Page 129 of Heartless
“Pour yourself a drink, sit down, and drop the asshole act with me, kid. It doesn’t scare me one bit.”
With a heavy sigh, I head to the kitchen and pour myself a very hefty three fingers of bourbon before heading back to the living room and flopping down onto the couch.
“You made the right decision coming after her. You start storming out on each other this early on and you’ll be in for trouble.”
“She didn’t storm out. She just needed space.”
“I can see needing space from you.” I scowl at him. “What did you do?” he asks, adding insult to injury.
“Nothing.” I pause, tipping my head. “Well, not nothing-nothing. Something came up and I could have reacted better. I froze.”
My dad’s hawkish eyes narrow as he regards me. “This have to do with Talia?”
I wave a hand and scoff. “No.” Talia waltzed in, stirred shit up, and took off again. Flaky as always.
“Well, fill me in. Maybe your old man can help.”
My head flops back against the couch, a wry laugh bubbling up out of me. “She’s pregnant.”
I can feel my dad’s stare, see him take a thoughtful sip out of the corner of my eye. “Did I let you watch the bulls get turned out with the heifers too much as a child, boy?”
I groan.
“You got something against condoms?”
“Dad.”
“Some sort of breeding kink I don’t know about?”
I throw an arm over my eyes. “Never talk to me again. That you even know that term is altogether too much information.”
“Why are you sitting out here with me?”
“Because I stared at her blankly and said nothing when she told me. I kept running through all the things I wanted to say to her and then just clammed up. I don’t want her to feel trapped by me, or by this.” I swivel a finger around, gesturing to the ranch.
“Did you ask her if she feels that way?”
“No. I just asked over and over again why she had a carrot in her purse like a total dolt.”
“Listen, I don’t want to hear about whatever weird shit you kids are into.”
“Holy shit. Please just kill me before you say something else that makes me want to clean my ears with acid.”
My dad carries on, undeterred, but I can hear the humor in his voice. He’s having fun watching me squirm. “You two need to talk. I know Talia fucked you up, but don’t let her fuck this up for you too. If you want that girl and that baby, you need to tell her. If you don’t, then you need to work some—”
Rage flashes through my body, hot and sharp at the mention of me not wanting her. “I do,” I bite out harshly. “I want that. I want it all.”
“Then stop Eeyoring around out here with me, you grumpy dumbass. I’m going to bed. Y’all kids exhaust me.”
His glass clanks against the table, and he retreats to bed without another word. And me? I take my drink and pad quietly through the house. To Willa’s door.
I drop myself onto the floor and lean against the wall. I plan to wait until she’s had the night to herself so I can toss her over my shoulder and carry her back to our house.
She might need time to think about things.
But I sure as shit don’t.
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