Cabin Fever | ✓

(13) Fire And Ice

This is a tough chapter to read...just a heads up :(

Here's my gift to sucky Monday's haha.
Update tomorrow too ☺️

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It took Aiden about a half a second to react to his father standing about a dozen steps away from them on the path. He shoved Marley behind him and out of view, arm tightly restraining her place, every cell of his body focused on the man in front of him.

Her heart began to race, her hand wrapping around the back of his shirt in fear for him. Not for her, but for Aiden. If his father is someone who doesn't bat an eyelash at extreme physical violence, he can't be a good person in general. Not by a long shot.

"Awfully rude of you not to introduce me to, quote unquote, 'your girl' don't you think?"

He was goading him. Aiden's father could see that she was a touchy subject, and he was pushing it anyway. Clearly, he'd been listening into their conversion, keeping quiet until he could make his dramatic appearance.

Aiden's body shook with rage, "Don't take another fucking step."

She's heard Aiden's menacing voice when he speaks to Colin or Jordan or anyone else that bothers her or him, or both, but this tone was something else entirely. It was even frightening to her, Marley could feel the goosebumps forming on her arms.

The gravel crunching stopped.

"Conner?" Marley could hear the noticeable difference between his father's voice and Aiden's.

His father's had this sharp edge to it naturally, that made everything around her cold, "May I have a few moments with my son? I apologize for the hostility, I've cut off his funds temporarily. You know how it is."

She could tell Aiden was biting it tongue back from snapping the truth at him, just because she knew him so well. But her face paled when he said something else instead.

"I guess we do need to talk, don't we? I'll walk Marley back to her room and-"

"Marley? So she's not another one of your casual fucks?"

She wasn't sure how to handle this right now. The way Aiden's father was pushing at his temper was relentless. She wasn't sure if even she could bring him back from this if he keeps on with the verbal lashes.

She rested her forehead against his tense back, pressing a kiss on his spine and silently giving him the strength to stay calm and know that she's here for him. That he's not alone in this anymore.

"I'll, I'll leave you guys be. I'll walk Marley back to her room and make sure she gets to class," Conner's voice was raised with confusion and doubt.

The last thing Marley expected was for Aiden's hold to loosen, until she understood immediately. Lesser of two evils. Her heart lurched at the idea of leaving Aiden alone with his father. But again, she had to respect his choice to keep her out of this the same way she'd want him to leave a room with her own father in it.

"She stays," his father cut in brutally, "Our conversation involves her and Ian, anyway. We have a lot to talk about."

She quickly circled her arms around his torso when he shifted foreword. The only reason she didn't let him go was because if she did he wouldn't know where to draw the line. Marley wanted to see his father hurt, but not by Aiden's hand. Aiden doesn't deserve for his father to take anything else away from him, most of all his future.

"You and I talk, she goes. Or else you can turn around and forget it."

She pressed her cheek against his back, holding him tighter and feeling an ache in her chest at how strained this was. How horrible his father is.