Page 137 of Give My Everything
BEN
It’s been a long time since I’ve driven that fast. Three days after I got my driver’s license, I gave in to some peer pressure and tried to race my new car against Mark Jessup’s down PCH.
I got pulled over, got a speeding ticket, and my mom told me I was grounded for two weeks and took away my license for a month. Of course, one of the only times I get in trouble, my mom is ready to roll out the punishments.
Today, though, I wouldn’t have stopped for any police lights as I blew through a stoplight and got home in record time.
And when I walked through that front door and found my father with his hands on Remmy?
I about fucking lost it.
He’s lucky all I did was shout at him to get the out. I might not be a violent man, but the feelings that raced through my veins in that moment were enough to scare even myself.
My focus was on Remmy, though.
I needed her in my arms, had to make sure she was okay.
The panic inside me is throbbing uncontrollably at the words my dad said as I walked in.
He doesn’t care about you at all. All he cares about is getting access to your dad so he can hurtme.
I hate that he told her, because I’m sure it was surprising, but at the same time, I’m thankful. This means there aren’t any secrets, no dark hidden corners or skeletons.
His last words, though…
I pull her in tighter against my chest as they roll through my mind.
Although if the rumors are true, I’m sure he’s heard fucking you wouldn’t be a hardship.
I’ve always known my dad is a heartless, chauvinistic, pigheaded asshole—but I never thought it would be something that would come into play for anyone other than my brother and me, maybe people he works with.
Those words to Remmy…that was his attempt to take her out at the knees, to hit her as hard as he could where he knew it would cut her the deepest.
Fuck him.Fuck. Him.
“God, I’m sorry it took me so long to get here,” I say, pulling back and placing my hands on her face, as if by looking carefully enough at her I can be certain she’s okay.
I press my lips to her forehead, willing my racing heart to calm, trying to let my irritation and anger go.
But then Remmy steps out of my arms and wraps her own around her waist. It makes her look small and unsure.
“Is it true?”
Her voice sounds wobbly, sad…wounded in a way I didn’t know was possible.
“Was the point of you wanting to marry me because you wanted access to my father?”
“I’m…I mean…Remmy, we talked about this, our reasons, before we ever started—”
“You told me,” she interrupts, her voice turning hard, her eyes narrowing, “your reasons were private, but that it was mostly to get your mother off your back about who you were dating.” She scoffs. “How did I not see that was bullshit? You and your mother aren’t even talking. Why would she care about who you’re seeing? Or who you marry?”
“Remmy—”
“You used me.”
“Andyouusedme,” I reply, my own voice rising, not understanding why she’s so angry. “I might not have been entirely honest, but that was about keeping my plan a secret, not trying to keep it from you specifically.”
“Bullshit. You manipulated me because you wanted something from me that you knew I wouldn’t give you if you asked. So instead of being honest with me, you lied. You snuck around trying to mastermind some…planyou thought would allow you to take over your father’s company.”
