"You ungrateful bitch. I keep a roof over your head, and this is the thanks I get?"
"You could have killed her," I retort, trying to muster up confidence that I don't possess. "What if she goes to the cops, Dad? That bruise on her face is enough to...
Warning: this chapter is a tear-jerker. I hope you brought tissues.🤧
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The love ballad comes to an end. The crowd cheers, and Jessica thanks everyone for coming.
After her monologue, the upbeat music returns. Jose still has his arms around my waist, a ravenous look in his brown eyes. He kisses my forehead, but the poking sensation in my thigh tells me he wants to do more.
"You really like the dress, huh?" I tease.
"I really like you."
"I'm pretty fond of you myself."
Jose is about to kiss me again when I freeze. Across the room, I see a mane of artificial red hair that's all too familiar.
Evan's mother and Hank's ex-girlfriend, Mallory Miller, is here. Her mascara-laden eyes meet mine as her red lips part into an O.
It appears she is just as stunned to see me as I am her.
"You okay, Fifty-One?" Jose asks, sensing my unease.
"I... um...." I struggle to find words. "I need a drink. Would you mind grabbing me a coke from the bar upstairs?"
"Sure thing." He smiles and walks away, leaving me alone to my faceoff with Mallory.
The Ariel want-to-be saunters over as soon as my boyfriend is out of sight. She places her hands on her hips, eyeing me up and down.
"What are you doing here?" she sneers.
"I could ask you the same question."
"I've known the Jermains for years. My son dated Jessica."
"And I'm Jessica's friend."
"How cute." She leans in closer. I can smell the vodka on her breath. "Listen, sweetheart, my husband and I are back together. No one here knows that I briefly dated your psycho dad, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. Capisce?"
"Works for me," I say with a shrug. The less she wants to talk about my father, the better.
"Great. Enjoy the party."
I roll my eyes as she struts up the stairs, presumably to get another adult beverage. She may not be with Hank anymore, but it seems like she's picked up on some of his unsavory habits.
Jose returns with two drinks of his own. He hands one to me and flashes a coy smile. "God, you're so pretty."
Heat rises from my chest to my cheeks. Even after eight months, he can still make me blush. He can still leave me breathless.
As I sip my soda, I see Damian and Jessica on the dance floor. There hasn't been a slow song since Jessica's dramatic entrance, but they're still tangled up in each other. His hands are clutching her waist; hers are draped around his neck. They're talking animatedly, like they've been friends forever.
