Dismount (Off Balance 5)

"You don't love him," he repeated, and I wondered who he was trying to convince more.

My shoulders dropped. I wanted to argue with him and tell him I did love Kova, but I'd already told him a few times and got nowhere.

"You're going to be watched. Your phone will be monitored. Your truck now has a tracking device. If you so much as even try to contact Konstantin, or go somewhere other than the gym or the doctor’s office, I'll know. Your condo was scoured and cleaned, and that pregnancy test you saved was thrown away."

I swallowed hard. I'd forgotten about that.

Dad shook his head, his eyes becoming glossy. "I trusted you." His voice was a broken whisper and it cracked something in my chest. "I put all my cards on you, defending you, insisting you were mature for your age when others said I was irresponsible to allow you to live alone. I'm furious you put yourself in the situation that you did. I raised you better than that. You let me down."

I winced at his blunt words. All I seemed to do was mess up everything for everyone and that truth fed my guilty side.

"Maybe it's my fault for asking him to watch you like I did," he whispered, talking more to himself than to me. "Maybe I brought it on or just made it worse."

Dad was gutted far worse than I understood. I felt like the situation was amplified by ten for him. The way he looked at me crushed me. His eyes were guarded, and there were blue tinted sacks under them.

"Thank you for giving me this last chance," I said.

His eyes bore into mine. "Don’t thank me, thank Sophia. The only positive that came from this is I now know what Joy had on you." He was quiet, like he was deep in thought. "It all makes sense, and I know how to handle her now."

"She couldn't have known about the pregnancy, but I guarantee she knew about the affair." I swallowed, then said, "I'd prefer if you didn't talk to anyone about the miscarriage."

"I wasn’t planning on it."

His eyes roamed around my room, not really looking for anything, it was more like he was trying to process it all. Dad cleared his throat and I looked away. I couldn't handle seeing the disappointment in his eyes. "Come to the kitchen. Sophia went shopping."

My brows shot up. Sophia was really trying.

Holding my stomach, I followed Dad into the kitchen and found Sophia waiting for us. She bit her lip then shot Dad a nervous glance before looking back at me. "I wasn't sure what you needed or could eat, so we got a few basics for you. I also set up your medications and got you a few feminine products that I placed in your bathroom," she said. I assumed she meant pads and such because of the bleeding. I hadn’t even thought of that. I was really thankful she had.

I nodded subtly. "Thank you, Sophia. I really appreciate it."

"Figured you could use some stuff. I didn't think you'd want to drive anywhere."

She was right, I didn't.

Dad turned toward me. "I have to go back to Savannah tonight, but Sophia lives off the highway just two exits from here. She wants to be here, so if you need anyt

hing, don’t hesitate to reach out to her." He blinked. "It goes without saying you're not to have any contact with Konstantin once I leave. None whatsoever. Do you understand me?" I nodded, my lips flat. How did he expect me to train without my coach? I decided I'd leave it for another night.

Leaning toward me, Dad pressed a kiss to the top of my head and gave me a brief hug. He pulled back and looked into my eyes for a long moment. I wished he'd stop looking at me like I'd failed him beyond repair, like there was no coming back from this.

He exhaled a heavy breath before heading to the door and stepping out, leaving me alone with Sophia. She rounded the kitchen counter and stopped in front of me.

"Anything you need, Adrianna, please just call me." There wasn't an ounce of pity in her eyes. "Even if you just want to vent or cry or have girl questions your dad can't answer. I left my number for you."

I nodded as stupid tears climbed to my eyes again. Joy had never been that authentic with me, like she really wanted to be there and help me at the drop of a hat.

Moving on instinct, I threw my good arm around her and buried my head in her neck. Sophia froze, then her breath hitched as she stepped closer to hug me back. She was only a little taller than me.

"Thank you," I said, my voice breaking.

Sophia nodded her head in response and cried with me.

Eight

After they’d left, I immediately took a shower and cried my eyes out until the water ran cold.

I couldn't take smelling like a hospital any longer.