Page 24 of Make You Beg

Clearly, there are so many books that she didn’t notice it.

God, I wish I could lose myself in a book and forget this fucking reality.

But here we are. I’m once again reminded that this is my life. That I’m my father’s puppet.

That no matter how hard I try to keep my distance, he still has power over me, reminding me that without his money, I’m nothing. Even if I wanted to be. He’s prohibited me from working—blackmailed me into it. He’s got contacts everywhere. He always had. He buys people off.

And I might be big, but striking him back when he hits me will get me nowhere. He can be a very convincing man.

So, I gotta suck it up and do whatever he wants. Let him reward me with his money when I do something good, which isn’t often. Mostly when Maddy and her mother are around.

Of course—he’s a saint in front of them. He doesn’t show his dark side in front of others.

But the more he gives to me, the more he takes from my soul. My fucking car? That was a present welcoming me to my new life with Maddy and Miranda. And I had to steal alcohol from the house, along with cigarettes, and resell them to some freshmen, to make up for the money I needed, because my savings weren’t enough. All to cover up the fuck up, so my father doesn’t find out.

“You’re going to do a coding course,” my father announces, bringing me back from my thoughts. “So you can help me with that side of my business. At least, until we figure out a solution for your shit brain and we find a school that takes you.”

I grind my teeth. “I don’t want to go to school.”

I wanted to—but my hockey dreams are crushed. You can’t get a scholarship if you can’t keep your grades up. That’s why no one offered me one, even though I crushed it in the team. And I only found out about that when it was too late.

I’m fucking done with education. Clearly, studying isn’t for me. We both know it.

“I don’t want to study coding.”

That shit is boring.

“Well, you will. I don’t plan on having a lazy ass son who stays at home and does nothing.”

He says that, but he has no problem maintaining his new wife, who he forced to quit her own job so he could provide for her. Now, Maddy’s mom spends her days in this house. That’s how he takes control of people. Making them depend on him.

Miranda is another victim. I have nothing against that woman. Even if I hate how much her daughter affects my brain chemistry…and my cock.

“I’ll have so much time…Maybe it’s time for me to get a job? Earn some money. You won’t even notice I’m here.” I volunteer my own plan, one that I came up within the last minute. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’ll let me.

“Like hell you will.” My father scoffs, running a hand through his graying, dark hair. His expression is so serious that you can see all the wrinkles on his face. Signs of aging. “You’re doing coding, and that’s final.”

“I think fucking not.”

I don’t know why I say it. I shouldn’t have.

I’ve been taken over by something. I’m not myself.

He stares at me now, lips tight, a frown taking over his features.

“What did you just say?” he mutters.

“I’m not going to study coding.”

He cusses under his breath, and before I know what’s happening, I’m overwhelmed by a sharp pain on the side of my face. The blow came quicker than I could have ever anticipated.

The fury of my father’s fist. It’ll leave a bruise.

“Shit. Look what you made me do.” He cracks his knuckles. “You will not challenge my word again. You understand?”

I massage my jaw, move on to my cheek, then my temple. It hurts everywhere. I want to hit him back so bad.

“Or what?” I spit out. My words are the only control I can take, and even they feel foreign to my tongue. “What are you going to do?”