Page 40 of Stella
“Out!” Harlem barks.
They drag their feet as they take off, and I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what? He was swinging you around like his own personal Ferris wheel.”
“Oh, my god! You’re ruining my life! Now they’re all gonna think you’re just protecting me and that I need my dad to run in and save the day when I had it under control!”
“Well, I am protecting you, so no harm, no foul,” he states calmly. “And you were about to get your head dunked in the toilet, I think that classifies as being in the right place at the right time.”
“They wouldn’t have done that, they were just trying to get a rise out of me,” I huff. “You know this won’t work if you keep rescuing me and yelling at them for goofing around.”
“I can do what I want, I own their souls until they’re worthy enough to be patched in.”
“You’re annoying,” I tell him. “I can fight my own battles.”
He steps closer. “Just because you’re a prospect doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop bein’ your pops, got me? And I don’t give a fuck what they think. They’re scumbags?—”
“Technically, I’m a scumbag too. I’m a prospect.”
“Don’t be a smartass.”
“I was born that way.” I shrug.
He lets out a long breath. “What else is on that list?”
“I’m almost done, but then I have to go and help Luna at Faux Paws for a couple of hours.”
“I worry you’re doing too much,” he sighs.
“I’m fine.” I pat him on the back good-naturedly. “Just stay out of my business, Dad. That’s what we agreed, right?”
“No one on this planet is gonna hang you upside down and threaten to flush your head down a toilet,” he reminds me. “No matter how old you are.”
“Lighten up, Dad. Seriously, I’m fine.” I take off toward the kitchen, ready to raid the fridge because Manny isn’t in on Sundays and I’m hungry. I’ve earned a sandwich.
“I never agreed to that!” he hollers after me.
“Love you, too!”
Ugh. That was annoying. The last thing I need is the other prospects thinking I’m getting special treatment from my freaking Dad. Granted, I don’t want my head dunked in the toilet, but I doubt Wheels was serious, and I wouldn’t have let him do that, anyway. He caught me off guard, and I would’ve dropped him on his ass the second he put me back on the ground. I wish Dad would just stop poking his freaking nose in where it isn’t wanted. Now I’m never gonna stop hearing about it the next time we run into each other. As if their jibes and taunts aren’t annoying enough, now I’m a crybaby.
I pull out some ingredients and make myself grilled cheese. I’ve worked hard, and I still feel like shit from last night, but at least we have a good coffee machine here. That’s kept me alive at least.
“Stell?” Dad calls. Ugh, is he still here?
“What?” I yell back.
“Delivery!”
Huh? Just before I do, my phone pings with a text.
Detective Callaghan
Thought this might help with the hangover
I quickly make for the door and find my dad standing in the hallway with a bag in one hand, and a cup in the other. “You order food?”
“Um, yeah?”
