Obedience Lessons

Chapter Twenty-six

Andy's POV

I couldn't look Dylan in the eyes properly. Not after meeting with his father and finding out what he had in store for him. How the heck would I get him to agree to marry Alyssa? In what universe would Dylan believe me if I told him it was all just an act so I could take down his father? I wouldn't believe me. But I needed Ryman distracted, and the best way for it was to give him what he wanted, and to make him focus on precisely what he desired. Right now, that was for Dylan to get in gear for his wedding.

Dylan's fingers trailed the side of my face when he stopped the car in front of my apartment and he brought me out of reverie. "What are you thinking?"

I suffocated my initial panic and rose my lips up to press a kiss to his lips, "You." It was the truth. I was thinking about him, like I had been ever since I'd met him. I couldn't stop thinking about him. This time though, I needed to convince him to play along with the marriage. He would probably have to pose with Alyssa to put out the word that he was engaged. Then there would be trending stories about wedding plans and stuff for him to fake but in perspective it would be a small price to pay. I told myself I wasn't selling him cheaply when I said, "That even if you married Alyssa that it wouldn't change this... what we have."

He pulled back, eyes alarmed. He let out a huffed breath. "Why would you even be thinking about all that?"

"I don't see how you wouldn't be," I returned, "A rich psycho that happens to be your father could cause so much trouble for you and me otherwise. I say play along, it won't be forever, just until we get dirt on him. But at night I'll be there, and when you wake up it'll be with me right next to you. She'll get the ring and I'll have what matters..."

"Too soon," he warned. We had already had the talk about declaring love too early and fucking things up. We'd agreed to give it a few months and then report back on the status of our relationship. Thinking back on the moment made me grin. He thumped me over my head. "I don't want to get married. Especially not for him."

I felt my stomach go cold as if I had swallowed frozen lead. "Okay. But it would never be for him. Not your father. You ready for this at least?"

"To see where you live or meet your mom?" His eyebrows furrowed adorably and I leaned across to kiss his cheek.

"Both."

He sighed. "Let's do this."

I chuckled. "You should see your face, you look fucking terrified and there's no reason to be, at all. Not all parents are monsters."

"Hmph, withholding judgment," he sniffed and walked ahead of me, past a dark tinted car I didn't recognize. Strange. It was parked so very close that it appeared that its owner was visiting me.

Glass broke from inside of my house, followed by several other crashes and screams. Holy fuck.

"Bastard!" A string of obscenities ensued as more crashes came from the house.

I was running before I knew it, bursting into my apartment like a madman, glad the door had been left open. Dylan was on my heels but we both froze in the doorway when we caught sight of my mother.

She was poised on the kitchen counter with a knife held pointing outwards at my father, who cowered behind a broad wooden cutting board that he used as a shield. My plates and cups littered the floor in dangerous looking shards. The whole thing could've made me laugh or cry. What stopped me was a deep voice from behind me, "Barry... is everything okay?"

I swiveled and ending up having to look up. The dude was massive, with big burly arms and a wide, built chest that popped in his purple T-shirt. I realised that when I was told my dad cheated on mom with a trans guy with a vagina that I hadn't expected... well... this. I was quite frankly picturing a drag queen in a feather boa with hot, shaved legs.