Reckless Passion

Chapter 25

I grab Louis’ face and press a firm kiss to his lips as I feel a few tears slide down my cheeks.

His hands tightly grip my sides as he presses his forehead against mine.  “I’m not going to let him win, Rose.  I’ve let myself drown in this too much to just walk away now.”  He whispers, blue eyes intently watching mine.

I squeeze his cheeks lightly, sadly smiling through my blurred vision.  “I don’t care what they do to me, I’m going to find a way to be with you.  They won’t keep me away, they won’t.”

“Rose!”  My father angrily shouts.

I squeeze Louis’ cheeks again as I give him another firm kiss.  His grip tightens on my sides as he returns the kiss.  He’s reluctant to let me go, which only makes it harder for me to pull away.

I back up a few steps and force myself to give him one last smile before I turn my back to him and jog to catch up with my father.

I briefly check my phone while I’m in the car and notice an unread text from Amanda that read:

“SOS!  Your parents know you’re out with Louis!  I hope you see this and come back here or go home or something!  They made me tell them as much as I knew about where you were but thankfully you didn’t tell me exactly where you were so I couldn’t tell them but your dad has ways of finding out!  Let me know if you got this text!”

I opened a new text to respond to her but the minute I started to type my father says, “are you texting him?”  His tone is not soft or curious at all, it’s firm and demanding.

I purse my lips and let out an annoyed huff.  “No, I’m texting Amanda so she doesn’t get concerned about where I am or what’s happened.”

“I suppose she’s told you that I was there looking for you?  Your mother and I should stop you from seeing her as well due to the stunt you pulled and her going along with it and helping you go behind our backs.”  He angrily states.

“Well, actually… I didn’t go behind your backs.  I told you and Mother that I would be going to Amanda’s and staying the night.  You never asked if I was leaving to go out on a date with someone in the meantime.”  I reply with a tight-lipped smile.

“You best lose that snarky attitude right now unless you wish for your mouth to be thoroughly washed with soap.”  He threatens.  His dead flat tone gives me the impression that he just might be serious about that threat.

My smile instantly drops and I turn back to my text to Amanda, I want to text Louis too, but I don’t want my father noticing.

“Put the phone down.”  My father bluntly demands.

I gape at him.  “But Father-”

“Put it down.  I don’t care if you have it in your lap or if it’s on or off, I don’t want to see you touching it, texting anyone, or even checking it.  Put.  It.  Down.”  We’re stopped at a red light and he gives me a pointed look as he waits for me to put my phone down.

I reluctantly put it in my lap and cross my arms over my chest as I turn to glare out the window.  My father doesn’t say anything else for the rest of the ride and doesn’t even put on the radio (not that he was much of a radio listener anyway), we sit in total silence for the whole rest of the way home.

Upon arriving home, I slam the car door and surprisingly I’m not scolded for it.  I walk into the house greeted by my mother’s angered expression, although not as angry looking as my father, and cross-armed pose as she stands in the doorway.

“She was with that boy.”  My father mutters to her, walking past me to stand by her side.

“What boy?!”  She asks him.