Page 29

"Don't you fucking say it," I warned. "You have every right to be pissed, but I've never manipulated or coerced her to do anything. I know this sounds like bullshit, but she's my soulmate-"

He interrupted me with a sound of disbelief.

"She's my other half," I continued, ignoring his outburst. "I knew it the moment she stepped -" I stopped, unsure if I should continue because, hearing it out loud, it sounded bad.

Michael fixed me with a murderous glare. "Go on. Stepped into what? Your classroom?" He spat out, rolling his eyes. He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "fucking groomer."

"I've never once looked at another student, hell, another woman like I have your daughter. I love her. I'minlove with her. I don't expect you to understand-"

"I understand more than you think." He turned around and placed his hands on the mantel, breathing deeply. "Believe me," he muttered.

I took a cautious step forward, not wanting to rock the boat further. "Your late wife?" I gently asked.

Michael gave a harsh, bitter laugh before turning to face me. "You have no idea. If you knew, you'd probably -" he stopped himself abruptly. His eyes stared at me with heavy confliction, and an indiscernible look shadowed his face.

When it was clear that he wouldn't continue his speech, I took a cautious step forward.

"Look, I'm sorry you found out the way you did." That was the only thing I had remorse over. I still wouldn't have changed a thing.

"We didn't think you would be home that early."

He blew out his breath and tossed his hands in the air. "Oh, well, my bad. Didn't mean to interrupt your little tryst with my daughter!"

He shook his head at me in contempt. The tic in his jaw was back, indicating he was close to hitting me again. I didn't give a fuck if he did. The pain would be a welcome reprieve from this aching chasm of yearning.

"Even though Lucy is eighteen, there was no way I would've left her unprotected," Michael explained, his eyes flashing at me mockingly.

"I have cameras in the garage and a ring cam on the front door. My phone is alerted anytime someone comes to the door or enters the garage. My phone died on the drive down, and I was...busy," he stumbled over the word. "I couldn't charge it til I got there, and it was late at night when I plugged it in. As soon as I spied the notification, I drove home."

Ah. Well, that explained it. We never really had a chance. Even if I had disappeared before Michael arrived home, we would still have been rumbled.

"Look...I promise you. I will respect your house and your rules. Just please, don't cut us off from each other," I begged. "We plan on being together after she graduates anyway."

"You seem so sure of that." He folded his arms, arching a scornful brow at me. "She's eighteen. You're not worried she'll change her mind? Fall for some young dude while she's at college?"

Red searing jealousy pierced me at his words. I wanted to rage at him for daring to speak those words out loud. I wanted to punch him for ever thinking that our love was so fickle that Lucy would turn her head at any pretty boy that looked her way. I knew she would be surrounded by fuck boys who would try and get in her pants. That was why I planned on proposing to her as soon as she graduated high school. But Michael didn't need to know that.

I looked Michael dead in the eye. I wanted him to know that I had zero doubts about our love. I trusted Lucy implicitly and vice versa. We were it for each other. There was no way I would put my reputation and Lucy's on the line if I weren't one hundred and fifty percent certain.

"No. I'm not worried," I flatly stated. "Lucy is different. She's not like other eighteen-year-olds."

For some bizarre reason, Michael seemed to take offense at that. His face darkened, and he took a menacing step forward. "Not all eighteen-year-olds are like that," he gritted out.

I frowned, perplexed at his odd outburst. "O...kay."

He whirled around again and raked a hand through his hair. I heard him mutter something under his breath before he seemed to gather himself together. He turned around, his eyes wild.

"You know, not once did you ask me about your job."

I shrugged, sticking my hands in my pockets. "Because I don't care about it. Report me, don't report me; it doesn't matter. As long as I have Lucy, I'll be happy. And before you ask, I have the means to support her. I won't stand in the way of her dreams; I'll only champion them."

Michael regarded me for a long period. His expression was mixed with suspicion, searching my features for any sign of deception. Whatever he saw in me caused him to offer me a lifeline. "I'm heading to Koby Plains now to get Lucy."

I started breathing quickly at the possibility of seeing her again.

"I speak to her first," he firmly stated. "I'm not making any promises, but I have things to think about first. If you two...if you want to be together, then obviously, I can't stop you once she graduates." His face clouded over with pain. "And I don't want to lose my daughter over this."

I nodded solemnly, even though my heart was racing at what his statement meant. "I understand."