damage to one’s brain that they don’t think before they act.

But no matter how much damage he has done, it doesn’t justify his actions.

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