Lessons In Revenge (Daredevil Book 2)

I don't need your pity sex

Austin's POV

"That's not what I said." Gripping the phone against my ear, I took a deep breath, and fought the urge to throw it against the wall.

"I don't care what you said, Austin, the invitation was non-negotiable; it was a mere formality," my dad's hard voice came over the phone, and it took everything in me to not crush my phone between my fingers and punch the nearest wall.

"Then why send an invitation if I don't get to refuse it?" I replied, pacing the floor of my apartment.

"I expect to see you at your mother's; on time this time," he replied, ignoring my question.

"I don't understand why I have to be there. I hate these things," I replied, knowing that it was futile to argue with him. He always ended up winning, it's just how it was.

"I'm getting really tired of your fucking attitude, Austin, your mother and I have put up with your bullshit for long enough. I'd start being a little more appreciative that we're letting you waste your time in New York," he replied, his tone turning cold, and I gritted my teeth.

"I wouldn't really consider studying to get my bachelor's degree in engineering a waste of time," I replied, trying to keep my cool, but I was quickly losing that battle.

"Of course you wouldn't, you're as dull as your mother." I tried not to take offense to that, but even though I was used to his everyday insults, it still sucked, because no matter how badly he treated me, I still wanted his approval.

"I have things I need to do, dad," I lied, raking my hand through my hair, and gripping clumps of it in frustration when he hummed.

"I'd hardly call screwing the help and embarrassing the Dashwood name things to do, but whatever ends this conversation faster I suppose. I expect to see you at your mother's," he retorded, immediately hanging up right after.

Giving into my anger, I flung the phone across the room, making it hit the wall and shatter into pieces. I stared at the shattered phone on the ground and wished it could have been my father's head.

He knew how much I hated these things and it was specifically the reason why he forced me to attend every single one of them. It was like a sick little game to him. Every day he found a new way to torture me, and he took a great pleasure in doing so.

It wasn't like I was a saint either. Growing up, I made his life a living hell, but once I'd moved out of his home, I'd expected things to change. I hadn't expected his respect, or any sort of encouragement from him, I knew my father and I knew he was an ass.

What I had expected was to be left alone. I'd expected the calls, the emails and text messages to stop, except they hadn't. They'd been more persistent. It was his way of letting me know that it didn't matter how far I moved, I would always live under his shadow.

I would always be that little boy doing everything in his power to win his father's approval.

Swinging my door open, I let it slam shut behind me, and headed to Nissa's apartment, letting myself in.

"One day I'm taking that key away from you," I heard her say from the kitchen, making my mood instantly shift. "I could be naked up in here. With someone. I could be naked up in here with someone, doing what adults do when they are naked."

"Sounds like a party," I replied, walking into the kitchen, and heading straight for her fridge.

"A party you're not invited to," she replied, her attention solely on the cake pan in front of her.

"Speaking of parties..." I turned to her with a sheepish smile, one of her beloved pudding cups in my hand.

Glancing at me over her shoulder, she glared at the pudding cup in my hands before returning to her now greased cake pan. "Put that pudding cup where it belongs or it's going to find a new home up your ass."