Page 66 of Sinful as They Come (Sinful Trilogy #1)

HOLLY

“Why would you do that?” I screeched.

Yes, I was screeching . Literally screeching.

I didn’t know what else to do but yell. I had been so excited for tonight.

I had been so ready to show off Sawyer to my parents and let them see what a great guy he was.

And not just for me. He wasn’t just perfect for me .

No. He was everything they should have loved too. A hard worker, resilient, strong.

But they had to go and ruin it.

“Sweetheart, it’s gonna be okay,” my mom said, her eyes big as she stared up at me. “Please don’t be upset.”

“Is what he said true?” My father barked at me. “Have you slept with that boy?”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I felt myself blushing. I wasn’t mad that Sawyer had gone off on a little tangent about what we had done together. He always loved having the last word. I had discovered that during our many, many arguments.

“That’s not what’s important here,” I mumbled.

“Oh, yes, it is,” he said. “I cannot believe that you even let that boy go near you, Holly. He’s trash.”

“Yeah, you said that already,” I snapped at him.

“Don’t. Don’t you talk to me like that. I’m allowed to be mad at you. I’m your father and you’ve got another thing coming if you think I was ever going to be okay with you being with him. ”

“You ran him off!” I screamed. “You belittled him and made him feel bad about himself. All you had to do was talk to him. And then you would have seen what I see!”

“Joe,” sighed Mom. “Maybe you should listen to her. Look at her. Look at her face . She means what she’s saying. You shouldn’t have snapped at him. You should have given him a chance.”

“Are you kidding me?” Dad threw his hands up in the air. “Are you both insane? We’re talking about Sawyer Westbrook here. The kid is bad news. What does he have to offer Holly? Huh? What? He’s not going to college. He’s a mechanic! And are you forgetting where he lives? That he’s a criminal?”

“Stop it!” I was back to screeching. “I don’t care about any of that stuff.

And if I don’t care, then why do you? So what if he’s not going to college.

Not everyone wants to do that, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

And you think it’s bad that Sawyer, what, has a job?

All that means is that Sawyer is a hard worker.

And I am so sick and tired of people making fun of where he lives!

It’s a trailer! So what? He has a roof over his head and that’s all that matters! Just stop it, stop it, stop it!”

My heart was beating out of my chest. Both of my parents were looking at me like I had just told that I was pregnant or something. I didn’t act out. Almost all of the time, I was their perfect princess. But tonight? Tonight I was beginning to lose control.

“Look how much she cares about him!” Mom gestured over to me, standing up in a hurry. “Look at her! She’s right. Why do you care where he lives? He came over here. He made an effort to meet us, Joe! He clearly cares about Holly too!”

“Christ.” My dad buried his face in his hands for a moment. “Neither of you are listening to me. And it doesn’t matter if he cares about Holly! It doesn’t matter if she cares about him!”

“Oh, it doesn’t?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No!” he barked at me. “Because you aren’t going to see him ever again. You think I’m going to let him come near you? Let him come back into this house? Think again. If you live under this roof, you’re gonna follow my rules. And Sawyer Westbrook is not welcome in this house or in your life.”

“But it’s my life!” I pleaded with him. My eyes were wet as I desperately shook my head. “Why won’t you just let me live it the way I want? With the person that I want?”

“Because he’s not good enough for you!” he screamed. “He’s not. It’s as simple as that!”

“Joe, you’re being ridiculous.” My mother shook her head, a glare ever so present on her face.

She rarely looked like that. Especially at my dad.

Most of the time, they got along perfectly.

“She’s not a little girl anymore. Let her make her own choices.

All she wanted was for you to sit down and talk to her boyfriend. ”

“I’m trying to look out for our daughter here,” Dad said. “ Our daughter. Remember? You think a kid like that is gonna be good for her? That he’s gonna give her a good life? He’s nothing but trouble.”

“You didn’t even give him a chance, Joe! Maybe he’s nicer than you think!”

I sobbed then. The room was spinning and I felt hot and like I had lost all control.

I stood there in the middle of the dining room, my face pressed into my hands as I let out stupid whines.

My eyes were wet and they were only getting wetter.

I heard my father storm out of the room, probably disappearing upstairs and into his office.

It had all been a bad idea. I should have kept Sawyer away from my house. Away from my dad. Away from my stupid world where wealth came first. He deserved better than that. He deserved better than me. Now he was gone and out of my life and I had a horrible feeling I wouldn’t get him back.

“Honey,” Mom said, her soft hands on my shoulders. “Don’t cry. I know you’re upset right now. Your father messed up big time tonight.”

“I just wanted… I just wanted you both to see Sawyer the way I do,” I said, my voice choked up.

“He’ll come around. I promise. You have to give him time. Your dad is so protective of you. He just wants the best for you. Don’t hold tonight against him.”

“Sawyer’s never gonna want to speak to me again.

” My heart ached as I spoke. Sawyer had every right to ignore me for the rest of his life.

My family just humiliated him. They just made Sawyer feel like he was worthless – just like Carter made me feel, like the way Carter made Sawyer feel.

I physically winced. “I bet he hates me now. Just like he did before. I don’t want him to hate me like he did before. I just want him.”

“Sweetie, sweetie, sweetie.” Mom pulled me to her, my head resting on her shoulder. “That boy cares about you. I could see it in his eyes. I saw love there. Don’t let one night ruin what you two have.”

“But he said it was a waste of time! That… That…”

“He’s angry and upset. Just like you. Do you think he meant that? I bet you he didn’t.”

“I just wanna see him and tell him that I don’t care about all that stuff Daddy was talking about,” I sniffled. “I don’t care about money. I don’t. None of that means anything to me!”

“Go tell him. Go.”

The words made my heart stop for a second. I pulled away from my mother, staring into her eyes. I had to blink a few times, my vision a little blurry. But I could see the smallest of comforting smiles on her face.

“Go?” I parroted.

“Go see him. Go talk to him. Just promise me you’ll calm down for a few minutes and drive safe. Can you do that for me?” she asked, her voice turning a little stern.

I nodded quickly. “I… I can do that…”

She wasted no time grabbing a glass of water from the dining room. The dining room where the mess started. I gulped down the water, not realizing how badly I needed the cool liquid on my throat until that point.

I focused on my breathing, getting it back on track before I rubbed at my eyes.

They were swollen, but after dabbing at them softly my vision felt much better.

I could focus more, my heart rate calming down and my shaky hands slowly becoming steady.

My mom checked me over, giving me a nod of approval.

“Go tell him how much you love him,” she said with a warm smile. “Go.”

“But… But what about…?”

“I’ll handle your father. Just go.”

I nodded at her, spun around, and snatched my car keys off the table by the door.

I was gonna do it. I was gonna see Sawyer and pray that he hadn’t fallen back into that hatred he once had for me.

He had every right to despise me. My father knew how to push Sawyer’s buttons, knew exactly how to get under Sawyer’s skin and expose any and all insecurities.

But I needed Sawyer to know that none of that mattered to me. Not a damn thing.