Page 75 of Thorns of Malice

"You killed him," I seethe.

"I didn't even know your father was dead."

I scoff. "You didn't know he was dead? How is that? You seem to know everything else. You knew I was in Georgia."

"I didn't know until Avery told me a couple months ago."

"Yeah, well, you still got to my father, and he's dead now," I reiterate.

"I'm so sorry. When did this happen?" he asks and tries to tighten his hold on me.

Blood boils in my veins, and a trembling rage overpowers me. I shove him away. "You're sorry? Are you sorry enough to bring him back from the dead? Can you go back in time and redo the day you were on TV, bragging about the patent you stole from him in front of his face? Are you going to reverse the heart attack you caused him to have? What are you going to do, Dax?"

Dax shakes his head, "I-I..."

"There's nothing you can do. My father's death is on you."

"Ivy, I didn't?—"

"You didn't what, Dax? How are you innocent?" I shout.

He puts his hands in the air. "I know I've done a lot?—"

"You've done a lot? Should we talk about all the things that you've done?" I huff.

He closes his eyes, and his face falls.

My pulse pounds harder between my ears.

Tense silence fills the air.

Dax opens his eyes and looks genuinely remorseful, but I remind myself it's a farce. There is no trusting Dax Carrington. I won't be a fool twice.

He softly says, "Ivy, I'm so sorry about your dad."

"No, you're not. You hated him."

He clenches his jaw.

"You did everything you could to destroy my relationship with him and make him ashamed of me."

"That part isn't true," Dax claims.

I sarcastically laugh. "What part isn't true?"

"I didn't want him to be ashamed of you."

"But you wanted to drive a wedge between us?"

He sighs, admitting, "Yeah, I did, because I wanted you."

"And that's the only reason?" I ask, crossing my arms.

He opens his mouth and shuts it.

"Don't you fucking lie to me, Dax Carrington! For once, stop lying to me!"

He grinds his molars, glancing at the ceiling, then pins his gaze back on mine. It tugs at my heartstrings, but I won't be his village idiot anymore. He doesn't get my sympathy.

---