Page 61 of When Sinners Hate
“I’m sorry, you’re going to have to say the fucking words, Father.”
“Fuck him. Tease him, do whatever he wants. I don’t fucking care as long as he’s happy at the end and not looking to stir trouble.”
Tears sting my eyes as I hear him talk about me as some cheap whore. Abel was right – Ortega whore is who I’ve been – and that’s all because of the asshole, Miguel Ortega.
I hang up, unable to listen to him ask this of me after everything. The phone rings again immediately, and all it does is garner more tears to cloy at my throat.
Blinking away the emotion, I take a moment before going back inside to find Abel. He’s talking to Melena, so I walk up and slide my hand into his, grateful that he doesn’t push it away.
“Hi.”
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Sure. Sorry, I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“We’re finished. Thank you, Mother.” He leans in and kisses her on the cheek, then pulls me towards him, and we head up towards my bedroom.
“Do we have plans for today? I could use an Advil.”
“No.” He’s short with me, as if he’s flicked a switch from before breakfast.
“Okay.”
“But pack an overnight bag. I might want you to stay over tonight.”
I stop on the stairs. “Overnight?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t want me to stay longer?”
“An overnight bag is enough.”
I shake my head and storm past him and into the bedroom.
He catches the door before it slams back. “The hell was that, Lexi?”
I scoff, “Really? You don’t know why I might be upset?”
“No, so cut the crap.” He stares at me.
“You. You still don’t trust me. And I feel like a goddamn experiment. Reward Lexi just enough, and she’ll be good.”
“And what do you expect? You still don’t tell me everything. You took a call, you got upset, and rather than tell me, you say everything is fine and try bullshitting me.”
“We were with your mother. Do we share with her now, too?”
“No, but I want you to be honest with me.”
“Fine. My father called. I hung up because, for the first time, I can see a life away from him and Ortega. You showed me that, Abel. In San Diego and last night, and this morning but then you go and ruin it by only allowing me to stay over if you feel like it.”
“I thought we’d been through that.” He looks away and stands by the window as if my upset is invalidated.
“No. You decided. What do I need to do to prove to you? Huh?” I pace back and forth, and I can feel the emotion turning into rage. “Is it about time? Maybe on our anniversary, I can move in?” I sneer.
“This is pathetic.”
“And you’re being cruel. You threatened me with Ratchet in a place guaranteed to make me feel your power over me. You’ve pushed and pushed, and I’ve met every challenge and every test. You even tease me by showing me what I could have,your family. Something you know I don’t have. It’s the ultimate power trip for you.”