“Of…of course,” she stutters. She hasn’t stuttered in, well fuck, forever. Which tells me what I should do, what I need to do.
Pulling away from me, she takes a step forward. I reach for her hand, but she takes another step forward and shakes her head.
“I’ll be right back.” She gives me a reassuring smile.
I’m torn between letting her go to be strong and throwing her over my shoulder to drag her away from here. I want to protect her from everything, but I know that this is not how it works. I’m doing this so she can be independent and not scared. She’s made so much progress and now it’s time to let her and her father see how strong she is.
“Okay,” I say before leaning down and whisper right next to her ear. “You’ve got this.”
I don’t miss the disgusted look that her father gives me, like me touching his daughter is a crime or something. She let’s go of my arm and I watch her walk away, following her father through the crowd. I let them get a ten feet head start before I start tailing them. I’ll let her fight this battle, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting her out of my sight to do it.
They step out into the hallway, through a pair of French doors leading to the pool and I walk around to the second exit leading to the same hallway. I’m not even standing there for a second and, Emerson hasn’t already started talking to her father, her voice strained like she is fighting back tears.
“It’s not like that. Why do you care anyway? Why can’t you just let me do this on my own?” I can feel her pain as if it’s my own to bear, and I dig my fingers into the brick pillar I’m leaning against to stop myself from going to her.
“Do you even care what people think about you? Everyone knows the reputation Clark has with women, do you really think it’s a good idea to be seen with him, let alone move in with him? I bet you didn’t think I would find out about that, did you?” Her father’s voice is accusing, and I can’t imagine what he’s thinking right now, or what he’s accusing her of?
“No, I don’t care what people think…and I knew you would find out. I wasn’t hiding anything—”
“I’m sure you weren’t, and well you may not care about how people see you I do,” he cuts her off and I’m a second away from coming out of hiding to roundhouse kick him in the chest. “You’ve caused enough problems,” he snarls.
What the fuck is wrong with this asshole? My grip on the champagne glass tightens and I have to force myself to loosen up before this thing shatters in my hand.
“I’m sorry if I disappointed you, or tarnished your appearance tonight. But really, it’s not what you think. Clark is not who you think he is. I love him, and I think he loves me too.”
An arrogant snort of humorless laughter erupts from her father’s throat.
“You are so naïve, Emerson. One would think after all you’ve done, you wouldn’t put yourself in another situation like this. I can see that you still don’t understand how the world works. Can you at least promise me one thing this time?”
“Yes,” she says quietly, her head hanging low in defeat.
“Try not to get pregnant again.”
Pregnant again? The words sink in slowly, my body feeling as if it’s sinking into quicksand. The glass in my hand slips from my hold, as the world around me shakes like an earthquake is taking place. It lands with a crash, shattering across the ground, and I imagine that’s how my heart would look right now if I could see it.
Shattered…broken.
Chapter Fourteen
Emerson
I know the moment I hear the crashing of glass against the stone floor that Clark is there. I don’t need to lift my head and look at his confused, heartbroken face to know, but I do anyway, hoping maybe he didn’t hear the fateful words my father had just said, but he did. A deep ache resonates through my gut and I take a step toward him without thinking.
“Oh, this is great. He didn’t know?” my father announces. Clark only glances at my face and then looks away as if he can’t stand to look at me another moment longer. Why didn’t I follow my gut instinct? I knew this would happen, that when he found out the truth he would run, leave me. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes.
I’m stupid, so stupid.
“That boy doesn’t love you and it would be wise of you to grasp onto that now.” My dad’s voice cuts through me like a knife. My eyes are still on Clark, hoping that he says something, tells my dad that he is wrong, that he does love me, but instead he turns and walks away.