Page 15 of Restrictions

My father places his cellphone down, sitting up arrow-straight. “Because you’re a young, single college student. They aren’t your responsibility. So why move in?”

What the hell is he getting at? Asher has been around since I told Lincoln about Sebastian. Granted, he rarely came to our house, so they haven’t been around each other much, but my father has known Asher has been helpful.

“Sebastian is my nephew.”

“Not your son.”

My father looks deadly serious. Asher places his fork on his plate and matches my father’s posture. “No. My brother died.”

“So you’re just taking his place?”

Asher rarely gets flustered by anything, but the mention of Colt definitely riles him up. I see his jaw tense. “No. No one could ever take Colt’s place.”

“And yet, here you are.” My mother takes a sip of her wine, and my eyes dart to hers.

“What are you two implying?”

My father still won’t look at me, instead his eyes remain trained on Ash. “What exactly are you getting from all of this?”

Is he implying . . . ?

“You think I want sex?”

Now I want to die. I turn to Asher. “Ash.”

“Yes.”

I turn to look at my father in horror. “What?”

His cold, dark eyes meet mine for the first time in years. “Is it really that far-fetched, Vivienne? We know what you’re capable of. Clearly you have no self-control.”

I’m left stunned, and Asher is the only one able to speak up. “I would say Viv here has plenty of self-control.”

I turn to look at him and shake my head in warning. “Don’t.”

He looks straight ahead at my father. “I’m not here to get laid. I can do that anywhere in this town and in most towns.”Jesus, Asher.He leans forward. “I’m here because Sebastian is a kickass kid and your daughter is an amazing mother, but even the best moms need help. And she’s helping me out too just not with my dick.”

My cheeks flame, and I could kill all three of them in this moment. “Asher,” I hiss in a quiet warning.

My father straightens his tie, and it’s amazing, I’ve never seen him back down before. He’s the one that seems riled up. “Keep it that way.”

My voice is strained and almost a desperate whine, “Dad, it’s not like that. He’s here to help with his nephew.”

My father is no longer making eye contact as he picks his phone back up. “Yes well, two single people of the opposite sex under the same roof, Vivienne. Do not make the same mistake twice.”

I refuse to cry in front of them anymore. Referring to my beautiful son as a mistake makes me sick to my stomach.

I nod my head, my back painfully straight as I sit in the woodenchair and watch my parents exchange a look, my father giving my mother some sort of go-ahead before she turns to look at me. “We’re moving, Vivienne.”

They’ve both lived in Kansas City their entire lives. “What? Where are you moving?”

“New York. There’s more opportunity for your father’s business there, and since you and Sebastian have moved out against our advice, we have decided it’s time.”

They were so angry at me when I told them I wanted to move out, but in the end, they agreed to it. After a full year of me arguing my case and them giving in. “When?”

“In a couple of weeks.”

My mother’s eyes meet mine. “We’re finished cleaning up your messes. You wanted to be on your own. Now you are.”

---