by Claire Adams
I let out a sigh, but nodded. "I understand, Jerry. I'm just trying to figure out where my future is. I have eighteen months of school left, and I honestly can't imagine throwing that away, but I realize the opportunity you're giving me is a great one, too. I really do."
"I know, boy. Chew on it some, and maybe we can work around the school thing and just give you some more hours. You only go a few hours a day, right?" He handed me the wrench I was looking for.
"Yeah. It's only four hours a day." I started to include the fact that swim team was going to take up quite a bit of time, too, but decided against it. No one would understand my need to swim, and to combat their disapproval or lack of understanding was only going to leave me edgy, which was something I didn't need.
"Good. We'll figure it out. Just let me know when you decide if you want more responsibility and money. Okay?" He patted my back and left me there to stew in my thoughts.
I barely had time to study with the forty hours I was squeezing in at the shop on top of school and the swim team. Now that I'd made the decision to pursue a relationship with Val if she agreed, she was going to have to have some of my time, too.
A growl left me as my shoulders tightened due to the stress of trying to work everything out in my head and coming up short.
Sharon's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Tate, some guy is here to see you, hun."
"Alright. Tell him I'll be right there." I reached up and unscrewed the bolt I had been tugging at while Jerry was talking. After getting it undone, I moved back and laid my tools down and pushed them out of the way.
I wasn't expecting anyone, but then again, I rarely was. Sharon knew Sam, so she would have mentioned that it was him if it was.
An older man with salt and pepper hair and a tight smile turned as I walked up.
"I'm Tate. How can I help you?" I started to cross my arms over my chest, but decided maybe looking closed off wasn't my best move. Besides, the guy looked important. Maybe he was from the college or the police station. Maybe they needed me to come down and talk about testifying against Daniel.
"You can start by realizing that trash like yourself doesn't have a place in my world." The old man's expression grew angry as he poked his finger into my chest.
"Whoa. I'm not sure you have the right guy, mister." I pushed his hand back. "Don't poke my chest again."
"I'll poke you as many times as I want, and you'll not do a damn thing about it." He poked me again, and I smacked his hand away.
"I'm warning you, old man. I can be respectful all day long in the face of a lot of shit, but someone picking on me isn't happening." I took a step toward him, and damn if he didn't move toward me.
"I'm Valentine's father, and you, little man, are messing with the wrong girl. You'd better back the fuck up or I'm going to make your life a living hell. Do you understand me?" He looked me in the eye. Suddenly, everything made sense.
Someone had told the great David Scott about me and Val, and he was here to force me out of her life before I really ever got invited into it.
"Not sure what you're talking about. Val and I are friends, and-"
"No, you're not. She doesn't have friends that we don't approve of, and you're not on the list. Stay away from her or not only will I get your mother's piece of shit abusive boyfriend off the hook for what happened yesterday, but I'll shut this shop down, I'll have your mother fired from the hospital, and I'll get you ejected from UMN so fast it will make your tiny head spin."
"Fuck you," I mumbled as terror raced over me. The man wasn't at all intimating physically, but he could pack a serious punch with his power.
"Yeah, that's what I figured you'd say. Funny how you poor kids only have a few words to grab when you're in a bind." He smirked. "You've been warned, Tate. Don't come near my daughter again."
"And, if she comes near me?" I couldn't help but push him.
"Then, you push her away. Hurt her. I don't care, but you'll suffer far more than she will from this stupid, pity-relationship. There's no way she'd be with a guy like you, and you'll do yourself a favor if you back off now. No need to get your hopes up; she's a Scott, whether she chooses to act like it most of the time or not." He tilted his head slightly. "Good day."
I stood there in shock, unable to move or say anything. I'd never in my life had someone be so rude to me, and certainly not some chick's dad.
"That's not good," Sharon mumbled from behind me, and I realized she was there, which only left me more embarrassed.
"Wow. He was a total dick." I ran my fingers through my hair and turned toward her.
"I've heard he's a complete asshole, but I didn't think he would be so low as to get involved with his kids’ relationships." She shook her head. "Who does that shit?"
"I guess the great and mighty Scotts." I shrugged and started toward the back.
"What're you gonna do?" Her voice followed me.
"Fuck his daughter. What else?" I opened the door the garage and walked out as rage burned through me. I was just being a cock, too, but truth be told, I had no clue of what to do. If the man really had the power to turn my life upside down like he said he did, then I was screwed. The fact that he knew so much about me was insanely unnerving.
I couldn't just let Val go, though. Right?
She was more woman than I'd ever encountered and the idea of pushing her away again felt like it would be the biggest mistake of my life.
The memory of watching her with my mother the night before swept over me, leaving my heart hurting deep inside of my chest. Val had far too many layers to count, but after seeing her not only help me manhandle Daniel, but act kind toward my mother, I wanted to peel each one – to know her, to memorize everything about her. To love her.
"It's not in the cards," I mumbled to myself and put in my earbuds. The day was going to be spent trying to figure out what the fuck to do while I worked to fix as many cars as I could. I'd talk to Sam later before swim practice. He'd know what to do.
*
"He said what?" Sam was almost screaming as he sat in the truck next to me.
I ran my hands through my hair and closed my eyes. "Yeah, I know. I'm honestly not sure what to do about it. I can't go up against him. I'll lose. Fuck, my mom will lose everything, too."
"I can't believe that bastard said he would get Daniel a free ticket out of jail. What kind of guy does that shit? A monster. That's what kind." Sam pulled up to the gym and shook his head at me. "You need to tell her, Tate. She has no idea her fucking family is sneaking behind her, ruining her life."
"Maybe they’re not ruining it, but saving it. She's far better than me. We both know that." I shrugged and reached for the handle. "Thanks for the ride."
"Hey, you're wrong. She's a good woman from what you say, but you have the ability to make her a great one. Tell her what's up. Don't turn your back on his. I'm serious. You'll regret it." He gripped my shoulder tightly.
"Thanks, buddy." I got out of the truck and jogged up to the natatorium, trying to let all my angst go. Val had texted a few times that morning, and I'd responded more fully before talking to her dad, but only in short responses after. I hated to leave her thinking that something was wrong, but it was. I had to let her go, even though she really didn't belong to me yet.
I was grateful for her denying me sex the night before. It might have been trite, but I knew that if she'd let me take her to bed and hold her all night, I'd not be able to walk away. I'd have felt too connected to her.
"Hey, you." Martin lifted his hand to me as I walked into the warmth of the natatorium.
"Hey, man. How's it going?" I gave him a high-five before dropping my stuff beside everyone else’s.
"Good. We're just warming up. Get to it. Coach was asking where your ass was an hour ago." He smirked and nodded toward the group of guys we'd be swimming against. "They're at the top of our division right now. I think we can take them down."
"Yeah, we'll get them. No worries." I turned to find Coach walking toward me
with a less than pleasant look on his face. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Be on time or your ass is off the team. Got it?"
A couple of guys snickered behind me, but I ignored them. We were grown-ass men. I wasn't playing into their childish bullshit. I had real problems, which made my situation on the swim team seem like something I should simply walk away from.
"Got it. I was at work, so if it happens again, I'll just drop being a part of the team. My mom depends on me to help with rent and put food on the table, but it's no big deal. Just surviving and shit." I shrugged and hated how quickly I'd resorted to talking to the coach like some punk-ass kid.
"Watch it, Phillips. Communicating more effectively would have saved me from getting angry at you and give you a chance to act like a man, instead of a kid. Get dressed and don't talk to me like that again. Period." He patted my chest and walked off.
"Right." I turned and picked up my bag before jogging to the locker room to change. I wasn't surprised to see Val in the stands with some of her friends when I walked back out.
She waved, and I returned the gesture, unwilling to be rude. I would let her down easy later that night, but for now, she could believe that everything was fine – that we were fine.
I had to concentrate to keep myself from grabbing my shit and going home. Nothing really mattered anymore now that someone had their hand clamped around my throat. It wasn't Val's fault, but I couldn't help but feel the same concern I had the first night we met.
The rich would always be in power. The rest of us would just limp along and hope that we stayed out of their way.
I wasn't sure if I was going to follow the rules this time or not. It seemed far too much was at stake no matter which choice I made.
The whistle blew and I shot off the side of the pool and into the water, letting my fear and anxiety propel me to take first place at the meet.
Everyone was thrilled, except me.
I couldn't seem to shake the numbness that had settled over me.
I had to let her go. She wasn't intended to be mine, anyways.
I wasn't worthy of something that great.
Chapter 19
Val
Something was wrong with Tate. It didn't matter that he pulled through and took first place in the swim tournament. He was upset, and I figured something had happened before he came to campus. His texts had gone from playful and flirty to short and almost non-existent.
"Hey, great job out there today." I reached up and touched his chest.
He glanced around while pulling my hand away. "Yeah, it was good."
"It was better than good." I smiled at him and moved around until he put his attention back on me. He was pulling back again. Was it because I hadn't slept with him?
"Thanks, Val. I'm glad you were here." He winked and started to turn.
"Hey. Wait." I grabbed his arm and tilted my head to the side. "Did I do something wrong?"
He hesitated, and I had my answer. "No. It's just...I have a lot going on. Too much, actually."
"Then, let's get out of here together. Come with me to the lake tonight. We can build a fire and roast marshmallows." I almost sounded like the needy bitch I was.
"I can't. Really." He tugged his arm from me and started to leave again.
I jogged around him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pressed myself to the front of him, kissing him hard in front of everyone. He was stiff and unyielding for the first few seconds, but he quickly warmed up and returned the kiss.
The chants around us were infantile, but I didn't care. I wanted him to know that there wasn't anything we couldn't figure out. I'd just found him. I wasn't losing him yet.
He pulled back before kissing me again softly. "We can go out, but nowhere around here. I need to get the fuck away from these people and their expectations."
"Good. I'll drive out to your mother's place and-"
"No. Meet me at the outside track in an hour and dress warm. We'll go to the big lakes just a couple of hours from here. I'll get Sam's truck." His eyes moved down to my lips. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Alright." I didn't understand why he was being so secretive, but I didn't care. Something was obviously going on with him, and I planned on finding out what it was.
He kissed me once more before turning and walking back to the locker room. I watched him go as I wrapped my arms around myself. I was soaked all down the front of my clothes, but I'd be fine. The Gamma house was only a few hundred feet away and my coat was dry on the bench behind me.
"What was that all about?" Martin asked as he walked up beside me.
"I'm not sure. Something is wrong." I glanced up at him, hoping that he would know what happened.
"You're telling me. He acted like an ass to Coach today. I'm surprised he got to swim at all." He shrugged. "Anyway, figure it out and make it better. We need him."
I nodded and let out a long sigh as Martin left me standing there by myself. "I need him, too."
The truth was almost too painful to admit. I wasn't in love, but I could see myself getting there without too much effort, at all.
*
"Wow. You look incredible." Tate walked around to my side of the truck and opened the door for me as I walked toward him.
"You're not too bad yourself, mister." I smiled and let my eyes move down to take in how good his jeans fit him. The nice-sized bulge at the front of them had my stomach tightening. If the night allowed for it, I was done playing hard to get. I wanted to feel his skin against mine before I lost the chance. Something told me that he wasn't playing for keeps anymore. Something had changed – shifted. I wasn't sure what, but it was major.
I got into the truck and buckled up as he stood there, watching me like he had that first day in the library.
"What?" I reached down and touched the side of his face. "Why do I feel like this is our last date?"
"No clue." He took my hand and kissed my palm several times before touching the side of my neck and pulling me into a long, hot kiss. I started to get out of the truck, but he pulled back and laughed. "You're a bad girl all of a sudden?"
"If it means you not letting me go before we ever get this thing started, then yes."
Sadness brushed across his features, but he forced a smile and closed my door. I waited until he got into the truck to unbuckle and move to the center seat.
"You want to grab some hot dogs from the grocery store?" He glanced over at me.
"Yeah. Anything you want." I slid my hand down his thigh as his breath caught in his chest.
"Val." He took my hand and clasped it in his. "Not while I'm driving."
"Really? You seem like the kind of guy who would be more than happy to have me touch you while you drive." I pressed my lips to his shoulder, expecting a sexy comeback.
"Why is that? Because I'm a whore? Because us poor folk have no respect for ourselves?" His tone was less than pleasant, and the sound of him verbally biting at me was a little more than I could take.
Tears filled my eyes, and I moved back as if scalded.
"No, because...never mind." I moved to the other side of the truck and buckled up again.
"I'm sorry. I've been through some crazy shit today, and-"
"And instead of including me in it, you're shutting me out. I get it." I shrugged and wiped at my eyes. "I'm not feeling this anymore. I'm sorry to be a pain in the ass, but can you just drop me off at the next gas station and I'll catch a ride home."
He jerked the truck over to the side of the road and unbuckled. I wasn't sure what to expect, but the last thing I was going to do was offend him again by flinching or appearing scared of him. Though I maybe should have been, I wasn't.
"Fuck this." He moved toward me and pulled my seatbelt off before pulling me into his lap. He forced me to straddle him as he lifted his hips a little and worked to consume my mouth.
I wanted to fight against him, to slap him instead of give in to him, but I couldn't force myself to do anything but cling to him and
give every ounce of passion that I had to give.
"I want you so goddamn bad," he grumbled against my lips as his hands moved up my waist and cupped my breasts.
I moaned and pressed into his hold as I rocked my hips forward to get the full effect of his erection against my center.
"Me, too," I whimpered softly as I tugged at his shirt.
"Not here, baby. Not now. Tonight." He ran his fingers through my hair as he pulled me down for another long hot kiss.
I melted against him and sucked on his tongue as we breathed each other in and fogged up the windows of the old truck. I was no longer sure what I was mad about by the time he pulled me back.
"You're getting on my damn nerves with your bipolar shit today." I poked him in the chest. "Hurt me again and I'm outta here. I have enough people standing in line to slap me down. I don't need it from you, too."
"Never." He moved to put me back in the seat and pressed himself against me in what should have been an awkward position, but it wasn't. He pressed himself between my legs and rubbed the thickness of his body against mine as he licked and nipped at my mouth.
"Fuck," I groaned and arched my back, needing more of me pressed to him.
"God, Val. You're everything I want. I need you beneath me tonight." His tongue ran up the side of my neck, and I cried out again.
Every wet dream I'd ever had could possibly come true with the man above me, and yet I was scared for both of us. We had yet to define our relationship, and yet could easily find ourselves set on a path that could end in forever being spent together. I could see it in my mind's eye. It was the first time I could ever imagine being with anyone for any length of time.
He kissed my lips once more before crawling back into his seat. After dropping his head back, he let out a long sigh only to take another shaky breath and do it again.
I stayed in my seat, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
Tate turned his face toward me and opened his eyes. "You know I wouldn't ask you to give up anything for me, right?"
