It's All In the Game (McKinley Family Series #1)

Chapter 22: Declan

"What do you want me to do?" I ask my dad who's up walking back and forth in our small living room. "...not be there when she needs me?"

When my mom, Carl, and I got here he was sitting in his car in the front of the house. King called Matthew thinking I was going to jail and Matthew being out of town called my dad.

"I want you to think with your head and not with your dick. You already got her pregnant, now you're going to jail for her?" He stops and glares at me. "You have a great future laid out for you, and you're going to give it up because you got some girl pregnant."

I hear my mom suck in a breath. I know that hit home for her because she was that some girl too.

I jump up off the couch because he is pissing me off with all this bullshit. "Say what you really want to say, " I yell. "Say you think she trapped me...Well, I got bad news for you she didn't. I'm the one who refused to wear the got damn condom."

My words are like blades. I see when they cut. It's easy when people can blame others, but when faced with the real reality it's a slap to the face. I am the fuck up in this scenario, not Karma.

"She's not some girl to me. Why can't anyone see this." I rub my hand down my face. "My intentions were to pick her up, but when I saw him holding her up by her ponytail talking about raping her." My mother gasps and my father's eyes grow wider."...and my baby. I lost it. My only mission at that point was to save them. I didn't give a damn about my future." I look around the room. "When you love someone all rational thoughts leave you when they need protecting."

My dad is squeezing the bridge of his nose looking up at the ceiling. That's a clear sign that he's frustrated.

"Look let's all take a breather," Carl says standing and putting up his hands. "Both of you have made very good points." My dad is back glaring, but now at Carl. "Calm down." Carl motions with his hands by pushing his palms down. "Declan your dad just wants you to make better decisions. You keep putting yourself in situations that you don't have to be in. It was very irresponsible of you not to wear condoms." Carl raises one eyebrow.

"...But I do understand you wanting to protect the person you love and your child. I think your dad can understand protecting a child." He looks at my dad for understanding.

"I do understand and Declan it's our responsibility to protect you. Tomorrow I want you to come and live with me for the remainder of the school year, and I don't want you to see Karma outside of school."

"What the fuck dad," I shout. "She has doctor's appointments that I want to go to." I rub my hand down my neck. I turn to my mom. "Mom say something."

"It's for the best, Declan. You almost went to jail."

"I will send Ethan tomorrow to help you get your things."

"Fuck this," I yell and storm to my room. Locking the door I sit on my bed. "I can't believe this shit. Are they fucking serious?" I mumble.

Tap tap

Looking up and over to my window, I see Karma at my window. She hasn't done this since before Jamaica. I rush over and open the window. I have to help her climb in.

I can see the white dry lines on her cheeks letting me know she's been crying still. "I'm sorry for just coming over like this but I needed to get out the house," she says looking down at her nails.

"It's no problem."

"It's just that." She looks up at me. "It's just that I was so scared. I've never been that scared before. His eyes were crazy. It was like he was possessed." The tears start to fall again. "Jewel is so scared of him. Like that bone-deep fear. I saw it and it was nothing I could do."