Page 81 of Virtuous Vows

“Papa, he’s a nice man. And no, I’m not. I’m meeting with a friend named Daphne.”

“He isnotnice,” he declares. “Do you know what he does?”

My mother laughs behind us and he scrunches up his nose at her reaction.

“Love, do you forget what you do?”

“But this is our daughter.”

“It’s not like she’s marrying him.”

“Yet,” my father tacks on.

“I’m telling you, I have plans with a friend. Calm down.”

Unfortunately, my father is the suspicious type and has a nose like a hound when it comes to lies. And I feel somewhat guilty for lying to him, but it’s easier this way. For everyone.

“Do you love him?” Father questions.

I laugh. “Papa! I’m visiting a friend. But if you must know, I think you and Dawson are more alike than you think.”

He scoffs at that.

“It’s true. Like you, he says it how it is, no bullshit. And I’ve never been mistreated by him,” I insist.Dawson only mistreats me in ways I prefer, but I keep that thought to myself.

I would never be stupid enough to tell my father about the auction for my virginity. I’m pretty sure if he ever found out, he would storm out of here after locking me in my own apartment and hunt Dawson down and kill him.

And I still need that man.

My father is unconvinced. “Good. Don’t let your heart interfere. Just because you’re here and dating now, does not mean all men are good.”

“Remember how I said the overprotectivenessis too much? This is what I’m talking about,” I say, pointing at him.

He crosses his arms over his chest, and I look past him to my mother, who mouths,Be safe,before I walk out.

CHAPTER 44

Honey

Dawson is where he said he would be, waiting for me.

“Sorry it took so long,” I tell him. He offers me one of his smiles before he takes my bag and walks toward his car.

“Your father let you go?” he asks, surprised.

“Yep. Not without a warning, though,” I say, smiling as he opens the car door for me. Putting my bag in the back, he walks to the driver’s side.

I feel like a teenager sneaking around and lying to my parents about who I’m seeing, but it’s kind of nice in a weird way. Because I never really did this before. It’s foolish. But also fun.

“You hungry?” he asks, and I nod. “Anything in particular you want before we head to my place?”

“Do you have food at your house?” I ask.

“Yes. I’m not a complete savage,” he jokes. If only he knew that my sister never had food at her apartment before Crue. I’m just grateful she has a personal chef now to make sure she’s actually eating meals.

“Okay, well, just keep driving, and I can cook us something.”

“You like to cook?”