Page 177 of Savior
This is the last thing I want to deal with right now.
I storm back to the bedroom to throw on a pair of pajama bottoms instead, tossing the note from D onto the bed, and return to the front door where they’re already waiting, about to ring the bell.
I glare through the beveled picture glass of the front door as I unlock the deadbolt. Giuliana isn’t with them. At least they had sense enough not to bring her. I only open the door wide enough to tell them now is not the time.
“Dean asked you not to come here.” I say as calmly and as respectfully as I can manage. They are still my parents. “I’ll call you in a few days when everyone has some time to think and calm down.”
“You’re behaving appallingly.” My mother says. “What reaction did you expect to receive?”
“I wanted to tell you both in private! In person! Isn’t that what you would call the right thing? But my spiteful little brat of a sister ruined that chance!” I try not to shout, but my nerves are frayed at this point. “Dean and I were going to tell you right after the party.”
“Well. Mistakes were made.” My father grumbles, and I can’t help noticing the way he glances briefly at my baby bump…
Did he just imply our baby is a mistake?
“Excuse me?”
“Your sister said your… fiancé, misconstrued her intentions.”
“Dean told me what happened. Nobody misconstrued anything. I have too much going on right now to entertain anything else but an apology. So, if you’re just here to defend Giuliana, please leave.”
They both look at me like I’m not only crazy, but completely out of line.
“Apologize?You should be apologizing to us!” my mother nearly shouts at me.
“You can go now. Dean doesn’t want you here.”
“You say Jack was abusive and controlling, yet this biker dictates when and where you can speak with your own family?” My father snaps at me.
That’s it. The last straw. My nerves are beyond shot and I’ve reached my breaking point.
“Dean is nothing like Jack! Do you know what Jack did to me the first time I tried to leave him?” I demand. “When he told you that we were going to his parent’s vacation home on Lake George for two weeks, we never did. I didn’t come home with the flu, that kept me from visiting you for an additional two weeks. You didn’t see me for nearly a month, because Jack beat the shit out of me that night! I had to stay out of sight until the swelling in my face went down and makeup could easily hide the bruising!” They actually do look shocked by this revelation.
“Oh my god…” my mother whispers.
“That’s right. Jack kept me away from family and friends. Jack controlled every aspect of my life! After that beating, he was more careful about where he hit me.”
I can hear the sound of roaring Harleys in the distance, heading down our road, and I know it’s the prospects. They’ll get my parents to leave, but not before I make my point.
“Do you know what Dean did, when I was thinking about ending things with him? Even though he practically begged me for another chance?” I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I remember, but I push through with what they need to hear about the man I love. “He had my car repaired for me, so that I would be safe if I did go! He even paid for it! Does that sound like something a controlling man would do?” I demand of them. “I’ll tell you something else about Dean Keegan! He treats me with respect. I’ve never been called a name by him. I’ve never been made to feel ashamed of my body, my looks, my intelligence. He’s never hit me! He’s never choked me! All he does is love me! With his whole heart! And it’s a heart of gold!”
“We’re sorry, Giovanna…” my mother begins to say, as the bikes rumble up the driveway. I notice Cherry is riding on the back of one.
“You should be! How dare you come here, to our home, after he told you to stay away, and dump all your bullshit on me! Especially after Giuliana’s little stunt!”
My father begins to chime in. “We don’t know that happened the way he said it-”
“Just go.” I cut him off. I doubt he even asked her what exactly happened. “I can’t do this. There is too much going on, I can’t handle this family’s bullshit right now.”
As Cherry and the two prospects walk up the front steps, my parents turn to face them.
“Everything okay here?” Rusty asks. He hard eyes my parents, after noticing me wiping my cheeks.
“My parents were just leaving.” I say, opening the front door wider to let Cherry inside. She’s looking at me, concern written plainly on her face as she steps inside, but she doesn’t speak.
When my parents remain where they stand, Rusty gestures to the driveway. “You heard her.” His tone sterner than I’ve ever heard him speak before. “That was definitely your que to get out of here.”
Wearing aggrieved expressions, my parents descend the steps. The two prospects escort them back to their car. I shut the door and turn to Cherry.
