The Favor

Dane’s gaze slid to me, burning with possession, impatience, and something … more. Something that made my pulse quicken and my breath catch. But Owen was wrong. Dane didn’t care for me. There was no way he’d want this marriage to be real. He didn’t even want a girlfriend, let alone a wife … right?

Right, I asserted. Of course he didn’t want more. I knew better than to let myself forget he was simply just playing his part.

“Vienna knows how I feel about her,” he told Owen. “That’s all that matters to me. I don’t give a damn what you think. I just want you to let her be. She’s made it clear that she doesn’t want you in her life. I definitely don’t fucking want you in her life.”

A sly smirk curled Owen’s mouth. “Well, now that I’m with Heather, I’ll be around whether you and Vienna like it or not.”

“No, you won’t,” Wyatt cut in, crossing to us. “If you think I’ll let you use Heather to hurt Vienna, you’re highly mistaken.”

Heather stormed over to her father, her eyes wide. “Wait, you can’t tell me who I can or can’t date.”

Wyatt turned to her, his mouth tight. “You … you’re my daughter, and I love you—I always will. I’ve never agreed with your choices of ‘boyfriends’ over the years. I made that clear to you many times in the beginning, but nothing I said ever got through to you. So I eventually let you be, figuring you’d one day learn from your mistakes. But I won’t let this be. You’re using Owen just as much as he’s using you, because the two of you have a common goal: to hurt Vienna. Nothing more, nothing less. The pair of you should be ashamed of yourselves, but I’m getting the sense that you’re not.”

Melinda sighed at Owen. “It pains me to see the person you’ve become. Vienna was a good friend to you for a long time. I never would have thought there’d be a day when you’d set out to hurt her.”

“I don’t want to hurt her,” claimed Owen. “I want her to open her eyes and see him for what he is.”

Wyatt frowned. “Tell me how you thought ‘dating’ Heather would achieve that?”

Owen opened his mouth, but no words came out.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” Wyatt added. “You wanted to lash out at Vienna, and you figured that claiming you’re with Heather was the best way to do it. Only that didn’t work out, so you took it a step further and forced a kiss on her. But it wasn’t really a kiss, was it? You did it in anger.”

Owen closed his eyes. “I didn’t mean to, I just …”

“Maybe in the beginning you wanted to win me back,” I cut in. “But I think that changed at some point; that it became more about you wanting to beat Dane. I’m not a prize to be won in some game. I’m a person.”

“I know that,” said Owen, opening his eyes. “I just want you to be happy. Safe. Loved. You’ll never be those things while you’re with him.”

I shook my head. “No, Owen, you only want me to be happy and safe and loved providing I’m with you. That’s different. You don’t hate that I’m with Dane because you think he isn’t good for me. You hate that I’m with him because he does make me happy. You resent that. You resent him for it. And you’re making me pay for that.”

“Vienna made her choice,” Wyatt interrupted. “That choice wasn’t you, Owen. Just as your choice all those years ago wasn’t her. That ship has sailed. If you really do care for her, you’ll respect that, cut your losses, and move on. Can you do that?”

Owen’s gaze slid to me. “You really love him? He’s who you want?”

I nodded. “Yes and yes.”

He swallowed, openly sad.

Dane stepped toward him. “You’re done here. You’ve said your piece, she listened, she’s made her wishes clear. Now leave. And this time, don’t make the mistake of coming near Vienna again.”

“Or Heather,” Wyatt added. “Stay away from both my girls, Owen.”

She scowled at her father. “Who I date is my business.”

“You’re not dating him, you’re playing games.” Melinda slashed a hand through the air. “It stops now.”

Heather put her hands on her hips, glaring at both her parents. “You can’t meddle in my life like this—I’m not fourteen.”

“Be assured that I won’t go near either of them again, Wyatt,” Owen interrupted. He looked at me, the image of defeated. “You probably won’t believe me, but I do love you, Vee. All I wanted was to have the chance to prove it. I was determined to win you back. But somewhere along the way, I let bitterness take over. I really didn’t mean for things to get like this; didn’t mean to go this far.” He swallowed. “I won’t bother you again.” He bowed his head and disappeared into the house.