Page 4 of Dangerous Attraction

"I mean it, Trix. You don't have to leave. You can just stay here."

Turning to my best friend with a soft smile painted on my rounded face, I shake my head.

"I'll be fine, Em. I don't want to impose. Besides, I'd be bored out of my mind staying here by myself most days while you're at college."

"What happens if your dad turns up?" Liam interjects, coming to stand beside Emery, his arms folded over his chest.

I sigh, zip up my bag, then lift it from the sofa.

"I've already told you he won't be a problem. I've been speaking to Wanda for the past two weeks, and she's assured me he hasn't been back to the trailer since last month. You both know I wouldn't go back there if I weren't sure he'd disappeared again."

"I still don't like this," Liam mumbles, running his hands over his dark, buzzed hair.

Although I appreciate their concern, nothing they say is going to deter me from moving back to the trailer park.

I've been staying at Emery's apartment since I dropped out of college a week before summer break started.

It's been great staying here for the last couple of months, and I'm grateful for the support both Emery and Liam have shown me after everything I went through, but I can't shake the feeling I'm taking advantage of Emery's kindness.

For the past six years of my life, Emery, along with her father, Michael, have looked after me.

Ever since we became best friends during our sophomore year of high school, and Emery learned what my home life was like, she took me under her wing and made it her personal mission to help me. She even helped tutor me so I had a better chance at receiving a full ride scholarship to college so I could get away from my father.

Liam's just as protective as Emery. Since he wormed his way into our circle freshman year of college, he's been a rock for both of us whenever we needed him to be or not, and I'd like to think we've been the same for him.

He knows the ins and outs of what my life was like before college, so I can understand his concern over the current situation, but I need them both to trust me when I tell them I'll be fine.

"You don't have to like this," I tell him, shrugging. "He's gone, and I doubt he'll be coming back any time soon, so there's really nothing to worry about."

Knowing my father's disappeared again—like he always does—gives me the opportunity to finally stand on my own two feet and look after myself without depending on others.

"You promise me you'll still come for family dinner every Sunday?" Emery asks, her light blue eyes clashing with my darker ones.

I chuckle and nod. "Of course I will, as long as you don't mind having to pick me up."

"And you'll text or call me every day?"

Walking over to her, I wrap my arms around her frame, pulling her body against mine.

"I'll call, I'll text, and I'll still come around and see you whenever you have the time," I reassure her. "Just because I'm going back there, doesn't mean I'm leaving you. It'll be just like when I was living in the dorms on campus."

She tightens her arms around me and sighs.

"I'm going to miss you."

"Girl, I'm literally going to be twenty minutes away."

"In her defense, you will be on the other side of town, Trix."

Releasing Emery from my hold, I turn to glare at Liam.

"It's not that far," I state. "Plus, we all know it'd probably do me some good being further away from this part of town. At least being at the trailer park will pretty much guarantee I won't have to see Hudson."

At the mention of my ex-boyfriend, they both grimace.

"I still can't believe he managed to get out of the charges," Emery says, sitting down beside me on the sofa.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately, he has the money for the best defense attorney in the state," Liam adds.