Page 82 of Heartless As Puck

Dad’s face fell. I marched forward until I stood shoulder to shoulder with Pete.

“I’m tired of this,” I said, feeling the weariness in my bones. “I thought we’d moved past this thing where you turn up and make a scene.”

“I’m making a scene?” Dad put his hands on his hips. “You’re the one making a goddamn scene, boy.”

I ignored the jab, just like he’d ignored Hazel. “You’ve never treated me like a son. You’ve treated me like a commodity—and one that you weren’t very happy with. Nothing I ever did was enough, and I’m tired of it. That isn’t the way parents are meant to act.”

“You’re being overdramatic,” he blustered, waving one of his hands in the air.

“No, I’m not.” I felt Pete glance at me, but I didn’t have the bandwidth to worry about what he was making of all of this. “You are. You’re screaming in the street because I had sex with my girlfriend somewhere I thought was private. It wasn’t wrong of me to do that. The person who took and shared that photograph should be ashamed, not me.”

There was a murmur of agreement behind me, but I wasn’t sure who it came from. To my surprise, I sensed Jane at my elbow. Dad glared at her, but she didn’t back away.

God, she was so strong.

“Oh, and you should be ashamed too,” I added matter-of-factly. “For trying to beat down your own son rather than asking me if I’m okay and offering me help.”

“I shouldn’t have to help you.” Dad looked disgusted. “I taught you better. I can’t believe this is how you repay everything I ever did for you.”

I heaved a sigh, reluctant to air all our private business in public, especially given what happened last night, but some things just had to be said.

“You dedicated over a decade to making me the best hockey player I could be. Some parents might do that just because they wanted to make their kid happy, but that isn’t why you did it. You wanted money and glory. You didn’t care how exhausted I was or how much I wanted a day off and an ice cream.”

“Winners don’t take time off. You owe me⁠—”

“No.” I cut him off. “I don’t owe you anything. I bought you a million-dollar house. I paid for the sports cars you’d always dreamed of. For the first year of my professional career, I gave you everything you even hinted at wanting.”

I didn’t know how much he figured he deserved for creating a career I’d never asked for, but he was mistaken if he thought he was going to be able to bleed money from me forever. I needed him out of my life and out of my goddamn head. Maybe then I’d finally be able to have a healthy relationship.

Dad laughed bitterly. “And then you abandoned us, showing no thought for our feelings at all.”

I snorted. He was the one who taught me to pretend that my feelings weren’t real. “Here’s the thing. I love you because you’re my father, even if I should know better after how you treated us, but I don’t owe you a single dollar or the smallest bit of mental real estate.”

His anger faltered for a moment, and he shook his head. “You don’t actually feel that way.”

“I do.”

He took a step back. “Your mother and I did everything for you.”

I didn’t flinch and neither did either of the people at my side. “That may be, but if you don’t start treating me, Hazel, and Jane with respect, then I’ll apply for a restraining order against you and make a public statement about how bad our relationship really is.”

Dad looked at me as if he had no idea who I was. “I… You…” He shook his head again. “You wouldn’t do that. We’re family.”

I felt a twinge but ignored it. “I would, I assure you.”

“Dad, please,” Hazel said. “Just go. This isn’t the place to do this.”

Personally, I didn’t think there was any time or place to do this, but hopefully, I’d gotten my point across.

“Go.” I crossed my arms. “Or I will call someone to make you leave.”

“Son…”

“Get out of here!”

Slowly, he turned and left, looking back over his shoulder as if expecting me to change my mind at any second.

I didn’t.