Hating You (Blackthorn Elite 1)

Not wanting to look the way I feel, I straighten my spine and hold my head high. I’m fierce, smart, and strong. I can handle this.

“Hey, Dad,” Parker greets his father like I’m not here.

“Son, it’s good to see you. When you said she was coming, I didn’t realize she would be with you.” Just like Parker, he talks like I’m not here at all, and I’m not sure what’s more insulting, saying it to my face or acting like I’m not even worthy of being addressed at all.

Parker shrugs, “I didn’t think it mattered.”

Roger’s worn face sours, “Your mother isn’t going to be happy about this. You know what her family represents.”

“Mom isn’t here,” Parker brushes his father off completely.

“You know she is going to hear about this from her friends. Hell, she probably already knows.” His father eyes me up and down, and I so badly want to drop my gaze, but I don’t. I’m strong. I can do this. “Jesus, you could have at least made sure she put on an appropriate dress before you brought her here. It’s a charity gala, not a whore house.”

“Dad, you know that’s just how the Bradford women are. Always making themselves look like cheap hookers.” Rage burns through me, eating away at any common sense.

“You both are absolutely disgusting,” I snarl, wanting to slap them both so badly, I have to dig my nails into my hand to stop myself from following through. I don’t wait for either of them to respond. I don’t care what they have to say.

Shrugging out of Parker’s hold, I speed walk through the crowd. Without looking back, I know Parker is following me. I can feel him lingering behind me. It’s strange, this prickling sensation trails up my back, warning me that he’s close, too close. Cutting through the banquet area, I make a beeline for the restrooms but come to a halt when I spot my father.

He’s engaging in business, I can see it from a mile away, but I don’t care. I want him to know that I’m here. I want him to see what his daughter had to do to get him here. Marching right up to him, I give him the biggest smile I can muster.

“Hello, Daddy,” I coo.

As soon as he sees me, his face turns ashen, and he excuses himself, grabbing onto my arm and tugging me into the next room, where a bunch of servers stand with trays.

“What in the hell are you wearing?” His eyes move down my body, and over the very small amount of fabric.

“This is what I had to wear to get you a ticket. This is what I had to become…” Tears sting my eyes, and I will them away. Crying isn’t going to fix this. My father has never cared about my tears or my sister’s. All he cares about is the next deal, the money in his bank account.

“I said to seduce him, Willow, not disgrace our family name.” He shakes his head, disappointment dripping from every word. “It’s going to take me forever to convince these companies to sign with me.”

“I’m sorry, maybe you can just whore me out to one of them? Maybe that’ll make them jump at the chance to sign with you?” Everything happens so fast, one minute I’m seething with anger, and the next my father has his hand raised, an angry scowl on his face.

I flinch, preparing myself for the slap, but it never comes. Out of nowhere, Parker appears, swooping in like a knight to save the day. In a flash, he grabs my father by the wrist, a vicious look flickering in his eyes.

“Please, tell me you weren’t planning to hit her?” He seethes, barely containing his rage as he tosses my father’s hand away like a piece of garbage. My father’s eyes are so large, they look like they might pop out of his eye sockets.

“I-I was… I wasn’t going to hit her,” he stumbles over his words and takes a step back. And just like that, I’ve found my father’s single weakness.

“Good because if I ever find out you’ve touched her in any way, business deals will be the least of your concerns.” My heart thuds in my throat, and just when I think he will leave it at the vague threat, he adds, “I will kill you, old man. You got that?”

“Got it,” my father whispers. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

“Good, now get the fuck away from her before I have you thrown out.” My father doesn’t even say goodbye. He just nods, turns, and disappears into the banquet room, leaving me alone with the second biggest monster I know.

Looking up at Parker, I blink the tears from my eyes and prepare myself to shoulder past him. He might’ve saved me from my father, but he isn’t the hero in this story. Not by a long shot. Exhausted and on the verge of breaking into a million pieces, I take a step toward the back exit.