Page 66 of The Slayer
“You let him touch you?” he growled, losing all semblance of the smooth, cultured, and respectable air he clutched at like a lifeline. “I don’t believe it. You wouldn’t.”
“I would.” Alaine let out a bitter laugh, because she had spent the past five years yearning for it with everything in her.
“He touched you? That one? With his tattoos and violence. The spic!” He pointed to the stairs once more in furious disbelief. “They are dirty, disgusting, lazy—”
Just like she had the night before, Alaine hit on instinct, smacking her father hard enough to leave the white outlined impression of her hand on his cheek. Jules actually gasped, but Alaine didn’t turn to look back.
She just stared at her father, unable to believe she had hit him.
A white-hot bolt of fear went through her, and for one long moment she couldn’t breathe, and he obviously couldn’t either. His eyes were wide and horrified as he stood there shaking.
“I’m leaving,” he said in a choked, incredulous voice once the silence became deafening. “And I’m not coming back, Alaine. If you want to lie with that filthy beast, it’s your soul.”
“Yes, it is,” she agreed with a nod. “It’s mine.”
She just stood there as her father stormed out of the office.
And out of her life.
A part of her didn’t want to believe he would end their relationship over something so petty, but she understood he had.
Just like she understood it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
If only things weren’t quite so unstable with Chuito, it would’ve been easier. As it was, knowing Chuito still didn’t want more than friendship left her staring at the door with tears welling up in her eyes.
“So that was—” Jules started, obviously looking for the right words. “Life-altering.”
Alaine turned back to Jules as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Oh, darlin’.” Jules walked over and pulled her into a hug. “It’ll be okay. Why didn’t you just tell me you broke up with Edward?”
Alaine hugged her back, because she needed the comfort desperately. “’Cause it didn’t matter. I never loved Edward. I don’t think I evenlikedEdward.” She let out a sob. “My life is so screwed up.”
“You’re still young.” Jules rubbed her back soothingly. “It’ll sort out.”
“I don’t think it will,” Alaine whispered miserably as she remembered last night again and making the promise to Chuito that it would be just that once. Touching the beauty and having it walk away had been horrible. All it had done was make the loneliness and longing a thousand times worse. “I’m so unhappy.”
“Are you really sleeping with Chuito?” Jules asked as she pulled back to look at her. The phone was ringing, but she ignored it. “You were sleeping with him while you were with Edward? Alaine.”
Alaine flushed with embarrassment. “Not really, no. Sometimes he has nightmares and—”
Jules arched a skeptical eyebrow.
So Alaine just gestured to the phone. “Go get it. Could be important.”
“We’re discussing this,” Jules said with a stern look before she ran to the phone. She answered it and snapped, “I’m busy, Wy.” Then she paused and said, “He’s probably just—” She stopped again and huffed. “Look, just hold on.” Then she called out, “Chuito didn’t show up to train Javier. Is he still sleeping?”
“I think he’s hungover,” Alaine admitted. “We sorta had a fight. I’m sure he finished off the tequila after he left.”
Jules was quiet for a moment before she said to her brother, “Just cut him a break. Alaine thinks he’s hungover. No, I’m not going to wake him up. He’ll get there when he gets there. Javier’s not going anywhere.”
After Jules hung up, she appeared in the doorway to her office and asked, “You just slapped your father over a man you’re fighting with?”
“No, it’s not—” Alaine threw up her hands and sat at her desk once more. She stared at the wood and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
Jules walked over and sat in the chair on the other side of Alaine’s desk. “What is going on?”
Alaine refused to look at her. “It’s just complicated right now. Very complicated.”
