Page 59 of His Flash Mate
“Assault charges aren’t dropped because of relationships,” I said.“Let go.”
His face flushed, and he removed his hand.
“I wouldn’t need to stop you if you answered my calls.”
“You called?”I asked, looking at my phone.He had.I’d silenced notifications from him.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“Why?”
“Mr.Hestian would like to have dinner with you this Thursday, seven-thirty, at Seventeen Twenty-One.”
“Unfortunately, I already have plans on Thursday.Please extend my delight in not being able to accept his unwanted offer.”
Dad’s face flushed further.
“We both know you can’t afford to reject him, Sophia.It’s only a matter of time before Abbye defaults on the house due to medical bills from her accident.Then what will you do?Are you willing to allow her to sleep on the streets?”
I wasn’t sure what angered me more.The fact that he knew how close she was to losing everything and didn’t care, or that he was trying to use our current desperation to control me.
“First, don’t try to use my affection for Mom to guilt me into helping you.It’ll never work.Second, I have two jobs and can support Mom until she’s well again.We’re in no danger of defaulting on the house.”
Unless the medical bills are insane.Then, bad things might happen.But I refused to think about that yet.
“How do you think Abbye will react when she learns you accepted five thousand dollars from Jay to pay off the back mortgage?”he demanded.
“How do you think she’ll react when she finds out you’re still trying to sell me for an investment?”I countered.“Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, Dad.”
I turned away from him without answering, ready to leave, but he grabbed my arm again.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, let go of her arm now, or I’ll show you my teeth,” Miranda called.
I glanced at my friend, who was closing in from twenty yards away, dangerous teeth already exposed by her silent snarl, and yanked my arm free.
“When you regret your behavior today, call me,” Dad said before walking away with an elite air of composure that made me want to kick the back of his knee.
“Say the word, and I can maim him,” Miranda said next to me.
I sighed.“We’d both get in trouble then, and my mom needs me.”
“Who is he?”
“My asshat father,” I said, looping my arm through hers.“I’m glad you came.Nice teeth just now, by the way.I thought it was one form or another with you wolves.”
“The teeth are needed for claiming a mate in either form.And I came to find you because you were taking too long, and I was worried I was in trouble.”
“You’re not.It’s not like you lied to me.You would have told me sooner if I’d asked.I didn’t because I didn’t want to know.I hate the idea of cronyism.In this case, ignorance was bliss.”
We reached the cafe and waited until we were seated before continuing our conversation.
“How do you know him?”I asked.
She lifted the purse she’d earned by trading information about me to the rich shifter who thought I was his mate.Realization hit me like a punch to my lungs.
“He’sthe rich guy who wants to know how to break through my walls?”
