Consolation Prize (Forbidden Men 9)

“Actually, uh, it’s three years and four months,” Colton said. All this time, he hadn’t said one word in defense of himself. But he spoke up now? For that?

My father and I both turned to look at him as if he were insane. He just shrugged. “Well, it sounds better than straight-up four.”

Dad shook his head and focused on me. “He’s not one of us. He will never respect you.”

“Respect me?” I barked out a laugh and set my hand against my throat. “Colton has done nothing but respect me, something I can’t say for Shaun.” That tattletaling sack of shit. “And he’s always made me feel like I fit into his life. It breaks my heart that you don’t even want to give him a chance. And I hate not having your approval, but honestly, Dad, this isn’t your decision to make. I am with Colton now, whether you like it or not.”

Clearly, the man did not. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at my nose.

“You are to stop this nonsense right now, young lady, or I will take you back home with me tonight. Is that clear?”

I stared at him a moment before sighing. “No.” I shook my head. “That is not clear at all. I’m twenty-one years old. You can’t order me to do anything.”

“Is that so?” He glanced around the living room of my apartment before declaring, “I pay for this apartment, Julianna. I pay for your college. Your car. Your phone. Do you want me to keep providing for you or not?”

My mouth fell open and the air whooshed from my lungs. “Are you giving me an ultimatum?”

My father and I had a brief stare off before he slowly began to nod. “Yes, I guess that’s what I’m doing.”

I swallowed, feeling as if he’d just pummeled me in the chest because the breath left my body.

Colton was the first to react, even though he’d experienced a moment of frozen shock too. “Dude, what?” he exploded. “You would cut off her money for college? Why would you do that? I mean, I could totally see it if she was like some wealthy heiress or something and you said you’d cut off her trust fund as a way to drive me away, like testing to see if I was a fortune hunter or something. But messing with her education doesn’t affect me at all. It only hurts her.” He spun to me, incredulous. “What the fuck? I thought you said he was a good dad.”

Before I could answer, Dad grabbed Colton’s arm and spun him around so they were face-to-face.

“Look here, boy. You have no right to stand there and question my parenting skills. Until you have raised a little girl all by yourself since she was six years old with no one in the world but you responsible for her, you have no right to tell me how to do my job. I know my Julianna. And I know how to protect her.”

“Yeah, no. No, you don’t,” Colton said, shaking his head. “I think you forgot one little detail when you were raising her up right to be a strong, independent, intelligent woman. She actually became a fucking strong, independent, intelligent woman. She doesn’t need you to support her. If she wanted to, she could still do everything she’s doing now without you. It may take her longer and put more stress on her, but she’d get that shit done. So all you’re really doing right now is cutting yourself out of her life because of your own issues. You’re hurting her by making it damn clear you don’t trust or support the decisions she’s made. You’re…you’re just being a fucking prick right now.”

“Colton,” I said softly and touched his arm to calm him down.

He huffed out a breath and tore his glare from my father. When his gaze met mine, his shoulders slumped. “Well, he is,” he muttered.

“My ultimatum stands,” Dad stated, gazing between us. “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to make your final decision.” Then he strode out of the apartment, leaving a wake of silent shock behind him.

I looked at Colton.

He blew out a breath, fell onto the couch and finally lifted his gaze to me. Something punched me hard in the center of the chest, and I realized it was doom. What was worse, I could see the same doom reflected on his face.

“Wow,” he rasped. I swear his voice was shaking with nerves. It scared me.

It scared me because it meant he was as rattled by all this as I was.

Shoving his hand through his hair, he gave a quiet, non-amused laugh and shook his head. “He really doesn’t want us to be together, does he?”

Fear trickled through my arms, chilling them. I hugged myself, seeking warmth. Seeking comfort. “No,” I murmured. “It doesn’t seem that way.”

I’d never seen Colton’s brown eyes look so sad before. “Baby doll, I don’t want your dad to punish you and threaten your education because of me.”

“Well, I don’t want members of your family to hate you because of me,” I countered.

He rolled his eyes. “They don’t hate me. Brandt and I talked. He’s going to be cool, I swear.”

When I widened my gaze pointedly, he sighed. “Okay, he’s not thrilled, but he’ll get over it. He’s my brother. At the end of the day, he loves me. Always.”

“Well, he doesn’t love me,” I groused. “And I have to say, it’s not awesome that he disapproved of us the way he did.”

Colton’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t refute my claim. “Yeah,” he muttered right before he lifted his hands. “You know, this is stupid.” He surged to his feet but didn’t really go anywhere. “It’s just fucking stupid. We might be young, but we’re still both adults. Why does everyone think they can tell us what we can and cannot do together?”