Page 182 of Wicked Brutal

“And sometimes people aren’t problems for you to solve!”

“I never said you were a problem.”

“You treat me like one!”

His face changes. “The fuck I do.”

“Yes, you fucking do!” My voice is loud now. Good. I’m done whispering. “You decide what happens, you tell everyone where to be, you figure out who watches who, what I should say, where I should go—“

“Because your father is trying to put you on a fucking plane!”

“I KNOW!”

“Then what the fuck do you want me to do?”

“Listen to me!”

“I am listening!”

“No, you’re waiting for me to stop talking so you can tell me the next fucking plan!”

That shuts him up for half a second. “I am trying to keep you here.”

“And I’m trying to stay!”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

My mouth drops open. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“You keep taking risks.”

“For Tobias.”

“Exactly.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

“Why? Because I’m right?”

“Because he can’t protect himself!”

“And apparently that means you don’t have to protect yourself?”

My chest heaves. “I can handle my dad.”

“Your arm says otherwise.”

I go still. Ryan knows immediately that he crossed something. But he doesn’t take it back. That pisses me off more.

“Fuck you.”

“No.” His voice drops. “No, because I’m done pretending this shit isn’t happening. He dragged you into a closet and fucking hit you.”

“I know what he did.”

“Then stop acting like you’re invincible.”

“I have never acted like I’m invincible!”