Page 93 of Unbidden

“I don’t need to tell you why. That girl and her mother are nothing but bad news. They’ll tear this family apart. They already did once. Trust me, son. I’m saying this for your own good.”

“What does that even mean?” Reed demands.

“It means that I once knew her mother, and that woman was a conniving whore who would have torn this family apart. She tried to split me and your mother up while your mother was pregnant with you. She wanted to ruin us.” The tension in Mr. Yates’s voice shines through.

“Fine. Whatever you say. Are you going to leave now?”

“I think I should stay around a while. I don’t want her to get you boys into any trouble. Hell, now that you’ve fucked her—which you shouldn’t have, done by the way—she’s probably going to cry rape, blackmail us, or show up pregnant in a couple months. That’s how their kind works.”

I hold back tears at the way he’s speaking about my mother and me. What hurts even more is that Reed’s not even defending me. After last night, I thought things would be different between us.

For a split moment last night, I almost gave him everything. Had he not stopped me, I would have.

Turning on my heel, I silently leave out the back door before skirting around the side of the house.

It’s not until I’m back home and closing the door of my own bedroom that I let my tears fall freely, sobbing into my hand.

∞∞∞

“What’s wrong with you?” Tinsley asks when she finds me at my locker the next morning.

I spent all day yesterday hiding out in my room. I feigned illness, but I think Victoria could see through it.

Alice, on the other hand, was oblivious. She immediately had medicine and soup delivered to my room.

It gave me time to build up my walls again and prepare for today.

Sure, Reed called and texted throughout the day, but I ignored them all. I couldn’t face him after giving him part of myself. I might not have gone all the way, but I let him go further than anyone else.

“Don’t trust anyone.”

My mother’s words echo in my mind as I turn to Tinsley.

“Nothing.” I turn back to my locker, packing my items for the day.

“Sure,” she mutters.

A moment later, I feel an arm wrap around my middle as lips ghost against my ear.

“You left me yesterday.” His husky voice causes a reaction in my body that I wish I could contain. No matter what my mind says, my body still wants him.

I pull away before turning to meet his confused gaze.

“I went home.” I push past him to head towards my first class.

Tinsley and Reed fall in step beside me.

“Listen, if this has to do with my father, he’s a dick. Ignore him.”

He goes to put his arm around me, but I shake it off again before turning to him, knowing I need to nip this in the bud.

“Look, I had fun the other night.” I hear Tinsley gasp. “It was great, but there’s no reason to pretend this was anything more than a onetime thing. Let’s agree that it was a momentary lapse in judgement.”

His confused look turns to anger. “I get it. You just wanted a ride on a Yates. I’m surprised you didn’t jump on Keaton. He would have fucked you day one.”

My heart lurches at his response. I was hoping I’d been wrong, even after hearing him with his father. Even though it’s unfair of me to feel this way after pushing him away.

“Yep, that’s me. Always looking for my next great ride.” I shake my head before turning to walk away, but he reaches out to grab my arm.

---