Chapter 0216

“I’m going to kill your brother,” dad says, shaking his head as he looks me over, frowning at the blood all over me and narrowing his eyes as he gives me a suspicious sniff. But if he smells Jackson or Luca, he doesn’t say anything.

“Go easy on Rafe, dad,” I murmur, raising a hand to run it fondly over his stubbled cheek. “ It was all Jesse’s idea anyway.”

Mom and Cora laugh at this but dad continues frowning, not ready to joke. “I could have lost you, Ariel,” he whispers, his voice tight. “Do you – do you know what that would have done to me?”

“Don’t, dad,” I say, shaking my head, my lip trembling as tears start to threaten my eyes again. My dad – he’s so strong, so steady – seeing him emotional like this? God, I can’t handle it – not at all. “I’m perfectly fine – nothing happened

“But it could have happened,” he whispers, devastated even by the thought of it. “It almost did – Ariel, from what Jesse said, you almost died

((

The tears start to slip down my cheeks and my lips turn down in a desperate frown, because I hate that I did this to him hate that he was this worried.

murmurs, reaching out a hand and placing it softly on dad’s knee. Don’t make the girl feel guiltier than she already does. She’s

moment and then heaves a deep

he takes a deep breath. “At

dad’s arms, looking up at him with suspicion.

he says, giving me a steady nod. “Where you’ll

I drop my arms from around his

you home, Ariel – the fuss with your ex–fiancé is all

up,

((

hard until dad lets me go, staring at me in shock. “Dad, I’m going back

pass

much?” I ask, my voice getting squeaky in my panic.

suspiciously again. “Who the hell is Jackson?

I ask, my voice sharp as I turn to stare at my dad, my lips a thin line.

dad asks again, completely

awkwardly. “Ariel, if you’re asking if you made it across the line within the top 60% of candidates…you

rush of air leaves my lungs and relief sweeps through me, because at

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255