“What I want,” I say, slowly and deliberately, “is for you to back out of my life.”
He snorts and sits back down. “Another tantrum? Really, Tessa.”
“You sold me to get your deal with the Anholts.”
He rolls his eyes. “So melodramatic. I didn’t sell you. I only wanted you to talk to Sean. He’s heartbroken over your reaction. He’s a good man.”
“No, he isn’t.” Anger makes me bold, bolder than I’ve ever been with him, and I cling to the heat it brings. “He hurt me. He forced me to do things…” I bite my lip, try to steady my voice. “He’s an asshole.”
“Now, Tessa, don’t exaggerate.”
“Exaggerate? You don’t know him.”
He shifts, his leather seat creaking. “No. But he comes from a good family. He’s young. He’ll mature.”
“He hurt me on Saturday. He hit me. He told me I’m a slut.”
Dad lifts a brow. “Told you that if you behave like one, you’ll be treated like one.”
I step back, the air leaving my lungs. I want to slap him and kick him and scream like a banshee. “You…” The words desert me. How can he say such a thing to me?
He doesn’t care. Sean has his blessing to do what he will with me.
“Are you done?” He nods at the young woman who flees the room. “Have we made enough of a spectacle of ourselves?”
No, we haven’t, I want to say. You’re an asshole, as much as Sean. You should sit behind bars. I should curse you to hell.
My hands clench at my sides. I try to think rationally. To decide what to do. This scene isn’t what I’d expected coming here. These revelations. This coldness in the face of the truth.
What, you thought he’d break when you told him Sean hurt you? That he’d apologize and open his arms for you?
Christ.
“I want to talk to you about the future,” I manage through gritted teeth.
“The future. Seriously?” He pretends to be bored, flipping through a file.
My fists tighten until my nails bite into my palms. “I want to take a break from college, and those clubs you made me join.” Sweat trickles down my back. I ignore it. “I need some time out. Need to find myself, decide what I want to do with my life.”
“We’ve had this conversation before. You don’t get to…” he pitches his voice high, “take some time off to find yourself.”
“I’m not asking for your permission,” I bite out.
“And who do you think will pay you to sit and do nothing?”
“Christ, Dad. I don’t want your money. I’ll work.”
“You? You will work?” He laughs, and I can’t stand it anymore.
“I don’t want anything more to do with you,” I say and turn to go.
“You think you can just walk out like that?” I hear his chair scraping on the floor. “Your car, your apartment, you think you can keep them without my say so?”
“I’ll move out,” I shout at him, turning and walking backward. “Go on, show me how powerful you are. Take it all, take everything I own. You don’t own me, and you can’t sell me to the higher bidder. If Sean comes near me again, I’m asking for a restraining order.”
My father stares at me, his eyes narrow and cold, and I feel a small flare of pride at his obvious shock and discomfort.
But then he shakes his head and laughs again, loud and theatrical. “Let’s see how long this little rebellion will last.”
He doesn’t get it. “It’s over,” I say and leave, shaking with adrenaline and sorrow.
Your dominion over me is over.
***
An hour later, I’m sitting in a café on campus, waiting for Erin to meet me, and I’m still shaking. Indoors, hunched over in an armchair, I should feel warm. The heaters are on and everyone is down to their T-shirts—but I’m still wrapped in my long coat and scarf.
I don’t feel warm. I don’t feel good. Don’t know if I’ll ever feel good again. Right now it doesn’t seem like it, although I know time changes everything.
Almost everything.
Dylan…
I shake my head at myself, for still wanting and hoping.
Megan wanders by, Zane’s friend. He never told me how they met. She’s carrying a tray with dirty cups and glasses. She shoots me a smile, and I try to smile back, but my face feels numb.
She stops, puts the tray down, and sits across from me. “Tessa, right? Are you okay?”
I press my lips together and give a jerky nod.
“You look like you need something warm and sweet. Wait here.”
As if I have the energy to move. It seems only seconds before she returns with a tall, steaming mug and sets it in front of me.