Page 22 of Cross + Catherine: The Companion

Yet, here she was.

Being exactly that.

Yeah.

Perfect.

Not five minutes later, Catherine heard the roar of a familiar engine. Her father’s car. All over again, humiliation filled her to the brim, and her heart felt heavy.

It was only made worse when her father came into the house, found her in the living room, and said nothing.

No, he only stared at her.

Disappointment looked back.

“Catherine,” her father said.

She looked up at him. “Yes, Daddy?”

“There’s only two things I want to know at the moment.”

“Okay.”

“Are you being safe?” he asked.

Catherine’s gaze darted to her mother, and then back to Dante. “Yes.”

“Have you ever felt like you had to do something that you did not want to do?”

“No,” Catherine said quickly.

“All right.” Her father waved a hand at the doorway. “Go to your room.”

She barely made it out of the living room before the yelling started between her parents. She didn’t come out of her room until morning.