“Are you two done?” my father bellows from the front door. The tone of his voice lets me know he’s agitated.
“Mateo and I will never be done.” I tilt my chin up. I also want to make my feelings crystal clear about where I stand in all of this. Mateo gives my hand a squeeze.
“You’re lucky that I don’t shoot you dead where you stand, Klein,” Father warns.
“You better not shoot him!” I try to pull Mateo behind me to stand in front of him. Of course he doesn’t let me. Plus, it’s a stupid idea anyway. First of all, he’s a foot taller than me, and second, my father doesn’t value my life either. I wouldn’t put it past him to shoot me if he had to in order to get to Mateo.
“You won’t kill me. Not till you get your vase,” Mateo says coolly. I wish I could have that kind of chill.
“Where is my vase?”
Mateo walks to the back of the car and pops the trunk to retrieve the vase. He keeps a hold on my hand the entire time, handling the vase with his other. The worry settles for a minute, knowing that my father won’t shoot Mateo while he’s holding the vase. I mean, he’s gone through all of this trouble to have it.
My father’s eyes light up when he sees the stupid vase. I can’t help the pang of hurt that hits my chest. He’s never once given that look to me. I don’t think I’ll ever understand him. We are definitely not cut from the same cloth. He may be my blood, but we couldn’t be any more different.
“Inside,” he orders before he heads back into the house.
“We’re fine.” Mateo kisses the top of my head to reassure me before we follow my father into the house. I make my way toward his office, knowing that’s likely where he went.
“Drink?” he asks when we enter. I grew up in this house and have maybe been in his office a handful of times. It was made clear to me at a very young age that I wasn’t welcome there. My father motions with his hand for the two guards that followed Mateo in to leave. They do as he orders, closing the doors behind them, leaving us all alone.
“No,” Mateo responds.
“Did you think because you got my daughter to fall in love with you that I wouldn’t kill you for breaking the first vase?” my father asks as he shoots back the drink he’s poured for himself.
“I broke it,” I blurt out.
“What?” He drops his glass back onto the bar.
“Mateo saved me from two men who tried to kidnap me when I was leaving the campus library. I kind of flung myself at him.”
“And you dropped the vase to catch her?” My father's face turns confused as he puts the pieces of the story together.
“I’m okay, Dad. They didn’t get me. Mateo shot them and got me out of there before more of them came,” I say dryly as my eyes fill with tears. I hate that I’m about to cry. It makes me mad that I even care.
“I told you that you needed guards, but you won’t listen,” he barks at me.
“Why do you even care?” I shout. My father’s gray eyebrows lift all the way up to his hairline at my outburst. “Oh, right. You’re going to need me to be some pawn for a marriage in a few years that will help you in some way.” Over my dead body. Mateo’s too.
“What has gotten into you, Milly?”
“Watch it,” Mateo warns.
“Are you threatening me? I’d be very careful if I were you, Klein. I’m still debating whether I’m going to kill you or not. Don’t push your luck.”
“You can try if you’d like, but if you make my Milly cry, I’ll be sure to return the favor.”
I peek up at Mateo, unable to help the smile that pulls at my lips. “Don’t play games with me. You brought the vase. You didn’t need to wrap my daughter into this trying to save your own ass. If you think for…” He trails off. “What is on your finger, Milly?”
“We’re getting married.” Mateo answers for me.
He actually stands up straighter as he says it. His words are filled with pride. Those tears come rushing back to my eyes again, but for a different reason this time.
“You’re serious? You really broke the vase saving her?” My father's confusion grows to a whole other level. He can’t believe that someone would do that for me. Anger unlike anything I’ve ever felt blooms throughout my body.
“I’ll burn down this whole world to save only her.” There is no missing Mateo’s warning.
“He wouldn’t understand that. My father is a selfish jerk that only cares about himself and his precious little treasures.” I don’t know what comes over me. Probably years of not standing up for myself. I’m sure it’s also knowing that Mateo is at my side. I’m stronger now. He’s given me that strength, and I know I’ll always have it. No one can take it from me.