I should have said something to my mom. I could have stopped this from happening. I almost lost my shit when one of my dad’s business partners brushed his knuckles against her cheek.
Her eyes connected with mine from across the room like she felt me.
My jaw clenched, my hands fisting at my sides. I wasn’t a jealous guy by any means, and this girl was making me feel like I didn’t know who I was anymore.
She backed away from him, courteously smiling before walking away and toward the kitchen. My feet were moving to follow her and demand that she go change. She was done playing hostess. I’d deal with the consequences. I was done with this bullshit.
“Jax.” Dad grabbed my arm from behind me. “Come with me into the library. I need to speak to you.”
“I’ll meet you in there.”
“No, now.” I could tell by his sharp voice that whatever he wanted to discuss wasn’t good for me or anyone else for that matter.
With one foot in front of the other, I followed him into Sophie’s favorite room in our house.
Once he was in the room, he snapped around. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I stopped dead in my tracks, barely making it into the room.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Jax. You think I don’t see what’s going on under my own roof?”
“Considering you’re never here, I find it hard to believe you see anything under your own roof.”
“Jax, I’m not your mother. She may not see what’s happening between you and that girl, but I sure as shit do.”
I played it off. “What girl?”
He bit, “The housekeeper’s daughter.”
“Her name’s Sophie.”
“I don’t care what her name is. What I care about is that you even know her name. Since when do you know the name of any girl, especially the hired help?”
“She’s not the help. Her mother is.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Have you slept with her?”
“Since when do you care about any girl I sleep with?”
“Jax…” he warned in a harsh tone. “I let you do whatever you want in this house. I treat you like a man. I always have, and I always will.”
“Well, I’m the only man in this house. You’re never here.”
“I’m working, so that you can have this cushy life and everything you want, and don’t you ever forget that.”
I scoffed out, “I don’t give a shit about any of this. You’re not working for me. You’re working for yourself. Let’s get that clear.”
“Who’s going to pay for your college, huh? Your apartment? Your books? Your food? You ungrateful brat!”
“I have a football scholarship.”
“Oh...” He cocked his head to the side. “I see. So you think you don’t need me? Is that it? I can just cut you off then?”
“I don’t need your money. I can take care of myself. I have been for years.”
He glared at me. “Stay away from the girl. Do you understand me?”