Avenging Angel (Pounding Hearts 5)

For half a second, I start to feel relieved. Obviously, my father will be on my side. There’s no way he could somehow condone or excuse Tristan’s actions.

Then his next words make me feel like I’ve gotten slammed into the wall all over again.

“Tristan should have been more discreet.”

Oh god, is he really defending him?

“I’m sorry?” I ask, wondering if I heard him right.

Without an ounce of shame, my father says, “It was inconsiderate and reckless of Tristan to do what he did. He’s a big boy now, he should know better. He should carry on his dalliances where you won’t see. I’ll speak to his father so that this doesn’t happen in the future.”

The future? Is this a bad dream? One long fucking nightmare I can’t wake up from?

He can’t possibly expect me to stay with Tristan…

“I’m sure Tristan’s future partner will appreciate that,” I say, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

“If you’re referring to yourself,” my father snaps back, “I’m sure you will.”

“No,” I immediately deny. Then I repeat it again more forcefully. “No. I’m not referring to myself because I broke up with him. We’re done.”

My father begins to breathe heavily into the phone. “Listen here, Aubrey…” he says, before stopping and taking an audible breath to calm himself.

While I wait for him to finish whatever it is he’s going to say, I mentally tell myself I’m not giving in on this. There’s nothing he can say or do that will make me take Tristan back.

“You and Tristan are not done.”

Before I can object, he continues, his voice firm and resolute. “Once I get off the phone with you, I’m going to call Warren. We’re going to iron this mess out. I’ll speak to Tristan myself and make it clear his actions are unacceptable.”

“Unacceptable?” I repeat with disbelief.

“That’s correct. Unacceptable but not unforgivable.”

“I am not—”

“You will!” my father suddenly roars at me so loud I have to yank the phone away from my ear. “You will accept his apology if you know what’s good for you, young lady!”

My stomach clenches and my heart thuds sickly with panic. My father has never been this angry or unreasonable with me before.

I’m going to puke, puke all over the damn floor.

“And if I don’t?” I gasp out before I have to swallow down a throat full of bile.

“If you don’t,” my father snarls into the phone. “You will be solely responsible for ruining my career. You will be solely responsible for destroying all the good I’ve done for this state, for this nation, and the people.”

But I haven’t done shit to deserve that. If anyone should be to blame for that it should be Tristan.

“If you don’t, you’re no longer my daughter. I will no longer acknowledge you. I will no longer have any contact with you. I will fucking disown you. I will fucking ruin you. Do I make myself clear?”

Head spinning, I have to lean back against the door to steady myself.

“Well, do I?” my father demands harshly.

“Crystal,” I somehow manage to choke out.

“Good. I’ll call Warren now.”

Without a goodbye, he hangs up, the line going dead.