Page 59 of Plaything

I nodded, “Oh, okay. Did I do something that upset her when we met?” I asked. I didn’t think I did, but I wanted to be sure. I hated the idea of someone not liking me.

Niko grinned at me, “No,” he said with a slight chuckle. “She was flirting by being mean,” he explained like it was obvious.

I widened my eyes, “Oh!” I thought back to that night when I saw her checking me out. I brushed it off, but I guess it kind of makes sense. It was oddly flattering, because Jamie was stunning, in a super terrifying way.

There was a loud knock on the door and we all turned towards the front door. I looked between my professors, waiting for one of them to go answer it. No one was here for me.

Niko groaned, stood up, and walked out the kitchen door. He returned less than five seconds later, not even long enough to walk to the front door. His hand dropped from his hair as he walked into the kitchen like he had just finished running his hand through it. He looked troubled and annoyed at something.

His eyes landed on me, and I pushed my eyebrows together. “What?” I asked.

He leaned against the counter and nodded his head toward the door. “Your fa—Charles is at the door,” he said dully.

My heart began hammering in my chest again, and an impossible amount of dread weighed on my chest, making it hard to breathe. Aiden let go of me, and I stepped closer to Niko. “Did he see you?” I asked, hoping he didn’t. I’d never hear the end of it if he figured out about my living arrangements.

He shook his head, “No, I saw his ugly-ass suit through the window,” he explained.

I let out a breath of relief, “Okay.” I turned to them, raising my hands up to them, “Please stay in here; he can’t know I live with men,” I rushed out before I walked out of the kitchen.

Why would he be here? What reason could he have for coming to see me?

My nerves were on edge as I opened the door, revealing my father standing tall on the front porch. He rolled his eyes when he saw me and stepped into the house immediately. He looked around the manor in distaste. “You certainly wasted no time in leaving,” he said.

I crossed my arms over my stomach, keeping the front door open as I watched him, “The game was over, so I left,” I explained.

He let out a sarcastic huff of air, “Where are your roommates?” He asked.

“They’re not home right now,” I lied. “You’ve got a long drive home; why are you here?” I asked.

He was pacing the foyer, “What? I can’t see where my daughter lives? I am the one who made this arrangement after you got yourself kicked out of the dorms.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Do you know how you make our family look, Odette?” He began, and I shrunk. “You ran off just as they begin talking about the damn volleyball game I drove hours for. Is this what you spend your time doing, playing games dressed like a slut so everyone can look at you?” He spat.

I flinched at his words, “The other girls were wearing the same thing...”

“The other girls aren’t you, are they?” He shot back. “The only publicity you have made in this family is sneaking off and whoring yourself out like trash,” he scolded.

I averted my eyes, unable to meet his scrutiny. I looked out the door, watching the wind blow the tree leaves.

“Today was an opportunity, Odette. An opportunity to get your name in the media with something positive linked to it.” I could feel his glare on my skin as he spoke. “All you had to do—” he hit the wall with the palm of his hand, making a loud thud echo off the walls. I flinched, my eyes welling with tears as he approached me. “The only thing you had to do was smile for a photo and not dress like a fucking whore, and you couldn’t even do that right!” He yelled.

I swallowed the lump of emotions in my throat. Just look at the leaves.

He grabbed my face, making me look at him, and I whimpered, “You are done insulting me publicly,” venom dripped from his tone.

I nodded. He let go of me, and I stepped away from him until my back hit the wall. “I-I have a lot of homework to do,” I rushed out, wanting him to leave.

He scoffed, shaking his head at me. “I didn’t raise you like this,” he testified. “I gave you every opportunity other children could only hope for. You had everything you wanted and more, and here you are, acting like I’m some villain,” he continued. “You’re a Whitlock. Unfortunately, the only child I have that shares my blood. He stepped closer to me, “Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” He asked lowly. “I’ve given you your entire life on a gold platter, and this is how you repay me?”

He grabbed my arm, unfolding my arms, and I stumbled forward. “You humiliate me every opportunity you get. I didn’t raise a slut. Do you know what happens to women who dress like this?!” He grabbed the sleeve of my shirt and pulled the stretchy material.

A much larger hand was placed over his own, pulling it away from me. I widened my teary eyes at Dominic. He looked calm and collected as he removed Charles’ hand, standing between us. How much of that did they hear...?

“Get out of my house,” Dominic demanded, not looking away from Charles.

Charles widened his eyes, stepped back, and looked small under Dominic’s cold stare and massive body. “Your house?” he repeated. “Odette, what is the meaning of this?” he asked, his voice much more formal now that he knew we weren’t the only two people in the house.

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