Page 91 of Riding Free

When I walk to the front door, I don’t even look through the peephole. I should have. I really should have because when I open the door, it’s definitely not Alex looking back at me. Instead, it’s my parents and Clare.

I blink, unsure of what to say and do. If I tell them to get the hell off my front porch, I’m the asshole. But I don’t think I want them here—not after everything. They haven’t tried to reach out to me in almost two months.

Not a single word. Not Clare, not my parents, nobody except Camden. He’s texted me a few times, but we’re not best friends, and we’ll probably never be any closer than that, something I partially blame my parents for, too.

My split decision is not to let them inside. I know that Thea is safely strapped into her swing and can be left inside for a few moments, but it won’t be for long, because they aren’t welcome here on a good day, let alone for very long.

“How can I help you?” I ask.

I don’t move forward or backward. I stay where I am, in the middle of the doorway. I’m not giving them an inch because I know that they, all three of them, will take a mile. I wait for a long, silent moment for one of them to speak, but they don’t say anything immediately.

I wait, but I won’t be waiting for long. In fact, I’m about to slam the door in their faces. But then my mother takes a half step forward.

“I want to make amends,” she whispers.

She’s playing at innocent. I know my mother, and this is fake. Then my father shifts forward as well, his gaze focused on mine. He may not be trying to intimidate me, but he is attempting to assert his fatherly authority over me.

It doesn’t work.

He hasn’t ever had fatherly authority over me.

“We would like all of this to be in the past,” he announces.

I’ve decided I’m going to let them speak, at least for a little while. So far, they aren’t convincing me of much. But then Clare moves closer, her eyes filled with unshed tears, and for a moment, I’m actually moved.

But then she opens her mouth. “We’re just so worried about your safety, Keely. I can’t stop thinking about it. You’re living with this criminal and surrounded by these people. Let us save you. Let us save Thea.”

I almost laugh in her face, but then I decide against it. That would be rude. Very rude. But then I see a car pull up beside mine in the driveway and I know that Alex is here.

“I’m perfectly safe, loved, and happy. None of you need to worry about me. Is that why you came here? To tell me you’re worried and to try to talk me into leaving my husband?” I ask.

Alex is no doubt curious about the group of people standing on my porch, but he doesn’t speak as he continues to move closer to the crowd.

“Partially. We want to make sure Thea is doing well.”

Alex snorts, which makes them all whip their heads around to look over and see him walking around them, past them, and then beside me. Clare’s eyes widen at the sight of him, and honestly, if I didn’t have Brock, I would definitely think Alex was hot, too.

“Thea is doing swimmingly. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Keely and I will be heading inside. We have a busy, busy day ahead of us.”

“Who are you?” my mother snaps. And there it is. The bitch is back. “And why are you at my daughter’s house?”

“I’m Alex,” he says, then tilts his head to the side and smirks. “Keely’s friend, and I’m pretty sure you’re not welcome here, especially with the way you’ve treated my girl here. If you’d like to call her and set up a time and place where this little kumbaya can happen when it’s convenient for her, that would be great, but frankly, this isn’t the time.”

My mother’s mouth moves up and down, but no words come out. Clare snorts, but she doesn’t say anything, either. I watch as she crosses her arms over her chest before she looks down at me.

It’s my father who reacts. And it’s not a good reaction. “I’ll do as I please,” he barks. “Keely is my daughter, and Thea is my granddaughter. You’re not going to stop me from seeing them. Especially not some nobody.”

I can feel my blood boil.

“Too far,” I whisper. “You can leave. We can discuss things when I’m ready. But Alex is right. This is not the time, and I will not stand here and let you talk badly about my friend. So please leave, or I will call the police.”

My father opens and closes his mouth a few times, but I don’t say another word. I’m finished with this. Clare decides to take a step forward, and I wait for her parting words, because this is a parting.

I don’t plan on seeing her again.

“This is it, Keely. You’re clearly on a different page than me with your life choices, and I can’t be a party to this.”

“Okay,” I state. “Bye.”