My head is spinning. I take my seat and fold my hands in my lap, my ears acutely attuned to each man’s behavior. Brian’s eyes zero in on the movement before his scrutinizing gaze takes in my appearance. “I see Natalia’s provided you with adequate clothing.”
I nod.
“Though it seems a trip to the salon may still be in order.”
My head snaps up toward him. “Excuse me?”
He turns to Zheng. “Women often need help making themselves presentable. Don’t judge my daughter too harshly. She didn’t have the upbringing she should have. But a project can be rewarding. Isabella here is our diamond in the rough.”
My cheeks are flaming. I can’t believe he’s criticizing me right now. In front of Zheng.
Zheng laughs but I can hear the strain in his voice. “It’s one of the things I like about your daughter, sir. She isn’t like the girls I’ve grown up with. She’s comfortable in her own skin.”
Brian looks like he’s just bitten into a lemon. “Hmm. Yes. Well, she could still use some lessons in decorum. Really, Isabella. You look like you were raised by wolves with that mess on your head.”
I grind my teeth together. I was raised by wolves, I want to snap back but I manage to restrain myself, forcing my hands to stay in my lap instead of tightening into fists. I don’t care what he thinks. He’s not anyone to me. A sperm donor who decided to show up too late in the game. I clench my jaw and tilt my chin up. “I didn’t realize I needed to impress my own father when I’m in my own … home.” I keep my tone even, but this isn’t my home. It’s a halfway house until I get to wherever it is I’ll be going after graduation.
“You need to be presentable at all times, even in your own home. You never know who may be stopping by. Just look at yourself. And you have a guest here, one you were well aware of before you came downstairs.” He shakes his head, his upper lip curling in disgust. “If I’d known about you sooner, we could have gotten a handle on this, but at the rate you’re going, you’ll end up just like your mother.”
He may as well have just slapped me the way he spoke of her, as if being anything like my mother is an insult. It’s not. My mother was a proud, hard-working woman. She was compassionate and loving and she always, always, made time for me, despite other obligations to our Clan. Which is more than I can say for the man sitting in front of me. He missed out on seventeen years of my life, yet I can count the number of times I’ve seen him on one hand since moving to Texas.
I’m not ashamed of my mother. I aspire to be like her.
I bite the inside of my cheek until the tangy bite of copper hits my taste buds. My anger rises and with it comes a crashing wave of rage from my wolf. My skin ripples and I shove out of my seat. “You’ll have to excuse me. I forgot I have homework I need to catch up on.”
Brian doesn’t even acknowledge my departure, too engrossed in whatever subject he’s moved onto with Zheng. I storm up to my bedroom and pace the confined space. Breathe, Isa. Breathe. I open my laptop to send off another dozen resumes. I need a job. I won’t allow myself to be trapped here any longer than I have to be. I just need to save up enough to get me back to Arizona. Emmett will hide me from Brian if I ask him to. At least I hope he will. He has to. I can’t do this anymore.
Twenty minutes later there’s a knock on my door. But before I can tell whoever it is to go away, it opens and Zheng steps inside. The chagrined look on his face is the only thing that keeps me from snapping at him.
He pads over toward me, claiming the seat beside me on the bed as I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling. He’s quiet for a moment before he heaves a long-suffering sigh. “I’m sorry about that,” he says.
I keep my eyes pinned on the light fixture above me. A stupidly feminine bedroom chandelier with wrought-iron roses and dangling crystals. “Why? Are you worried I’ll end up like my dead mother too? Do you look down on your own kind? Is that why you and the wolves don’t get along?” I sneer.
He scrubs a hand over his face. “What? No. That’s not…” He shakes his head. “It’s complicated. I told you my father was human.”
I flick my gaze toward him. “And? Is that why you’re so chummy with Brian there.”
He sighs. “My dad works with yours. They golf together. He’s been to my house for holidays.” A shrug. “He doesn’t know I’m a shifter, too. I’m my father’s best kept secret, remember?” He sighs and leans back on his elbows. “Brian is an ass. He’s prejudiced against anyone not human. He shouldn’t have said what he did and”—another sigh—“I should have come to your defense. I’m sorry. That was a dick move.”
I push myself into a sitting position. He sounds genuine, but… “Then why didn’t you?”
Dark eyes search mine, no doubt trying to understand what’s going on inside my head. “Because I’m an idiot. My father has certain expectations. I guess I just fell into the comfortable role of not wanting to rock the boat. My father is a lot like Brian. He hates what I am. And growing up, I
