Page 237 of Power Play
“He is not your future.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
My mother’s eyes widened, and my father stepped forward. “That young man comes from a life you cannot possibly understand.”
“I understand more about his life than you do.”
The words came out sharper than I intended.
My father stared at me. “You think a few months of rebellion have taught you what poverty looks like?”
“Don’t talk about him like that.”
“I’m talking about reality.”
“No, you’re talking about money.”
“I’m talking about compatibility.”
“You don’t know him.”
“We know enough.”
That sentence ripped through me.
Ryan’s voice from earlier returned instantly.
But it’s okay for them to hate and judge me without knowing me?
My throat tightened. “What exactly do you know?”
My father’s silence gave me the answer.
I stepped closer. “You know he has tattoos.”
“Charm.”
“You know he grew up poor.”
My mother looked away.
“You know he plays hockey.”
“His reputation—”
“What reputation?”
My mother’s mouth tightened. “The fights.”
“He plays hockey.”
“Off the ice too.”
“He’s protective.”
“That isn’t the word people use.”
I laughed bitterly. “What word do they use? Trash?”
