Page 91 of Wicked Surrender

“Get out!” My father held up his hand and pointed at the door. “I refuse to let you come in here like some self-righteous punk. How dare you try to insinuate that I’m unfair. ThatI’vewronged you. Get the hell out of here before I call the cops for trespassing and?—”

I stepped forward, taking up the place between my dad and my man. Pushing his arm down, I shook my head and took over the role of defender now.

“You’re not calling the cops.” My heart raced with adrenaline to finally take a stand. It wasn’t for me. I hadn’t stood up to my father on my behalf yet, but I wouldn’t hold back and watch him try to attack Jason. “You are not doing anything to him.”

Rage glowed in his eyes. “Laura, don’t even think about?—”

“No.” I slashed my hand through the air. “I’m notthinkingabout telling you off. I’m done thinking about whether I should ever defy you. I am. I will. Because I won’t allow you to tell this man that he’s not welcome here, that he doesn’t belong in my life.”

It was so clear now that having Jason in my life would make me happy. He would motivate me to be stronger, to fight for what I wanted.

My father had only ever wanted to keep me trapped and hold me back.

I could say that now because it was so obvious how much he cared about me. I saw it in his eyes. I heard it in his voice when he took that presentation down last week. He cared enough to come here, to break in here and invade this family’s privacy just to apologize like this.

He was laying his heart on the line even at the expense of having to face my father, the man he hated. I didn’t doubt for a second that my dad had expelled his brother unjustly. It didn’t shock me one bit, so familiar with his high-handed ways.

The whole picture was clearer now.

I asked Jasonwhy me?

He’d only targeted me not to hurtme, but to attack my father. Jason hadn’t bullied me for the hell of it, for the lack of anything else to do, but because he was so upset and outraged about what happened to his brother.

“You won’t decide whether he can be here or not.” I squeezed Jason’s fingers, tugging him gently to stand closer next to me.

He slid into place, putting his hand on the small of my back. It was a clear show of alignment, that he was with me and not leaving anytime soon.

“I forbid you from being with this deviant, Laura,” my dad growled, jamming his finger at me. “I forbid?—”

“I don’t care!” I raised my voice, feeling triumphant to fight back at last. “I don’t care what you think or what you do. I am tired of your telling me what to do and how to live my life. If I want to be with him, I will. If I want to change my major and go into a career that I’m passionate about, I will.”

“Laura! You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I do!” I squeezed Jason’s fingers with the force of how much I wanted to shout at my father more. And he didn’t flinch, keeping his hand at the small of my back and not wavering as my support.

“I won’t let anyone else tell me what to think or what I can have or want. You can’t tell me that I have to follow in your footsteps or Mai’s. I won’t let you keep me from the education I want to pursue. And I won’t ever let anyone try to tell me who I can love and have in my heart.”

Turning toward Jason, I swallowed hard and tried to steady my breath. “Not even you. I’m not going to let anyone tell me that we can’t be together because of the mistakes we began with.”

He sighed, stepping into my space with a gentle smile.

“I will fight for what I want, even you, Jason.”

I licked my lips, treasuring this pivotal moment when I wouldn’t have to feel like I was less than. I couldn’t so long as I stayed true to myself and did what would make me happy.

“Because I love you,” I told him, fully aware that all my family could see me.

He leaned in to kiss me but paused a breath away. “I love you, too,” he promised, staring deep in my eyes. “And I will never stop making it up to you. I’ll beg for forgiveness and make sure you know how sorry I am?—”

“I do, Jason.” I closed the distance to press my lips to his. “I do forgive you. Because I love you.”

This was the day I’d make the rest of my life happen. The day I’d choose me, knowing I wasn’t second-best.

I would fight for the best in my life, which meant embracing this man and switching my major.

It was past time that I follow my friend’s advice and see to my true happiness, no matter what.

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