Page 116 of Infatuated as They Come
“Oh, Christ, of fucking course,” I said with gritted teeth. I should have known. What the fuck else was gonna go wrong tonight?
I couldn’t see it, but I could hear Holly’s dad talking to her. She wasn’t awake, she wasn’t responding, and I knew it wasn’t her fault, but that was making the situation a hell of a lot worse. He kept murmuring something to her while getting no answers in response. I knew what he was looking at. That bruise on her cheek. He was connecting the dots that I had nothing to do with, ready to place all the blame on me. I could hear some movement behind me and then the sound of a car door opening and shutting, and I figured it was him putting Holly in his own car.
Then he was suddenly standing in front of me with fire in his eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen Joe Sutton look so casual—just some jeans and a T-shirt, his hair a little disheveled, and it was obvious he had rushed right out of the house once he got the call about Holly.
“What did you do to her?” he snapped, hands on my chest as he pushed me up against the truck.
“Look, just let me explain,” I said.
He pushed me again. “She’s passed out with abruiseon her face. Where the hell did it come from? Did you hit her? Did you put your hands on my daughter?”
“No, I did not fucking put my hands on her,” I said. The image of that alone was enough to make me wince. “I wouldn’t ever do that.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think you can do whatever you want to her and get away with it?”
I pulled in a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “I know what you’re thinking, I know what’s going through your head, but I didn’t do what you think I did.”
“Explain the bruise.”
“She fell.”
“Did you push her?”
“No,” I snapped. “I’d never hurt Holly like that. I’d never fucking do that to her.”
“It sure as hell looks like you did.”
“I’d never lay a hand on Holly. Ever.”
“And yet there she is, passed out with a bruise on her face. Have you been feeding her drinks all night?”
“No, of course not. Holly doesn’t drink.” My jaw ticked. “Usually, she doesn’t drink.”
“Yes, because she’s not allowed to. She’snineteen. I knew it was a mistake letting her live with you,” he said, eyes wide with anger. “I should have stopped this before it started. Before you had the chance to do this to her. How many other cuts and bruises has she covered up for you?”
Jaw clenching, it was taking everything in me to compose myself at the accusation he was throwing my way. “I know you don’t think I’m good enough for her. I get that. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love her. I’d hurt myself a million times before I ever thought about hurting your daughter.”
“I can’t believe I let you get into her head. How long have you been doing this to her? How long have you been hurting her? From the start, or since you got her alone in New York?”
“Look, if you just let me explain—”
“I’m the idiot for letting her go off and live with you. It’s my fault. I never should have trusted my daughter with you. I knew you wouldn’t be able to look after her, and now look at her—drunk, passed out, andhurt. All because of you. All because you don’t know how to keep your hands to yourself. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I didn’t touch Holly,” I said, teeth grinding together. “I know you’ve been waiting for me to fuck up things with her, but that’s not something I’d ever do. I promise you: I’d never lay a finger on Holly, I’d never—”
“You’re just like your father,” he snapped, cutting me off.
I blinked at him, letting those words sink in. There was silence from his end as well as I took in a long, ragged breath. “What?”
“You think I don’t know? You think when I looked you up, I didn’t look your drunk daddy up as well? Guy’s got a record a hell of a lot longer than yours, but looks like you’re catching up. How many times did he get arrested for beating up your mother?”
My eyes locked right on to his. That three-letter word felt like a stab to the chest, to the heart. Fast and hard and brutal. “Don’t talk about her. Don’t talk about my mom. Don’t fucking do that.”
“Like father, like son, right?”
“I am not like him.”
“No, you know what?” He jabbed a finger at my chest. “You’re worse. Because somehow, you’ve convinced my daughter that you’re a good guy, that you’re trustworthy, and then you turn around and hurt her like this, just like your father used to do to your mother.”
