Page 133 of Say It Isn't So

Me: I don’t care. Bite me.

Finally, he spoke—“You’re seeing each other?”

I nodded and reached for Knox’s hand, squeezing it. I had no idea where this was going, but we were in this together.

“I suppose that’s good because poor eyesight doesn’t run in the family, so I’d be concerned if you couldn’tseehim.”

Did he just crack a joke? A joke! A lame joke, but a joke nonetheless. I was over here freaking out and that was how he was going to play this. Nope, I had not seen that coming. Trying again, I shook my head. “I mean it, Dad. Knox and I are dating. We’re together.”

He blinked.

I blinked.

He blinked again.

I peered at Knox.

Knox blinked, his steely gaze fixed on my dad. Waiting. Anticipating.

I know the feeling, baby.

But I gave in first, elaborating, “See, Dad, Knox and I are—”

”No!” My dad’s voice was loud and deep, coming straight from his core. He looked around, his eyes growing angrier by the second. You couldn’t see the fire raging in them, but I feared I’d have to call the local fire station to put it out before it sent the whole restaurant up in flames.

Knox gave my hand a gentle squeeze and we waited with bated breath for what he was going to say next, because I could assure you it wasn’t just over with the “no!”.

The good news was that we were in a public setting, so he wouldn’t make any more of a spectacle. Dad was nothing if not sophisticated; his image meant everything to him. And this girl right here was not stupid, she knew what she was doing when she decided to barge in on his dinner.Go ahead, I’ll wait for your round of applause.

Dad’s lip twitched. “I like to consider myself a reasonable man, Bianca. But I have rules in place for a reason, for your own good. Seeinghimis strictly forbidden. I forbid it. I made myself very clear that you were not to get entangled with this. . . this. . . leech.”

Got it. Forbidden. Hear you loud and clear.

I could feel my face heating up and hot tears stinging my eyes. I tried to blink them away, so that I could say what I’d come here to say without a broken voice. “But Daddy—”

“You are naïve, Bianca, if you think this boy actually cares about you.”

“But Daddy—”

He shook his head, his fingers still on his ring as if it was his power source. “I prayed to your mother and all the saints and angels to give me clarity, to help me understand mygabadostdaughter. It seems my prayers have gone unanswered because I don’t understand. I don’t understand why you’re doing this. So instead, I will pray for you to come to your senses.”

“You know, growing up you always said you wanted what was best for me. You wanted me to be happy and have a full life.” I shook my head. “You lied. You didn’t want me to have any of those things. You wanted me to have the life you approved of, one thatyouwere happy with.”

“Have you lost your mind? You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

I couldn’t listen to him anymore, the same old story. So I cleared my throat and looked him in the eyes. “No, Daddy,youdon’t know. You raised me to be my own person and make good decisions. I may have made some bad ones in the past, but those were mine to make. And I learned from them, each and every single one. This”—I glanced over at Knox, who was staring at me with nothing but compassion in his eyes—“choosing to be with Knox is the best decision I have ever made, trust me.”

“You’re not leading with your head on this one and you’re going to get burned,” he continued, clearly determined to get out what was on his mind.

Ugh, I was so sick of him cutting Knox down, making him out to be this villain. Knox was not a villain—he was a goddamn prince among men. He was my prince. He was everything I’d ever been searching for and then some.

“Have you even been listening to me? Did you hear a word I said?”

“Did you hear what I said?” he countered.

I decided to try another angle. “You don’t even know him!”

“I don’t have to. They’re all the same. People like Knox mooch, that’s what they do. They’re parasites that don’t stop sucking until they’ve taken you for everything you’re worth, for every last drop of blood.”

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