by GG Shalton
“Dad, Trace hit me,” I said, waiting for his reaction.
“I’m sure he didn’t hit you, Ariel. You need to calm down.” His look of indifference hurt more than if he had hit me.
“I will not calm down.” My own determination surprised me. I couldn’t believe I was yelling at my father. I had never raised my voice to him. “I need to go to the police station and explain.”
“You will do no such thing,” he said with finality. “Jaxon is a criminal, and you should have never had anything to do with him. This is your fault.”
“Joseph!” Amanda’s voice was sharp.
I studied my father’s face as I took a deep breath. Is this my fault? I touched my cheek and winced. “He was protecting me. I will not allow them to charge Jaxon. I was the one assaulted by your precious business partner’s son. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
My father rolled his eyes. “I spoke to Trace’s father on my way here. He said he accidently shoved you and felt horrible about it, that you hit your face when you fell. Jaxon attacked him because he has an unhealthy fixation on you.”
“Are you kidding me? These are his fingerprint marks on my face. If you don’t fix this, Dad, I promise that I will go the police station and file charges myself.”
His eyes narrowed and his lips curled. “What did you say?”
“Joseph, calm down,” Amanda said sternly.
Lifting my chin, I met his eyes. “I promise you that I will file assault charges if you don’t get them to drop charges against Jaxon.” My breath caught in my throat as I waited for his response.
“Watch your tone with me, young lady. I will not tolerate any further outbursts! You will go home with Amanda right now. I’ll send Mikey for your car later.”
Shaking my head, I stepped back. “No! I won’t go anywhere until you listen to me.”
His eyes twitched as he glanced at Amanda, pointing at me. His voice came out in a growl. “She should have stayed in Europe. I told you this is not what I wanted.”
His words sliced through me as the room became suffocating. My chest felt as if it was going to cave in as tears stung my eyes. Looking between them, I wanted to run. My father didn’t want me here. It must have been Amanda. That realization hurt more than it should have. I’d always known it was odd he would send for me.
My father ran his hand over his face. “I don’t need this right now. I have a million things on my plate. Not to mention that Trace’s father is my business partner and friend.”
Catching my breath, I tried to speak, but Amanda did instead. Tears filled her eyes as well. “Joseph! I don’t know who you are right now.”
“Amanda, I— “He rubbed her stomach. “I don’t want you getting upset. You’re pregnant.”
His concern for his unborn child cut like a knife as jealousy ran through me. Amanda closed her eyes as she moved away from his touch. “Your daughter is trying to talk to you. Please listen to her. “
They both turned to me as I nearly lost my voice. “I’m sorry,” I said in a whisper, too taken with emotion to talk. After a deep breath, I gathered the courage to speak again. “I know you think of me as a burden, but I never chose to be your daughter.”
Amanda reached for me. “Ariel. Sweetie.”
She rubbed my back. It was comforting, and I didn’t push her away. But I couldn’t look at him.
“Take Ariel home.” I heard in his voice that he was done with this conversation.
She put her arm around me. “Let’s go, sweetheart.”
I nodded and looked at him. “Father.” I said it as a statement, careful not to call him dad. He didn’t deserve that title.
He looked at me but didn’t say a word.
“I will go home as you requested, but I mean what I said. Make them drop the charges. If they do that, I won’t file charges. But if they don’t, I will go to the police and file charges against Trace and you can’t stop me.”
His jaw clenched, and I watched it tic. My father’s glare bounced between Amanda and me as we showed a united front. He nodded and turned on his heel, leaving the room without a word. I waited a few seconds before I collapsed into the chair, sobbing. Amanda rubbed my back, but we said nothing.
After a few minutes, I sniffed loudly. “He hates me.”
“No, baby, he doesn’t hate you.”
I nodded. “You’re a good person, Amanda. I don’t know how you ended up with him, but he never has been a father to me.”
She gently moved my hair away from my face. “That’s not true. You’re his daughter. Of course, he loves you.”
I snorted. “Love?”
“I know he’s mad right now, but it doesn’t mean he stopped loving you.”
I crossed my arms. “You really believe that?”
“Of course, I do, sweetie. Let’s get you home so you can relax and put a cold washcloth on your face.”
I nodded numbly. “Fine.”
I followed her out of the room. We didn’t stop in the main office and walked out the front doors. I rode with her as she thought I was too upset to drive.
I rushed upstairs as soon as we pulled in the driveway. All I wanted to do was talk to Jaxon. I texted him, hoping that somehow, he would answer and that all of this was a dream.
Chapter 27
Jaxon
My head pounded as I lay inside the holding cell. Rubbing my temples didn’t help, and I wasn’t about to ask the guard for an aspirin. It had been hours. Adult jail was no joke. I kept my head down and tried not to make eye contact.
After standing near one of the walls for at least an hour, I recognized one of my brother’s friends. Ricker had a few guys with him, and I didn’t ask what he was in for. By the looks of him, it wasn’t good. I knew he hung out down by the Northside warehouse district and I was pretty sure he had done time before. I wasn’t sure why he was in the Matter Point jail, but it was better I didn’t ask.
Ricker must have noticed my messed-up face and taken pity on me, because he made some other prisoners get off the bench so I could lie down. No one messed with Ricker, not even in jail. The guy was huge and had tattoos splattered across his face. It was hard to look at him due to his scars, and all his teeth looked capped. A good person to have on my side if I had to do time.
Lying there, I thought about Trace and how he had hit Ariel. I didn’t feel bad for what I’d done, even if it ruined my chances at getting into art school. I would do it again. Seeing how vulnerable Ariel was and that loser putting his hands on her enraged me in a way I had never felt before. Ariel was special. I had never wanted to protect someone so much. I couldn’t stomach him thinking he could hurt her. A part of me felt that I would have killed him if they hadn’t pulled me off him. All I could see was red. I didn’t feel any of his punches, and I couldn’t see anyone around me. My anger had always been an issue. I needed to learn to get a hold of it or it would destroy me one day.
“Mr. Jaxon Martin.”
I looked at the guard. “I’m Jaxon.”
He looked at me as if I was something, he’d stepped in. “You’re wanted inside.” His voice was gruff, and his uniform looked wrinkled as though he sat at a desk all day.
I wanted to give him a smartass reply, but I bit my tongue. I was anxious to get this over with. It had been several hours since I was arrested.
I followed him into an office where a man in a suit and a few other men in Polo shirts sat at a table. I looked in the corner and noticed one of the vice principals from Matter Point High School.
“Please have a seat.” One of the guys in a polo motioned toward the chair. He looked like a cop but didn’t wear the uniform.
I sat down cautiously as I looked at the man in the suit.
“May I call you Jaxon?” The suited man’s voice was smooth, and his glasses were slightly crooked.
I shrugged. “
Sure.”
“Jaxon, I’m an attorney. You may call me Mr. Reynolds. We have some good news for you. If you’ll sign this form for my representation, I can tell you about the deal you will be offered.”
“Who hired you?” I asked suspiciously. Something didn’t smell right. “I don’t have any money for a lawyer.”
“It’s been taken care of, Jaxon. If you sign here, I can represent you.”
I looked around the room hesitantly, but what choice did I have? I took the paper and read it over. Shrugging my shoulders, I let out an audible breath. “Fine.” I signed the form for this slick bozo to represent me. “What’s the deal?”
The guy in the yellow polo shirt spoke up. “We’re prepared to drop all assault charges against you. In exchange, you will never set foot on Matter Point High School property again.”
The deal sounded great to me, but I still needed an education. “What about school?”
My attorney turned to me. “You’ll continue your education online until next semester, when you will be able to finish your education at Northside High School, provided you don’t get into any more trouble.” He looked at the vice principal. “You did arrange that, correct?”
The woman in the corner cleared her throat. “Yes, Jaxon’s record will be clean to transfer provided he stays away from our high school.”
I lifted my brow. “Is that it?”
“Yes. You will be expected to sign this paperwork agreeing to the terms, and Mr. Burns has asked to speak to you as well.”
“Mr. Burns?”
My attorney lowered his voice as he shoved papers into his briefcase. “Ariel’s father.”
Realization flooded me as I nodded, trying to keep my composure. The men left the office and a sharply dressed man entered. His suit probably cost more than my year’s salary, and he walked with an arrogance only a wealthy man could get away with. His hard stare tried to intimidate me, but I had dealt with rich pricks like him before. For Ariel, I would try to behave.
“Mr. Martin.”
I looked him up and down, meeting his glare. I wasn’t feeling friendly.
He paced around the desk before pulling out a chair and taking a seat. “I hope my attorney met your needs.”
I shifted in my chair. “Apparently he did. My charges were dropped.”
“Quite the legal hurdle, but he managed.” He rubbed his chin as he assessed me. “You put Trace Jenkins in the hospital and could have done some serious time for assault.”
I rolled my eyes and looked out the window.
“Hmm? I guess being arrested isn’t a big deal to you. I’ve seen your record.”
I turned to look at him before I answered him. “He put his hands on something that was mine. I have no regrets.” His jaw clenched and I knew I’d hit a nerve. I leaned back a little more in my chair. “Mr. Burns, my charges were dropped, and I have no reason to be here. If you have something to say, say it or I’m leaving.”
“Stay away from my daughter.”
Ah! There it is. I knew it was coming. The man was unbelievable, and the fact that the Matter Point Police Department allowed him to have this time with me spoke volumes on how much of the town he owned.
I rose from my chair. “If Ariel doesn’t want to see me, then I’ll stay away. But it will be her choice.”
He stood and shoved the chair under the table. “You think you’re so smart…”
I didn’t answer him.
He tilted his head as I saw his frustration growing. “I know all about you, and I’m not impressed with your petty crimes and tough guy attitude. I think it’s a façade.” He forced a laugh. “But I’ll play your game.”
“I’m not playing games with you, boss.” I felt like smacking the proud smirk from his mouth, but thoughts of Ariel kept my hands at my sides. She may not like her father, but she respected him. And I would too if he didn’t cross the line too much.
He narrowed his eyes and studied me. “Come on, Jaxon. A street-smart guy like you is probably a good businessman. You like to make deals?”
I looked at him, trying to figure out his angle. Finally, I took his bait. “What kind of deals?”
He pulled an envelope from the inside pocket of his suit and laid it on the table. I looked at it and tried to hide my curiosity.
He slid the envelope over and raised his chin. “Open it.”
I looked at it for a second longer and slowly reached for it. After I tore it open, I unfolded the letter inside. It was addressed to me regarding the Bernard scholarship. I did a double take as I read the contents. I had been awarded the scholarship. Not only full tuition, but room and board and a one-thousand-dollar-a-month stipend. My heart pounded at the possibilities.
Looking at him, I tried to read his face. “I don’t understand?”
“I think you do.” He smoothed his jacket, wiping some pretend lent as he broke eye contact. “It’s yours. All of it.”
“What’s the catch?”
He smiled. “I like art and consider myself a collector. In fact, I’m on the scholarship board. I called in a few favors. You’ll be given everything in the envelope as long as you make the deal.”
My heart sank as my mind raced. “What’s the deal?” I was pretty sure I knew the answer but had to ask.
“All you must do is stay away from my daughter. You’ll tell her that you’re moving on and cut all ties. You will not reach out to her in any way and never mention our agreement.”
“If I don’t?”
“You’ll lose your scholarship, and any money paid out will have to be repaid.” The corner of his mouth lifted as he walked past me to the door. “You don’t have to let me know your decision. If you contact my daughter again, I will ruin you.”
I clenched the envelope. I hated him. He had to know how desperate I was to go to art school. Ariel wouldn’t have mentioned it, but the school knew. My teacher must have told someone. How quickly he was able to make this happen blew my mind.
I heard the door shut as my eyes burned into the envelope. Looking up, I realized I was alone.
A few seconds later, the door opened, and my attorney stood in the doorway. “You’re free to go.”
I nodded, walked out the door, and went to the counter where they returned my phone. I called my brother and waited on the bench outside. It was already dark, and I welcomed the cool air. Going through my phone, I saw four texts from Ariel and two missed phone calls. My eyes closed at the thought of her worrying over me. The aching in my chest made me feel empty, but I had to wait to talk to her. It was too fresh, and I needed time to think.
So much had happened in such a short period of time. A few months ago, my life made sense and my plans were simple. I would go to trade school locally, maybe learn refrigeration or welding. Mechanics was always an option too. I didn’t know Ariel existed, and my female companionship was shallow at best.
How could a random girl—from Matter Point no less—have such a pull on my life? I used to make fun of my friends who fell for women so fast. But Ariel came bumping into me one day and changed the course of my life. She was such an amazing girl, and she occupied my thoughts day and night. Especially nights! I wanted to hold her and kiss away all her pain and tell her everything would be all right. But I couldn’t do that. Everything had changed.
I stared at the phone for a few seconds, but I didn’t answer her. Instead, I slipped the phone in my pocket and waited for my brother.
Chapter 28
Ariel
I lay in my bed, looking at the ceiling. I’d told Amanda I wanted to be alone, and for the most part, she’d left me to it. She had checked on me once and brought me a sandwich with a diet soda. My phone was loaded with text messages from Paisley and Gretchen, but I ignored them. The only person I wanted to hear from was Jaxon, but he didn’t return any of my texts.
I finally got u
p and went downstairs. I heard loud voices and sneaked down the stairs—it was coming from my dad’s study. Even knowing it was wrong, I hid behind the bookshelf on the other side of the wall.
“That’s ridiculous.” Amanda’s voice was shaking. “Trace can’t be that innocent.”
“His father is dropping the charges as a personal favor to me. However, he didn’t like it. You can imagine the strain this will put on our Donavon deal.”
“His son hit Ariel. You’re the one who should be upset. I don’t care about the Donavan deal.”
I’m beginning to love my stepmother.
“Trace claims it was an accident. However, he agreed to drop the charges because it could be twisted to make him look guilty even though he isn’t, and the school doesn’t want the publicity. But that Jaxon kid isn’t allowed back at school. He’s been expelled.”
My heart fell. No jail time, but no school. That meant he’d lose his scholarship. Because of me. I had to find a way to talk to him, but the next words made my feet freeze in place.
“I want you to talk to Ariel,” Amanda said.
“You can tell her the news.”
“Joseph, she’s your daughter. Why do you treat her so poorly? You never want to spend time with her. I had to beg you to let her come live with us. She’s a beautiful, sweet young woman who thinks you don’t love her.”
I waited with bated breath. Did my father love me? He had never told me that he cared about me. He’d always provided for me financially, but an occasional awkward side hug was all I received when he came to visit.
After a minute, I heard him whisper, but I couldn’t make out what he’d said. I had to get out of there. The air was stifling. I went out the front door and walked down by the lake.
Later that night, I stared at myself in the mirror. My cheek was swollen and turning black. Amanda had insisted that I stay home for a few days—not that I wanted to face the kids at school. She thought I needed a few days to rest and let the rumors calm down. Robbie was being nice and had offered to pick up my homework assignments, but I had already received e-mails from my teachers. Even Ritchie seemed to tiptoe around me and was careful not to get in my way.