“Grayson, you know we love you like a son, but if my daughter comes home, and she doesn’t want you here, then we’ll have to come up with a Plan B for you.”
“I understand,” I nod. They are here for me, but Everly comes first.
I descend the stairs to the den and find Izzy and Dom curled up on the sofa watching television. I fling myself on the end of the sofa and rest my head against the back.
“That bad, huh?” Izzy says softly.
I laugh. “Dad’s thrown me out, he won’t be paying the rest of my college fees. I’m on my own from here on. My girlfriend thinks I cheated on her with that poisonous bitch and she has fled across the country to get away from me. Yeah, it’s that bad Izzy.”
Dom turns the television off and turns his full attention on me.
“How was she?” I ask them hesitantly, unsure if I really want to know.
Dom winces. “She wasn’t great. She couldn’t pack and get out of here fast enough.”
“She fell for it then? She honestly thinks I’ve cheated on her?”
Izzy frowns. “You can’t blame her, Grayson. It looked really bad and you can say what you like, but you’ve been away at these business functions more and more of late. You’ve been spending more time with that fake bitch than your own girlfriend. She might not have wanted to seem weak and say anything, but she was struggling with the whole situation.”
I clench my fist in frustration. “Fuck. What a mess.” I look down at my clasped hands. “I don’t know who I am without her. She makes me a better person.”
Izzy reaches out and pats my hand. “Don’t give up. No matter what she says or whatever she throws at you, don’t give up, okay?”
I nod firmly. “I won’t. I won’t let her go without a fight.”
DOM HELPS ME LOAD THE last of my things into the car. It’s hard to believe that all my worldly belongings are now inside this vehicle. I will have to ring Ems and explain. She will be heartbroken, but I can’t pretend anymore. I’ve always protected her and hid the truth of my relationship with our father, but no more.
“You okay?” Dom asks me as he slides into the passenger seat beside me.
I nod. In truth, it is a relief to finally be free of him. To be my own person and not have to bear his presence anymore.
I start the engine and pull away from the house, giving it one last look in the rear-view mirror, and then I don’t look back. I am only going forward now and I’ll be doing it with my girl at my side.
“Have you or Izzy heard from her?” I ask, my voice betraying my anxiety.
Dom swallows and nods. “She spoke to Izzy last night. She wouldn’t engage in any conversation that involved you.”
I nod. My girl is hurting, and it kills me inside that I’ve caused her this pain. She’s been through enough in this last twelve months. She doesn’t deserve this.
Chapter 8
EVERLY.
“Why are you here?” I ask Dom, frowning when he reaches for my bag and places it in the boot of the car.
“Nice to see you too, sis,” he says smiling.
“I thought dad was coming for me?”
“He was, but I asked if I could come get you.”
I slide into my seat and buckle my belt. “Why?” I glare at him with suspicion.
He holds up his hands in defence before starting the car. “I just wanted to talk with you before we arrived home, that’s all.” He pauses and I wait, not taking my eyes off him.
“Well, spit it out. You’re obviously here to try to butter me up and convince me that your shit of a best friend deserves a chance.”
“He does,” Dom replies with a resolute nod of his head.
“He cheated on me,” I snipe, folding my arms across my chest.
“Did he? Or was it made to look that way?” he replies. He takes his green eyes briefly off the road to look at me. “Look, I know it looked bad, but just give him a chance to explain.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to see him yet,” I admit.
Dom scrunches his face up at my reply.
“What?” I demand.
“It might be a bit difficult to avoid seeing him. He’s left home. He had nowhere else to go.”
My traitorous heart skitters with concern. “He’s staying at ours again?”
Dom chews on his lip and nods. “He’s walked away and his dad’s cut him off completely. He said he won’t pay his remaining college term fees or offer him any kind of financial support. He’s on his own.”
My heart hurts for him in that moment. I know they didn’t get on, but to be cut off like that must have been so hard for him. “So you’re telling me that whether or not I want to see him, I don’t have a choice in the matter?”
Dom nods. “Basically, yeah.”
I lean back in my seat and close my eyes. “Well, that’s just fucking peachy.”
WHEN WE PULL UP OUTSIDE our house, my eyes zone in on the black car parked on our drive. Even just seeing his car is painful. Dom climbs out of the car and goes to the boot to get my bag. For a second or two I just sit there contemplating not getting out. Maybe I can ring Izzy or Lottie and go and stay with them for a while. I shake my head I need to put on my big girl pants and face this. It isn’t going to go away. At some point or another, we are going to have to do this. I climb out of the car and with my heart thrumming loudly in my chest; I follow Dom inside the house.
I’m almost knocked off my feet when Olly throws himself at me and wraps his arms tight around
