“That’s not what Aiden says.”
Her father looked up at her, his eyes narrowed. “Your mother told me he was back in town.”
So she’d admitted that much. Clearly Aiden’s reappearance was more important to her than Joan’s death. Brooke swallowed, hating the way the thought tasted in her mouth.
“Yes, he is.” Brooke’s head felt like a balloon. Light as air, but full at the same time. It was dizzying. “And he told me why he left. Why they all left.”
“Honey, please, stop dragging this up. It’s old history.” Lillian reached out, trying to grab Brooke’s hand. Brooke pulled away sharply, curling her fingers into fists. “We’re your parents, we love you. Nothing else matters.”
“Did you threaten to have Joan arrested?” Brooke asked. “Did you make her take Aiden away from me.”
Like an IED ticking over from inactive to explosion, her father’s face turned puce. “We’re going, Lillian.” He stood up. “I don’t need to be spoken to like this.”
“That’s right, walk away,” Brooke said, standing too. He was at least half a foot taller than her, but right now she felt as mighty as she ever had. “You’re many things, Dad, but I never thought you were a liar. Not until now.”
They stared at each other, her father’s nostrils flaring. His eyes were narrow as he tried to intimidate her. But she stood firm and silent; if one of them was going to break, it wasn’t her.
“Yes, we made them leave,” he finally admitted, his voice carrying across the still night air. “That boy took advantage of you. I should’ve had him arrested. Had him thrown in jail for what he did. That dirty little shit, the thought of him touching you makes me sick. That family got off lightly.”
Tears stung at Brooke’s eyes, the same way they always did whenever her dad shouted. It was scary and it hit nerves she’d long since forgotten about. Made her feel like a child being rebuked, not the woman she was.
“You lied to me.”
“It was for your own good,” Lilian told her, revealing her complicitness in their cover up. “Your father’s right. He took advantage of you. All those years we had welcomed that family into our home, and look what he did.”
“That’s not true. He didn’t take advantage of me. We were in love.”
“That wasn’t love, that was sex.” Her father’s voice was still harsh.
“Oh Brooke, of course it must have felt like love. Everything does when you’re a teenager. But it wasn’t – how could it have been? You were completely unsuitable for each other.” Her mom reached out for her, but Brooke stepped away.
“In what way?” she asked, though she already knew what their answer would be.
“You want her to spell it out?” her father spat. “He was scum, and you’re a Newton. There’s no comparison.”
“You think the Blacks were scum?”
“I don’t think it, I know it,” her father said. “And I don’t care if Aiden Black is back in town, driving some expensive car and wearing tailored suits. You can’t buy your way up the social ladder. He’s simply well-dressed scum now. I forbid you to see him.”
She would have laughed, if it hadn’t been so crazy. “I’m an adult. I can see who I want.”
“Not while you’re living in my house, you can’t.”
Her father may have lacked many things, but generosity wasn’t one of them. Not once in all the years since she’d had Nick had he ever threatened to take their home away from them. The shock of it made her hands start to shake. “You don’t get to tell me who I can and can’t see.”
“You’re my daughter. I can tell you whatever I want to. And if I hear you’ve been near that man again, you’ll be out of this place before you can even blink.”
“You’d really throw us out?” she asked him, incredulous. “You’d let me and Nick be homeless?”
“Nick will always have a home with us. I wouldn’t punish him for your decisions. But we’ve protected you for long enough. If you’re stupid enough to see that man again, it’s your choice, but don’t expect us to pick up the pieces this time.” He reached for his wife’s hand. “Come on, Lilian, we’re going to be late.”
Her mother stood, sliding her hand into his. “Darling, we were only thinking of you.”
Brooke blinked back the tears trying to escape from her eyes. “I never expected you to pick up the pieces,” she said, her voice wobbly. “I never expected you to interfere in my life, either. I’m a grown adult. I’ll see who I want to see.” She sucked in a deep lungful of
air, but it did nothing to ease the burning in her chest. “And so will my son.”
13