Page 119 of Resist Me

Chapter 40

Lincoln

As soon as I closed out my speech, I rushed off the stage. People probably thought I was going to throw up or something. I sort of felt like I would. The look on West’s face… I wanted to pass it off as a remnant of what happened with Willow, but the guy beside him looked too much like him for me to believe that. As soon as he came in, a darkness took over West’s expression that I’d never seen before.

Someone tried to get my attention but I just kept walking. I had no idea where he’d be. It was like when he’d stormed out the other day, but no doubt worse. We were twenty minutes from campus and I didn’t have my bike. This whole thing was a disaster.

When I opened the door that led outside, I ran into a man with black hair and dark blue eyes. Immediately, I fisted his shirt and pushed him back onto the sidewalk.

“Where’s West?” I demanded.

His lips thinned. He may have looked like his son, but I hated his face.

“Let me go,” he said calmly.

“No. Not until you answer my question.”

He grabbed my wrist, trying to pull it away, but I was stronger. “I don’t really care if you’re his partner. You don’t get to make demands of me.”

Releasing him, I let out a dry laugh. “Is that what you think? No, actually, I can do just that. You know why? Because I’m the man who’ll be putting him back together after whatever the hell you put him through, today and for the past ten years. I’m the man who will be coming up with words to help him through it. I’m the one who’s falling in love with your son because he’s the most beautiful soul I’ve ever met. And that’s despite you, not because of you.”

He raised his chin. “I’m aware of my own failures. They’re mine to deal with, and my son’s, so keep your hands to yourself and back up. You don’t know what’s made us this way.”

I shook my head, trying to keep myself calm. “I get that you all experienced something horrible, but it didn’t make you this way. You did. I can sympathize, but I won’t accept excuses. You’re a terrible father because of the decisions you’ve made for the past ten years. That’s on you and you’re going to stay the hell away unless he can somehow convince me that he wants you around. I highly doubt that’ll happen. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you, Mr. Densmore.”

Leaving him there, I started walking. I had no idea where West would be, but I assumed he would do exactly this. When I called him, it only rang twice before it went to voicemail. I sent him a few texts, even though I had no hope that he would respond. So, I just walked.

*****

Ten minutes after I left the hotel, I came across a park. It had a big field and some nice playground equipment. For some reason, I had a feeling about it, so I made my way over to it.

Legs were sticking out of a tunnel up on a play structure- much longer than a child’s limbs. I grabbed onto the bar to pull myself up and dropped to my knees above his head and looked down at him. He met my eyes only briefly before he pulled himself out of the tunnel and got to his feet. When he tried to brush by me, I latched onto his arm.

“Talk to me.”

“Nah. I just want to be alone.”

“No.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m serious.”

“Is this when you push me away again?”

I’d expected it, of course. It was his go-to. I’d already decided not to let him do it anymore, but I felt more strongly about it after tonight. He wanted me enough to show the team that we were together. Running away wasn’t an option. West wasn’t a coward.

“Let’s go home,” I suggested. “Yours or mine, it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s where I’m headed. Alone.”

I raised a brow. “Stop with that shit.”

Anger contorted his features. This was better than when he was apathetic. It was a pain in the ass, but I could work with it.

“Just leave me alone,” he snapped. I blocked him from passing again, which only made him shove my chest. “Move.”

“No.”

“I’m done with this. It’s not worth my time.”

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