Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47521 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Brandi stands up. “Now, Ryan—”
My dad cuts her off. “No, I won’t sit down and be silent anymore. She’s your daughter, Brandi. I don’t understand.”
He’s shaking his head, trying to wrap his thoughts around it. He straightens to his full height. “You hurt my daughter and then come to my table, my house… get the hell out of here.”
I jump up from my seat and make my way around to where Dick is sitting. He stands up, and I use my body to push him out of the room. My dad follows me, and we follow Dick all the way outside to his car.
CHAPTER 21
CASSIE
I’m sitting here speechless. When I hear the front door slam, I turn to my mom. “I told you what he did to me. I told you that he was pressuring me to have sex.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re twenty-two, Cassie. Grow up.”
I rear back as if she slapped me. “Grow up? You’re telling me to grow up! Mom, he cheated on me—”
She cuts me off. “Because you wouldn’t put out.”
Brook stands up from the table. “Mother!”
I shake my head and hold my hand up. “It’s fine, Brook. It’s not like we don’t know how she is.” I turn to my mom. “I just wish one time you’d be on our side.”
Her face twists in anger. “Your side? What have you always wanted, Cassie? A family. And now what? I gave you one, and you’re the one that’s screwing it all up.”
“Me? I’m going to screw it up?” I ask in outrage.
She puts her hands on her hip. “Yes. I know you’re fucking your stepbrother.”
I gasp in shock, but she’s not finished. “If anything, you’re the one that’s tearing this family apart.”
It sucks that she’s throwing this in my face. I knew if she ever found out, she would, and I was right. But I refuse to back down. She’s putting the blame on me when she’s the one that started all this tonight. “I’m not going to tear up anything.”
She laughs bitterly. “You think if you put out to him, he’s going to stay? He’s not going to stay, Cassie. If I’ve taught you nothing else, I’ve taught you that. And I have to ask you… is it worth it?”
Brook has walked around the table and is standing next to me, hugging me. It’s always been like this. We’ve always had to have each other's backs. We’ve learned through the years that if nothing else, we have each other.
The front door opens, and Ryan and Baker come in. Ryan comes straight to me and hugs me. His voice is soft and soothing, and I start to cry instantly. “I know I’m not your dad, Cassie, but I think of you as my daughter. I will always be here for you, and if someone hurts you, I’ll take care of it.” He leans back and looks in my face. “Anyone,” he says.
I sniff, and he lets me go and hugs Brook, telling her the same thing.
My mom throws a napkin down on the table. “Oh, Ryan, for fuck’s sake, they bring this on themselves. I’m done. You all have ruined a perfect dinner.”
She stomps out of the room, and we all ignore her tantrum.
Brook says she’s leaving, and I hug her bye. As Ryan walks her out, Baker reaches for my hand. I pull back and cross my arms over my chest. Right now, I hate my mom. It doesn’t feel good thinking that, but I do. But if there is something she’s taught me, it’s that men leave. Who knows how much longer Ryan is going to put up with her shit? And then there’s Baker. I’ve already proven I’m way more trouble than I’m worth. He’ll be gone next, and I have no doubt my heart will shatter.
There’s real fear in Baker’s eyes when he says my name. “Cassie? Go pack a bag. You’re coming to stay with me.”
I hold myself tighter. “I can’t.”
He takes a step toward me, and I take a step back. He’s shocked. “What do you mean you can’t?”
“I think we need to pause for a minute.”
He clenches his eyes shut and then peels them open. “Pause?”
Fuck, I know it sounds ridiculous. “Yes, pause. It’s not worth tearing our family apart when you’re going to leave me anyway.”
It’s like nothing is computing, and he’s just repeating things I say. “Leave you?”
I nod. “Yes. When you’re tired of me—heck, I’m tired of me already—you’ll leave.”
He blows out a breath, and I can see the anger on his face. “Tired of you?”
The tears start to well up again, and I don’t even try to hold them back. “Yes, we both know it’s going to happen.”
He runs his hand through the scruff of his chin. “Cassie, are you hearing yourself right now? You just said I’m not worth it. That what we have is not worth it.”