“Nix needs me,” I said.
“It’s the middle of the night. You can’t just—”
“Watch me.” I stared him down, a deep sense of resolve settling inside me.
“You heard her,” Zane said, standing at my side. “I’m sorry I scaled your precious fence and beat down your door, but my best friend is lying in the hospital, and you wouldn’t let me speak to B.”
I cut Michael with a scathing look. “If you try to stop me, I will never, ever forgive you.”
“Dad,” Max said from his chair over by the window. I hadn’t even realized he was in the room. “You should let her go.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to—”
“Max is right,” Celeste said. “In fact, I’m going too. Come on.”
“You will do no such thing, young lady.”
Michael looked positively flustered and maybe on any other day I would have delighted in it. Reveled in it. But not today, not while I knew Nix was hurt.
Celeste stepped forward, putting herself between me and Zane, and her father. “I have always defended you. I have always tried to see things from your point of view. But you’re wrong about this. Just like you were wrong when you pulled that crap with Harleigh and Nix last year. Nix is a good guy, and he loves Harleigh, and that is worth something.”
He choked on air, clearing his throat as he no doubt tried to prepare his argument. But I was done waiting for his permission.
“We need to go,” I said.
“Go,” he said, stepping aside. “We’ll follow in our car.”
“You’re coming?” I gawked at him.
“I’m your father,” he said, as if that was any kind of explanation. But I didn’t stick around to analyze it. I grabbed Zane’s hand and got the hell out of there.