Page 19 of Claiming His Student

“That’s not your choice,” she says quietly, but confidently. “It’s mine. I know you think you’re trying to protect me, but you’re doing the opposite. You’re pushing me away, taking away my free will. It’s not healthy, Dad. I’m going to continue to see Dylan. I don’t care what you say. It’s my life and I know how I feel. Don’t try and stand in my way.”

“There is no way I’m letting this happen under my roof,” he snaps, turning on me. “In fact, get the hell out of here. I don’t ever want to see your face again.”

He steps forward to shove me in the chest, but I grab him by the shirt before he can do anything. He has the sense to look scared as my urge to protect takes over and I throw him back against the wall. Cora cries out in horror as he recovers and tries to launch himself at me. I go into defense mode, but when he tries to punch me, I lose patience and slam my fist into his nose. I hear a crack and he yells out, collapsing into the wall. When he stands again, his nose is bloodied. He wipes his face in anger.

“You broke my fucking nose!”

“You started a fight you can’t finish,” I growl.

“Get the hell out of my house!” He turns to Cora. “And you...make your choice. It’s me or him. It’s your family or a man you don’t even know.”

Cora’s lip wobbles. “Dad, no…”

“You have to choose. Make the right decision, Cora.”

Cora’s brow furrows. “Dylan would never make me choose between the two of you. All we want is for you to accept this and let us move forward. If you can’t do that...if you’d rather let me go than let me be happy...then my choice is made.” She slips her hand back into mine. “I’m going with him.”

An awful silence fills the room, and her father’s face turns dark.

“I should have you expelled. You’re breaking every rule.”

“Is that all you care about?” Cora says, tears in her eyes. “Fine. Do it. At least now I’ve seen your true colors.”

She tugs my hand and we leave the room. Downstairs, the party has come to a halt and everyone is staring at us, but we push on through anyway. We walk out the door and get in my car and drive away.

We don’t look back.Chapter NineCoraDylan drives us to his house on the other side of town. I spend the whole journey looking out of the window, swallowing back tears, and trying to convince myself that I’m fine. But I’m not. I know I made the right decision by coming with Dylan. He would never have asked me to leave my father behind to be with him, but it hurts knowing that my Dad wouldn’t even consider my feelings. He chose to be angry and unforgiving. He literally preferred to let me go than to see things from my point of view and kicked me out of my own home. How am I meant to survive this feeling? My own father rejected me. And now he’s all alone in that house, feeling bitter and lonely...yet somehow, I feel more sorry for him than I do for myself.

At least I have the love of my life with me. At least I have the knowledge that his baby is growing inside me. I’ll never be alone when I have Dylan. He reaches over and takes my hand, and I feel my lip quiver. His kindness to me is so much more overpowering than my father’s betrayal, but now I can’t stop the tears.

When we reach his house, he carries me from the car and up to bed. He tucks me in and brings me a glass of water as the tears fall freely. By the time I’ve finished crying, my throat is raw and my head hurts. Dylan gets into bed beside me and pulls me into his arms.

“I’m sorry that happened. You didn’t deserve to be treated that way by him.”

“I just can’t believe how it panned out,” I sniff, snuggling into him. “I knew he’d be angry...but I thought he might be able to forgive me if he saw how happy I was. I really thought he might give us a chance, that my happiness would be more important to him. I really thought I knew him, but apparently not.”

“Give him time,” Dylan says quietly in my ear, kissing my cheek. “He might come around. But if he doesn’t, I will always be here for you. He’s lucky to have you as a daughter. If he’s willing to let you go, then he’s crazy.”

“I know,” I sniff. I turn around to face him. “I just want to thank you. For sticking up for me the way that you did. I kind of came apart back there.”

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