Page 87 of Broken Beauty

“How long have you been doing that for?”

I know it's not the first time because I have seen Ash's fists scratched and bruised.

“For a while.”

I furrow my eyebrows at him. “Why?”

Ash licks his bottom lip, and he turns his head. I know this is uncomfortable for him and I appreciate that Ash is telling me more than I need to know but I don't ever want to be put in that position again.

Before I can beg him to tell me, the front door to my house opens. I look away from Ash and instead walk out to the dining room and see my dad closing the front door.

Fuck.

I feel Ash's presence behind me and my heart starts racing against my chest.

Double fuck.

My dad turns around and the smile on his face disappears when his eyes move from me and to Ash who is behind me. That smile washes away from his face and he drops his briefcase to the floor.

Triple fuck.

“Fucking Jones!” my dad yells before he rushes up to us and tries to pass me to hit Ash but I cover him and put my hands on my father's chest. “I'm going to kill you. You should have never touched my daughter. You're filled with darkness and fucking poison!” he yells but I push him away from Ash.

Ash starts pushing me behind him so that I can't stop my dad. “Last time I checked, you can't boss her around anymore.”

“You're just a little shit. Come over here and say that to me in front of my face so that I can give you the consequence.”

Oh hell no.

I rush to stand in between them and I push my dad away from Ash and vice versa. “Dad, please. Stop, I swear everything is fine.”

My father looks at Ash before looking back at me. He has a furious look in his eyes as he looks between Ash and I.

“This is Levi Jones's son, Ariella. You have this son of a bitch in my house.”

“My house. You are barely even here to call this place your house.”

My dad looks away from me and I see him give Ash a furious and threatening look. “I'm going to give you a minute to put your shirt on, get your shit, and get the fuck out of this house before I rip your head off for touching my daughter with those hands.”

“Dad-“

“Not a fucking word, Ariella, I'll deal with you when this son of a bitch is out of this house.”

I look up at Ash and see him looking down at me. “I'm not leaving you if you don't want me to.”

“I'll be okay, Ash. I know how to handle him.”

Ash looks at my dad before looking back at me.

He wraps his arms around me and presses his lips to my forehead. “Call me before you go to bed.”

Ash puts his shirt on, grabs his stuff and leaves as my dad glares at him the whole time.

My hands are on my hips as I glare at my dad.

When Ash walks out the door, my dad's eyes travel towards mine.

“Ash, fucking, Jones, Ariella. Are you serious?”