Loving the Homewrecker (BOOK 3)

23

Santiago

"This is ridiculous," Josiah said, throwing a punch at my hand, "we get suspended for another guy starting a fight?"

My arms fell by my sides and I folded my arms over my chest. "Life happens."

"Okay, well life should start being fair."

"Life isn't fair," I said, nodding towards Fred. "Your turn."

He sighed and stood up. "Dad, we lost one fight, we don't need a whole boxing class-"

"I'm tired of having to come to the school to bail you guys out. Maybe this way you guys can take your anger out at home, not at school."

"Dad, it's not because we have anger issues," Josiah said, his eyebrows scrunched together as he wiped his forehead with a towel, "it's because-"

"I know what it's because of," I said, cocking an eyebrow up at him, "end of discussion."

I held my hands up and Fred just rolled his eyes, throwing a few punches at my hands.

"This is boring, d-"

"Oh, so it's boring at home but it's not boring at school? Interesting," I said, jutting my bottom lip out as I nodded slowly.

"You can get off of our backs now," Jo said, smiling.

"No," I said, "you don't tell me what to do, I tell you what to do. Got it?"

He just plopped down on the weight bench.

Fred few numerous punches at my hands and walked away from me. "Okay, I'm done."

He plopped down beside Jo and cracked his knuckles.

I leaned against the wall and took a sip of water. In all honesty, I was out of solutions.

"Guys, I have a serious question and I want you to answer it as honestly as you can, no matter how big of a hit to your ego it may be."

They just nodded.

"Is that why you guys keep getting in fights? Because you're so popular, and it's noticeable when you walk in a room because you just put off that-"

"Dad, no," Fred said, "we're nice to everybody, most people like us, but it's just that one group of guys."

"Then why is that one group of guys what makes you two pop off?" I asked, "why is it that you guys have so many people that like you, but it's those guys that get to you?"

"Dad, you're known all over the country," Josiah said, standing up, "you should know better than anyone, it's your enemies that have far more of an effect on you rather than the people that support you."

My eyebrows went into a deep furrow as they both brushed past me and upstairs.

"Knock knock," I heard, making me look over at the staircase.

I just smiled when I saw Adora standing there, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Early morning workout, I thought coffee might help," she said, holding the coffee cup out to me.

"Thank you," I said, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "why were you out so early?"

"I went to get the boys Chick-Fil-A," she said, "they asked for it, and don't scold me for giving it to them."

I just sighed and plopped down on the bench beside me.

"Am I a terrible dad?" I asked, looking over at her.

Her eyebrows went into a deep furrow. "What do you mean?"

"What I asked," I said, "am I a bad dad."