Page 13 of Justice II

“You still should’ve come to me.”

“She threatened Dream.”

“And you still didn’t come to me?”

“I’m telling you now.”

“You’re telling me because you got caught.”

“That’s not true.”

“I don’t believe a fucking word coming out of your mouth.”

The words hurt more than I expected. After everything we had shared, he looked at me as if none of it had been real. Maybe none of it was real to him anymore.

“Search Storie’s room,” I pleaded. “Ask her about Monica’s letter. Ask her what she did to Midnite.”

“Keep my daughter’s name out of your mouth.”

“Justice, please.”

“Pack your shit and leave.”

I stared at him, waiting for some sign that he might reconsider. His face gave me nothing.

“You’re throwing me out without even listening?”

“I listened. Now get out of my house.”

I marched upstairs before he could see me fall apart. When I entered my bedroom, I grabbed my suitcase from the closet and tossed it onto the bed. I barely had the zipper open before Storie appeared in the doorway.

She watched me shove clothes inside without folding them.

“He doesn’t believe you,” she said. “He never will. Nice try, though.”

“You think this is funny?”

“I think you should hurry up before he comes up here and throws your stuff outside.”

I grabbed a stack of shirts from the dresser and stuffed them into the suitcase.

“He found out about you on his own, by the way,” she continued. “I didn’t have to do anything. But this is for the best. Now you can move on with your life, and I can have him all to myself.”

I stopped packing and looked at her.

“This isn’t over, little girl.”

She smiled before turning away from my door.

I stood beside my open suitcase after Storie left, listening to her footsteps disappear down the hall. Part of me wanted to chase her, drag her downstairs and make her repeat everything she had said to my face. Maybe Justice would believe me if he heard the truth come out of his daughter’s mouth.

Then again, she would probably cry and swear I threatened her. Justice had already decided which one of us was the liar.

I shoved clothes into my suitcase without folding them. Less than twenty-four hours ago, Justice had asked me to go away with him. He wanted to make our relationship official and tell his family about us. Now, I was packing while he waited downstairs to throw me out.

I loved that controlling man, stubborn ass and all. I loved watching him with his daughters. I loved how he lowered himself beside Rita whenever she got confused instead of embarrassing her. He made me feel protected after years of having to protect myself.

None of that had been a lie.