“Why’s that? Isn’t she your official girlfriend?”
Again, Haze looks at me and waits for me to deny the claims, but I refuse to give his father the satisfaction.
“Let’s just say, Tanner and Winter don’t get along. She’s not coming, period.”
“I’m assuming you’re referring to the big fight you had with him about her. He told us about that. I believe he’s ready to move past your issues, and he misses his brother more than he hates his enemies,” he says with a straight face.
A fight? Is that what he called it?
He probably told his father that he hates my cousin and disapproves of me and Haze all the while being very careful not to mention the illegal slash psycho aspect of it.
I wish I knew how the two incredibly wealthy Adams boys ended up street fighting. You’d think kids from families like this couldn’t be further away from the wrong side of the track. So many untied knots, so many stories that don’t add up, so many mysteries in need of unraveling.
Haze grows irritated. “Why do you care if she comes or not?”
“I mean, if you really are serious about her and she’s here to stay, we might as well get to know her. Plus, your brother’s ready to make amends if you just let him. He’s been working on himself. He’s even bringing a new girl home this year.”
Simply hearing him talk about Tanner like he’s somewhat of a good person sends chills down my body. I almost died because of him. Blake almost shot me in the head under his order.
“I’ll come, but leave her out of it.”
“Very well. Then I guess I’ll be on my way.” He turns away and walks to the door. Haze curses under his breath, and the sorry look in his eyes tells me everything I need to know. He’s going to break. He’s going to give in.
“Fine.”
His father stops dead in his tracks, then turns around. “So… do we have a deal?”
Haze stares at me for a few seconds, and I can tell his conscience is responsible for this. It’s playing tricks on him. His father made him feel stuck. I know he couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t get me checked up and something happened to me.
“Yes.”
I glare at Haze. He did not just force me into having dinner with my kidnapper.
“But the second she’s uncomfortable, we’re leaving,” he adds, trying to make me feel better and failing miserably.
“Fantastic, I’ll let your mother know,” Richard says and lays his medical tools on the bed.
He had no right to say yes on my behalf. I know I said yes for him when Vic asked us to go to his party in Colton Gate, but this is different. Vic didn’t kidnap and lock Haze in a cave. I guess his father will be very disappointed because there’s no way I’m going to their party from hell.
Richard walks me through the usual checkup he promised, and Haze doesn’t look at me once. He knows I’ll be giving him a piece of my mind as soon as his father leaves. I can’t help but want to know more about his family. Seeing Tanner and Richard makes me wonder how Haze managed not to go crazy.
“So?” he says the very second his father finishes.
“I believe she’s okay, but further tests in an actual clinic are required if you want to be sure. I can get you an appointment tomorrow.”
“You would do that for her?” Haze frowns in suspicion.
Richard looks at me from head to toe in disgust. What’s new?
“Not for her. For you. You truly seem to care for that girl,” Richard states, still acting like I don’t have a name.
Haze’s blue eyes travel to me.
“I do. Very much.”
My heart lurches against my rib cage.
“I figured. Why else would you bring her to the lake house?”