Page 45 of The Neighbor's Son

My dad is talking to me, clearly stressing the fuck out, but I can’t shake away Casey’s words. Obviously, she said no because she came to me, and we just fucked in Gordon’s bathroom.

Right?

She chose me.

“Are you even listening right now?”

I rub at my temple, forcing myself to give Dad my full attention. “What about renting this unit out?”

He studies me for a beat, eyes narrowed as he attempts to figure out what’s going on in my head. Maybe he can explain it to the both of us because I sure as hell can’t make sense of it.

“We need the income renting this unit out. I can’t afford to take a financial hit like that,” Dad explains as he checks his phone and then groans. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

Concern chases away my own problems. “Why can’t we rent this one out? It’s almost fixed up and ready. It’ll definitely be ready by the first. Am I missing something?”

Dad sighs heavily, shaking his phone at me. “Amara.”

Amara is Dad’s newest girlfriend. He’s got a bit of a savior complex. Mom was way too independent for him, so now he just dates women he can fix. It’s a fucking disaster to be honest.

“What about her?”

“You really weren’t listening.”

Something out the window catches my eye. I see Casey hurrying past and I can’t help but smirk. She didn’t want to do the walk of shame, so she snuck out a window.

“I’m listening now,” I say, turning back to him. “Are you thinking of giving Amara this place?”

“What’s the alternative?” he asks, frowning. “Let her move in with us? She’s my girlfriend, but…”

He doesn’t love her.

I know that for a fact. At best, he’s kind to her and tolerates her. And, on occasion, he fucks her. I’ve heard them going at it a time or two. But moving in together? They’re missing something vital in their relationship.

They certainly don’t have what me and Casey have.

Fire. The need to consume one another. Obsession.

“You don’t have to save everyone,” I tell him. “It’s not your responsibility.”

Dad does so much for everyone. He’s a good friend to Cole, always there to let him vent. He lets the beer bros fuck him around on rent all the time because he genuinely likes them. When Clara almost caught her unit on fire, he put in a new stove and repainted with not an ounce of anger toward her for being careless. With Maggie, he lets her have a million cats and never asks for a pet deposit even though we’re going to have to burn that unit to the ground when she dies because it reeks like cat piss.

“Anyway,” Dad grumbles, not liking my calling him out. “How are things with you and Casey? I noticed you didn’t come home last night. I’m guessing it was good.”

My cheeks flame hot, and I can’t stop the stupid grin forming on my face. “Your boy’s a man now.”

Dad barks out a laugh. “No shit? Good for you.” His features pinch as he grows serious. “I saw Derek leaving this morning. What was that all about?”

Honestly, I barely know myself. I still need to talk to Casey about it.

“Thought he could have her back,” I say with a sigh. “He walked in on us. Awkward as fuck.”

He scrunches his face. “I don’t envy you a bit. You sure you know what you’re doing with this woman? I really don’t want to see you get hurt.”

I’m sure it’ll hurt.

It already has.

My heart is vulnerable and belongs solely to her. So far, it’s taken a bit of a beating. I’ve done nothing but question my every move and drown in my insecurities.

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