“I’m pathetic? At least I’m not some dried up old man trying to hold onto his daughter by lying to her when controlling her no longer works,” Crew retorts.
I touch Crew’s arm, hating how cruel he sounded just now, but I guess he’s only speaking the truth.
And sometimes, the truth hurts.
“You’re really going to fall for this boy, Pumpkin? You know what the Lancasters are like. Heartless. Cruel. He will toss you aside when he grows tired of you, just watch,” Daddy says, his gaze pleading. His words are like a punch to the stomach, as if I’m not worthy to keep Crew’s attention. That my father thinks so little of me. And Crew. “I only want the best for you, Wren. I’m trying to protect you from him.”
My heart sinks, the tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. That he would say such awful things about Crew when he doesn’t even know him, just…
Hurts.
“Listen to me, Wren. You are the most important thing in my world. I would never purposely try to upset you. You know this.” Daddy takes a step forward, his gaze landing on where Crew’s hand rests on my hip when he pulls me into him, his touch possessive. A claiming, like it always is.
It has more meaning now, though. He’s sending an unspoken message to my father. I don’t belong to him anymore.
“You lied,” I tell my father. “You claimed a gift that you never actually gave me. You tried to take credit for something you had nothing to do with.”
“I was losing you!” The words explode from my father’s lips, shocking me. “You were slipping right out of my fingers and there was nothing I could do about it. I don’t want to lose you to—him.”
“You lied. To. Me.” I shake my head once when he takes a step toward me and he goes still. If he touches me, I don’t know what I might do. Scream? Push him away? Kick him in the shins? “After all this time, you were supposedly worrying about me. Tracking me. Spying on me via my phone. Telling me what I can and cannot do. Claiming you can’t trust me over something I did almost six years ago, when all along, I’m the one who shouldn’t trust you!”
My breaths are coming fast and I’m dizzy, the anger consuming me so strongly I can barely think straight. I know we’re most likely making a scene out in front of our apartment building, but I don’t care. The truth needs to be told.
My father needs to know how I really feel.
“You’re right.”
I gape at him, shocked he would admit his fault so quickly.
“It was wrong, and I’m sorry,” he continues, and at least he’s owning up to his lie.
But it’s a little too late.
I don’t have the strength to tell him that though. I’m too overcome with emotion. Crew holds me close, making me feel safe. He doesn’t cling too tightly, ever. He gives me the freedom I need, and he respects my decisions. My thoughts. My body. All of me.
Every single bit.
“You’re breaking my heart,” my father croaks, tears shining in his eyes. Any other day, seeing him like this would destroy me. But not today. “I’ve always been your hero, Pumpkin. The one you come to when you need help. Don’t ever forget that.”
“You don’t have to be her hero anymore,” Crew says, tugging me even closer to him. “That’s my job now.”
The pain on my father’s face is unmistakable. He actually flinches, his gaze narrowing into slits as he studies us.
“You’ve destroyed my family,” he accuses Crew.
“No, Harvey.” My mother steps forward, her eyes blazing with anger. “You did that all on your own.”
His shoulders sag and he hangs his head.
Just before he turns around and leaves.
The moment the three of us enter the apartment, Mom marches over to the discarded box where we left it, digging through the mess until she’s clutching a tiny white envelope between her fingers, no doubt with a card waiting inside. “For you,” she says, bringing it to me.
I take the envelope from her and glance over at Crew, who’s watching me carefully.
“Open it,” he urges.
With trembling fingers, I tear into the envelope and pull out the card.
An early birthday present for my Birdy. A million kisses in your lifetime, from me to you.
Love,
Crew
I clutch the card to my chest, completely overwhelmed with emotion. The tears flow freely, streaming down my cheeks and I blink hard to clear my blurry vision as I stare at Crew.
“I love it,” I whisper. “Thank you.”