"Coming," a man yells, making me tense.
The door swings open to show a man who doesn't really look old enough to be Raya's father, but I see her in his eyes, which is what gives it away. This is going to suck.
"Yes?" he asks, seeming impatient.
"I need to talk to Raya, please," I murmur, my sleep deprivation sucking the life out of my words.
"And you are?" he asks, but the narrowing of his eyes tells me he already knows.
"Kade Colton."
His jaw tenses as he glares at me, doing his best to intimidate me.
"I think you know by now she doesn't want to see you. You should go and forget this address."
He starts to shut the door, but in a desperate maneuver, I shove my foot in its path, keeping the door wide.
"I really have to see her, Mr. Drivel. It's—"
"Capperton," he interrupts, seeming thoroughly offended. "It's Ray Capperton. I don't use Drivel."
"Sorry," I say, biting back a grin. Didn't realize the name was such a touchy subject. "Mr. Capperton, I'd really like to have a chance to apologize. Raya is wrong about us. I—"
"You hurt her," he says honestly, not finishing my sentence the way I wanted to, but making it true nonetheless. "She trusted you and you hurt her, because you, like all the other morons she meets, judged her based on my actions. She's a good girl. She has a heart like you'd never understand. She's the most forgiving, understanding, and compassionate person I've ever known, and you hurt her. She doesn't want to talk to you."
He might as well have stuck a hot knife right through my side. I've already told myself I don't deserve to have her back, but hearing him lay it out... It sucks.
"I didn't judge her. Mr. Capperton, I fucked up. You don't understand. If you'd just let me—"
"What? Let you in? Let you stalk my daughter more? You're lucky I'm not calling the cops. Believe it or not, I've actually got a few friends in that department. You have your vineyard, your plans can move forward, and your life will be as fucking shiny as you like it. You're the one who doesn't understand.
"You didn't fuck up because of what you said once. It's what you've preached about. Your life is supposed to be perfect. You want that. And you've made Raya feel as though she's inferior. My daughter is a better person than you'll ever be. Ever. She doesn't deserve to feel as though she's a lesser person because of decisions I've made, because of the money she didn't have handed to her, or because of where she came from.
"She's strong, and you damn near broke her. Now, go. The fuck. Away."
He's so wrong about everything. Except for Raya. I once thought she was fragile, but she's not. Not at all. I'm far more breakable than she is.
Obviously I'm not getting past the seething father, so I retreat, allowing him to slam the door on me. If no one lets me talk to her, I can't make it right. Even if she refuses me, she deserves my strongest apology.
I stare at my one and only leafy option that towers above me. There's a room with soft, pretty pink curtains that I can see from here, and a tree is beside it, even though it's a hell of a swing to make. The damn top. Always the top.
I'll never complain about things being too easy again.
I climb quickly, refusing to look down, and then I shimmy out onto the branch above the window until it starts to creak and bow. With four large back-and-forth swings, I build the momentum needed to hurl myself toward the window.
I'm sure I look like a psychotic flying squirrel right now, but I don't care. I scramble to grip the ledge, holding on as my body crashes against the side of the house, and then I quickly shove the window up with one hand, thankful it's not locked. That thought never even crossed my mind.
Very ungracefully, I thud to the floor, and a groan crosses through my lips as I take a deep, much needed breath. I hate trees. I hate heights. I hate myself for getting into this predicament.
Raya comes running in, stumbling to a halt when she sees me sprawled out on her floor. No doubt I look five shades of insane right now. Thank God her father isn't the one who came in.
"I knew you'd be on the top floor," I grumble, rubbing my side.
"Kade, are you crazy?" she yells in a whisper.
I shake my head as I stand up, calmly smoothing my clothes back into place, and then I walk over to the door to shut it, keeping myself between my girl and her escape. Tears waver on her lids as she works hard to hold them back.
"Crazy?" I ask, my exhaustion weighing in. "Raya, I passed crazy a long damn time ago. I've done everything I know to do. I'm not letting you go. I can't. Not unless you can tell me you don't give a damn about me at all. Can you do that? Because judging by those tears in your eyes, you still want to be with me, but you're just too fucking stubborn to listen to me."