Page 81 of Beautiful Chaos
“You knoweverythingabout love. I believe this in my soul, and I will handle this.”
He sniffs, thumbing away a tear. I refocus on my fathers.
“Get the fuck out of Silas’s place right now. I will speak with you two later. And when I do, I expect a full apology, both to Silas and to myself.” I address this next part directly to Dad. “You have every reason to express worry and concern. But busting in here? While armed, even though you haven’t carried indecades? Absolutely not.”
“We tried to get a hold of you. Went to the penthouse this morning, and you weren’t in your bed.”
His excuse sounds so weak.
“All of the fathers’ entry privileges will be revoked by this evening, and we will be rescanning for listening and recording devices in all the common areas. You better fucking hope we don’t find any.”
“You can’t do that, Oak. If we can’t protect you?—”
I shake my head. “You need to stop before you say another insulting thing. This isn’t about ‘protecting me.’ You could’ve sent one of the Wildlings down if you were so worried.” I point right at Dad. “This is aboutyou.”
Dad’s inhale is shaky. “You have no idea what that man’s father did to me. You have no idea what he is capable of.”
“Actually, I have a better idea of what Sy is capable of than almost anybody. Certainly more than you two.”
“You know your dad worries,” Papa says, looking regretful.
“This isn’tworry,” I insist, more livid by the moment. “This is pure, unadulteratedhatred.”
“And why shouldn’t I hate him? Why shouldn’t I be afraid for my son? He’s a genetic freak, Oakley. Don’t you get that?”
Cupcake growls, and Silas rubs her chest.
I snarl. “Don’t you fucking talk about him like that. He’s a human being.”
Dad goes to say something, and Papa wraps an arm around his waist, arresting whatever words were going to fly out of his mouth.
“Emotions are high right now,” Papa says softly. “It’s clear that we all need to go to our neutral corners, be a bit more careful, and speak when the temperature has come down.”
Dad looks like he wants to object, but I’m quick to agree. “Yes. Silas and I have a lot to talk about. And you need to knowthat saying hurtful things to him willneverbe acceptable to me. He has done nothing to earn your ire.”
“Are you kidding me?” Dad whisper-yells through his teeth, staring at Cupcake. She bares her teeth at him.
Papa clamps his hand over Dad’s mouth, and I feel so fucking helpless. He’ll never understand.
“You don’t know him, Dad,” I say, sounding like a plaintive teenager.
“All I need to know is that he is a monster.”
“He’sourmonster! Don’t you get that?”
I scrub my hands through my hair, cursing the limits of a language too feeble to explain how much I care for Silas.Why I care for him.
I feel so fucking helpless as I look down at Sy. He’s looking back at me.Your monster,he mouths. Proud.
Sad.
I make one final play.
“Can you at least trust my judgment? Haven’t I earned that?”
Dad works his jaw but keeps his mouth shut.
That’s a no.
