Seducing the Good-Girl

Chapter 9-Spontaneous

Every child senses, with all the horse sense that's in him, that any parent is angry inside when children misbehave and they dread more the anger that is rarely or never expressed openly, wondering how awful it might be.

~Benjamin Spock

***

The moment my father spoke, Edward yanked his hands away from mine and took two large steps away from me. My chest was rising and falling quickly in anticipation of Edward's kiss, and my father had ruined. My breathing was harsh as I looked at my father was unconcealed hatred for ruining the moment.

My father looked thunderous. There was no other way to describe it. His brow was slightly furrowed at he scowled at Edward, and his mouth was set in a firm, thin line. He was holding one of the guns that hung on the wall in his hands - a gun that I knew he'd never fired, and a gun which probably wasn't loaded.

That didn't stop Edward looking ashamed and terrified. His face had paled, and his emerald eyes were wide with shock as he stared back at my father. He didn't look back at me, but instead has his eyes fixated on the well-polished gun. I saw Edward's hand tremble slightly as he tugged his sleeve down, and my heart went out to him.

"Isabella, get inside," my father snapped, his voice cold. His eyes didn't move from Edward's.

"No."

"Get inside. I'll deal with you later."

"No."

"Isabella Swan!" he roared. "Get yourself inside right now, before I do something rash!"

"What, so you can shoot my date? I don't think so."

Just to prove my point, and because I wanted to be nearer, I stepped back to Edward's side and slid my hand into his, grasping it firmly. Edward glanced down at me, and I smiled a little. There was no way in hell I'd be allowing my father to kill Edward before he'd kissed me. There was no way in hell I'd be allowing my father to kill Edward at all.

"I am disgusted," my father said, wrinkling his nose slightly. "When you told me earlier that you had a date with this- this disgraced boy, I thought you were joking. But when Miss Hale confirmed it... Have I not made it clear that you are to have nothing to do with these people?"

"I'm seventeen years old. It's not up to you anymore," I hissed.

"Dr Swan, please aim your insults at me, not Bella."

"Why? Are you going to say that you forced my daughter to do all she has? No. It takes two to tango, as the saying goes." He smirked at us, and I was filled with revulsion.

"What is your problem with my family?" Edward asked through gritted teeth.

I could see him becoming increasingly frustrated, and I itched to wrap him in a hug. If only it had been my mother that had seen Edward and I arrive, and stand on the porch. While she was despicable, she wasn't so bad as my father. She actually listened to other people.

"My problem?" my father sneered. "My problem is that you are not suitable people to be seen with a Swan. We have worked hard to get to where we are in the world, and being seen with those such as yourselves ruins our reputation."

"So you care more about you reputation that your daughter's happiness?"

"Who's to say she is happy with you?"

"She is," I said.

"In which case, you have clearly poisoned her mind," my father growled. "Tell me, who paid for today's expenses?"

"I did," Edward replied cooly.

"Really? Is that a one-off? Or did you pay with my money?"

"Are you suggesting that I stole Bella's money to pay?" Edward gasped, aghast.