Bloodlines//MJF

Chapter 7

Chris wastes no time making his way across the room to his eldest daughter.

"You've got some nerve, young lady!" Chris growls at Sam, red in the face from anger.

"Careful there dad, wouldn't want your blood pressure getting too high now." Sam grins back at him. Not about to let Chris ruin this moment.

"Funny. I don't recall telling you that you could use my move." Chris glares down at her with gritted teeth.

"Funny. I don't recall seeing your name anywhere on the fucking maneuver." Sam fires right back. "Don't be salty just because I do it better than you ever did." She rolls her eyes and subconsciously steps closer to Max and Wardlow.

"You! You need to keep your greedy little hands off of my daughter Friedman!" Chris turns his attention to Max. "Filling her head with all kinds of bullshit. Making her think she could ever be someone just because you want to piss me off!"

"Screw you dad!" Sam steps in front of Max.

"Quiet." Chris scolds her again. "I'm talking to him." He points a finger at Max and pushes Sam off to the side slightly which just infuriates her more.

"Relax Sam, I can fight my own battles." Max steps forward to defend himself.

"You know your daughter is quite the talent, Chris. It's a shame that you'd rather feed your own ego than let her shine." He speaks calmly and with a grin.

"And what? That gives you the right to manipulate her?" Chris scoffs. "She's naive! Impulsive, she doesn't think things through. What she sees in you, I can't even comprehend." He speaks as if Sam isn't standing two feet away from him.

"She obviously sees enough in me to trust me more than she trusts you." Max chuckles. "Isn't that right sweetheart?" He turns to Sam at his side.

"He's right, dad." Sam agrees. "I am done being content in your shadow. All you care about is yourself." She steps in front of Max. "So as far as I'm concerned you can kiss my ass because I sure as hell am through listening to you."

"So you're choosing the manipulator over your own blood?" Chris scoffs, sure that he can get through to his daughter.

"Max might be using me dad, but at least he's willing to admit it," Sam replies coldly. "And I'd rather willingly help him fuck with you than spend another minute with a man that can't even admit to himself that he's a selfish asshole." She turns her head away from her father with a scoff.

"Atta girl." Max grins and slings an arm around Sam's shoulder. "Say goodbye Chris, because we're off to celebrate the start of an illustrious wrestling career." He pushes past Chris with Sam at his side.

Wardlow and Jake lock eyes for a moment as they pass one another. The rivalry still very much alive between the two heavy hitters. Max and Sam lead the pack as they walk off and Sam does nothing to remove Max's arm from her shoulder.

Chris watches Sam walk off on his mortal enemy's shoulder with a look of disgust. He can't believe that his own daughter would treat him like this. Sammy finally walks over from his spot in the corner after being silent this whole time.

"You were a real help, Guevara." Chris glares at him.

"Hey! That's family shit." Sammy puts his hands up. "You gotta work that shit out yourself man." He shrugs and walks over to Jake.

Sam and Max make it all the way back towards the women's locker rooms before Max is forced to a stop.

"So, how you feeling princess?" Max asks her, finally taking his arm back.