Page 178 of Santa Daddies
Bellamie fidgets then jumps up from her stool. “I'm going to go take a shower.”
“But we’re having family time,” Mom protests.
“Family time?” Bellamie waves her hands at us. “We’re just sitting around talking about what a failure I am.”
“I can order breakfast. Wouldn’t that be fun?” Mom misses the point.
“I picked up an extra shift at work. I’m out of here.” Bellamie storms out of the room.
Dad calls after Bellamie even though she’s gone. “I don’t understand why you let a dead-end job take time away from your studies.”
I can’t take it anymore, especially after last night unlocked my need to protect my stepsister. “Maybe this is why.” I motion between us with my hand. “Maybe a dead-end job is better than constantly getting judged.”
“Judged?” Mom is sincerely confused.
Dad sits forward defensively, but I don’t give him a chance to say anything.
“Ask your new mindset coach friend how to accept someone for who they are instead of who they could be. Hell, ask Bellamie what she loves about her job.”
I rush after Bellamie but she’s locked the bathroom door. Taking a breath, I squelch my anger toward our parents. Knocking softly, I say, “Can we talk?”
“No.” Her brief answer is followed by the sound of the shower starting.
I’m about to leave, but her voice stops me. “Loren…”
It sounds like she’s close to the door. I step close, touching my hand to where I imagine her face is. “I’m here.”
“Thank you for defending me.” Her breath hitches.
Fuck, she’s crying.
My heart rips to pieces. She’s mine and I have to prove it to her. “I’m here for you, Belle. Always. Let me in so we can talk about last night.”
She sniffles, then says more firmly, “You don’t have to explain. You did what you were contracted to do. I understand what it was.”
“Come on, Belle, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“I’ll be fine. I had a backup plan in case the auction didn’t work out.”
Didn’t work out? How can she say that? Dammit, I knew we should have talked first. “Belle…”
“I don’t need you taking our parents’ place, controlling my life, who I date, everything else.”
Is that all she thinks this is, me controlling her?
“Please be gone by the time I get out of the shower. I have to get to work.”
“We have to talk.”
“You have to let me live my life.”
“I want to be a part of it, Belle. Please give me a chance to explain.”
“We had fun. We got out years of sexual tension. No more explanation needed.”
“Yes, there is.”
“Then tell me.”
