She was my endgame.
* * *
—Sophie—
* * *
I followed closely behind my father, knowing he was upset with me. However, keeping secrets was what my family did best.
Once we were in my bedroom, he closed the door and took one look at me before asking, “How could you keep this from me?
“Please don’t be mad at me,” I begged, hating that it felt like I had no control.
“I’m furious with you. How long has this been going on between the two of you?”
“I don’t know how to answer that.”
“I want the truth.”
“I don’t have it.”
“Sophie…”
“What?” I shook my head. “I’m being serious. I honestly don’t have it.”
“Were you two messing around when you moved there?”
“How can I explain us to you when I barely understand it myself. Jax isn’t who I thought he was, okay?”
“What did you expect? You see the stuff that’s printed about him. How could you fall for that?”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell him about Ben, Dad. I do know who he is. It’s why I didn’t tell anyone he was the father. I was stupid and fell for his charm. I thought… I don’t know. I guess I just thought I meant something to him back then, but I didn’t, and I know that now.”
“Did you know that the night you got pregnant with his baby?”
“Yes.”
“Sophie Marie Hayes, why on earth would you sleep with him then?”
I shrugged, feeling like a little girl. Talking to my dad about casual sex wasn’t a conversation I ever thought I’d have with him.
“I want the truth. Now!”
I jolted from his sharp tone. “Because he’d broke my heart, and I just wanted to get back at him.”
“Oh, Sophie…”
I bowed my head, feeling ashamed. “I know it’s so stupid. I’m so stupid. I never thought I’d get pregnant though. We used protection. I was on the pill. He has like super sperm or something.”
He grabbed the bridge of his nose. “The press is going to destroy you for this, baby.”
“Is there anything you can do? Can’t you threaten to bench him or something if he makes me go through with this?”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Why? Why can’t you do this for me?”
“Sophie…”