“I’m not breaking up with her. If she wants to call it off with me, fine. I’ll move on. But I’m not breaking up with her.”
“You’re going to throw away everything we’ve worked for over one girl who will maybe last another month, at most?”
“That’s not what this is.”
“Don’t tell me.” He laughs. “You’re in love with her?”
I shrug and hold up my hands.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. I get it, OK? Mid-life crisis and all that. It sucks getting old. We all want to recapture our youth. But dude, you’re blowing up your whole life over a girl who will use you to fulfill some older-man fantasy and then toss you aside the second a hot, buff, twenty-five-year-old comes along.”
“Fuck you, Ozzy. You don’t even know her.”
“I don’t need to know her. I’ve dated her. I’ve been where you are, Ryker. I’ve had my share of teenagers and believe me when I tell you, not only are they boring and stupid, they’re not looking for a long-term thing with an older man unless they’re poor and they need a sugar daddy. And Aria Amherst is the exact opposite of that. She has everything, why the fuck would she want you?”
I know he’s right. I do understand this. Staying with me is a huge step down for Aria. She can only lose. But I don’t care. I look Ozzy straight in the eyes and say, “Then let her do that. But I’m not breaking up with her.”
He stares at me for a few seconds. Then he shrugs and says, “Then I’m breaking up with you. Consider yourself bought out.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE – ARIA
After Ryker walks out there’s an awkward silence as my parents just stare at me in my bedroom.
“What did he do to you?” my father finally asks.
“He didn’t do anything to me, Dad. We’re dating!” I’m trying to be calm, but not really pulling it off. I just got caught having sex in my bedroom with a man almost twice my age.
“You are not dating!” my father roars. His face is all red with anger and he’s breathing so hard I want to tell him to sit down before he has a stupid heart attack. “That man is a predator!”
“He is not. And we’re in love!” I’m not really sure that’s true. But we were definitely heading in that direction. “And this was all my idea, anyway. You can’t blame Ryker for what just happened. I dragged him up here and—“
“I don’t want to hear anymore,” my father says, putting his hands up to his ears. “You’re grounded, Aria. Until further notice. I trusted you in the city. Your mother and I both trusted you because you’ve always been the responsible one. The sweet one. The good one. And you betrayed our trust with… with… very bad decisions!”
“I didn’t betray you,” I say. I’m starting to get angry. “I like a man. That’s all I did. I fell in love with a man. And I don’t see what the big deal is.” I look to my mother for help but she’s frowning at me. “Mom,” I say.
“Oh, no,” my father says. “No. You’re not going to play us against each other. You’re grounded. From now on you will not leave this house except for school. I’ll drop you off and pick you up—“
“You already do that, Dad.”
“—and you won’t set foot in the city without me by your side. And you can forget about any fun you had planned over summer, young lady! That’s over.”
“Plans?” I laugh. “I didn’t have any plans. But you know what? I do now.” I walk over to my closet and pull out my suitcase.
“Aria.” My mother finally speaks up. “Put the suitcase away.”
“No,” I say. “I’m eighteen and I’m moving out.”
“Honey,” she says. “You haven’t even graduated high school yet. You don’t have anywhere to go.”
“Don’t I?” I ask. And now I’ve got attitude. I spent all my teenage years being this good little girl. This perfect role-model of a daughter. Never talking back, never drinking, never doing drugs, never having sex. And I’m tired of being that girl. I’m tired of being sweet.
“You cannot be thinking that Ryker North will let you stay with him?” My father laughs. But it’s a bit hysterical. “He used you, Aria. And now that I’ve threatened to take away their loan, he will not even take your calls.”
“We’ll see about that,” I say, still tossing things into my suitcase.
“I’ll give them the loan,” he says. “You stay here, promise to never see him again, and I’ll give him the loan. You’ve ruined his business, Aria. Blown it all up. You have to know that. And if you stay here and be good, I’ll put it all back together.”
I hesitate inside my closet as I reach up and pull a shirt off a hanger. Thinking this offer through. Putting all the little pieces together in a logical way and decide… I’m sad.