Page 178 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

In a few minutes, they’ll be gone and our night can begin.

But a nagging feeling in my gut tells me to do the right thing for my parents, go to the benefit, and to forget about my plans.

Stop the lying, Jae. It’s destroying your relationship.

I tap the toe of my boot on the floor for the couple of seconds it takes me to decide.

I stab a message into the keyboard on my phone, tossing it on my bed before I run over to my closet and grab a black cocktail dress.

“Mom, Dad!” I yell, poking my head into the hallway. “Don’t leave yet! I’m coming?—”

But my words are drowned out by the loud chimes of the doorbell.

And with each chime that sounds, my stomach drops lower and lower into my boots.

Oh, no…

“What the hell are you doing here?” Dad bellows from the front hall, the sound echoing throughout the foyer. “I thought I told you to stay away from my daughter!”

I race down the steps, gripping the banister tight as I skid to a halt at the bottom. “Daddy, please!” I yelp as he steps closer to Eli with a menacing look on his face.

My father looks at me, his lips twisted into a grimace. “I trusted you. How long have you been lying to us, Jaelyn? How long has this been going on? We told you to stay away from that clubhouse, away from those people!”

“Those people are my friends!” I yell, balling my fists. “They care about me. Yes, they’re different from you and Mom, but does that make them bad?”

“You don’t understand how the world works. I’ve tried so hard to give you the best life possible, and now you just want to throw it all away, just like your brother did when he joined that…that motorcycle gang?”

“He’s not throwing anything away!” I scream. “He is a business owner! At only twenty-two! Why can’t you just be proud of him instead of tearing him down every chance you get?”

“Because I wanted more for him! And for you!” Dad looks at Eli. “You will never be good enough for her!”

Eli nods, staring right at my father. “You’re right, sir. But I love her.”

Oh, Jesus. I can see the smoke billowing out of my father’s ears. “You what?” he hisses. “You love her? Is that what this is?” He creeps closer to Eli. “You meet a beautiful girl who comes from money and follows you around like a puppy dog and you think you can convince me it’s love that you feel? Do you think I’m some kind of an idiot?” he roars, the vein in his forehead pulsating as rage courses through his body. He keeps his fists locked against his sides, and even though I know my father would never hit him, a tiny part of me knows he desperately wants to tear Eli’s head from his body.

“You don’t love her,” he hisses. “You love what she can do for you. What my family and my money can do for you!”

“Marco, that’s enough,” Mom says, pulling him backward. Her eyes dart over to me and she gives her head a little shake.

Dad swivels around and narrows his eyes at my outfit, making me cringe. “So this is the choice you’ve made. You’ve decided to go against our wishes and slum it with this…this…” He looks at Eli, his face beet-red with anger. “This piece of trash!”

“He’s not trash!” I yell. “And you can’t tell me what to do! This is my life!”

“The hell it is!” he shouts. “You’re eighteen years old! You’re a child. My child! And as long as you live under this roof, you will do what I say!”

“Well, then, maybe I shouldn’t live under this roof!” I cry.

Mom gasps. “Enough, both of you!” She tugs at my father’s arm. “Marco, just leave it alone. If you let it go too far?—”

“What?” he demands, turning to sneer at Mom. “She’ll leave?” His eyes are wild when he looks back over to me. “Then leave! Go! You think you can do a better job of taking care of yourself than we can? Be my guest!” He stomps over to me, shaking a finger in my face. “You’re finished. The lies, the deceit, the sneaking around. It’s over. All of it!”

“You can’t make me stop seeing him!”

“I can give you a choice,” he says, his voice dropping to a growl. “Make it, Jaelyn! Right now!”

“I hate you!” I shriek without thinking, stomp my foot on the polished wood floor, tears of anger streaming down my face, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Eli’s jaw drops and Mom clamps a hand over her mouth.

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