“I don’t really care what you want.” His voice was darkly calm.

His words were final. His meaning clear.

I hung up the phone.

Things were spiraling fast.

I needed to get away. I grabbed my duffel bag and left.

CHAPTER18

LINDSEY

“DAD!” I YELPEDas he pulled me backward, away from the boat. His grip was tight—too tight. His fingers dug into my skin, hard enough that I knew there would be bruises tomorrow. “Dad, stop.”

“What are you doing?” he yelled, but it wasn’t anger in his voice, it was panic. “Why are you in here?” He shook me, his face tortured.

“Let go of me,” I whimpered. I finally managed to free myself and staggered back, bumping into a shelf and knocking over a small glass bowl once filled with vinegar that had long since evaporated. It fell to the ground, shattering at my bare feet, but he barely seemed to notice.

I had never seen him like this before. My dad was usually cool and calm. He was the irresistible charmer who could smooth-talk his way into any restaurant or get our flights upgraded with only a smile. The man in front of me was a complete stranger. He was sweaty and red-faced. His eyes were wild.

Dad was in a tailspin.

It was the only way to describe what was happening with him.

“You shouldn’t be in here.” His voice shook. He leaned back against his beloved car, sliding to the floor, and buried his face in his hands. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

I wasn’t sure whether to stay or go. I debated calling my mom, but my phone was upstairs in my room.

I took a step toward him, my hand reaching out. I couldn’t leave him like this. This was my father. And for better or worse, I loved him.

But this was also the same man who preyed on young women. Who took advantage of girls young enough to be his daughter.

“Dad … what’s going on?” My words were barely audible.

He was looking at me, but he wasn’t seeingme.

“She was everything to me,” he whispered.

“Jess?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure he had even heard me.

Dad’s face contorted in pain. “I would have done anything for her. Absolutely anything. She was my whole world. I had never known love like that before. Not with my parents. Not with your mother. Not with—” He cut himself off but I knew what he was going to say.

Not with me.

I stared mutely at him sitting on the filthy garage floor, his back against his beloved Mustang. He lifted his knees and wrapped his arms around them. He looked like a pitiful child.

He was broken.

Dad’s eyes were beseeching. “Ididn’tmean to do anything.”

My heart stuttered and my stomach tightened into knots.

“What did you do?”

Jessica:

I drove away from Southern State University like the devil was on my heels.