Just a Fling | ✓ |

14.

I waited in the hallway. Waited for my father to lose his mind. To find out his little girl was just having sex with the boy who just walked out of my room.

And if he doesn't piece together that now, he will once he sees me. Even with the pathetic excuse of my sheer, flowery scarf. He's a smart man. Smarter than most.

"Ellie?" My father called from the kitchen. His voice stern, as if ready to ground me like I'm in my teens again.

"Dad, What are you doing here?" I spoke up, trying to hide my nervousness.

Sam and Maddox stood in front of my father. All three of them having a beer. They seemed.. relaxed?

"Princess!" My dad laughed pulling me into his tight embrace. "Oh, I missed you." He sighed into my hair, giving the top of my head a kiss.

"I missed you, too." I whispered back to him, trying to wrap my arms around his built body.

He pulled back, examining my face. "How's school going?"

"Good. I just have to go in tomorrow then I'm done until after break." I smiled to him.

He looked so good for his age. His speckled salt and pepper hair was trimmed and he even started grooming his long beard. We had the same eye shape and nose.

"The buddies and I are going on a fishing trip off the coast. Thought I'd stop by and see you." He smiled harder.

"I got to meet Max." His hazel eyes looked up to Max then back to me. "I don't like him, Ellie. A doctor?"

"Dad.." I groaned, knowing he was teasing Maddox.

"I'm just playing, Max." My father stood tall. "So you two are dating? Since when?" He glanced between us.

I was surprised he was so.. so calm about it.

I sighed and eye balled Max. "You told him we're dating?"

Max shook his head ferociously with a look of complete concern for his own well being.

Oh fuck. I just outed us. Great.

"Great one, Dad." I mumbled, moving between everyone to get my own beer. "How is your mind so sharp but yet, you're so old?"

My dad chuckled but his laugh couldn't disguise that he was inching towards Maddox with a look to kill. His laugh suddenly gone.

"What's under the scarf, Ellie?" My father asked sternly. "Did he put his hands on you?"

"Dad, it wasn't like that." I closed my eyes as he pulled the scarf off of me.

"Max, you should run." Sam gawked as he looked at my neck for the first time.

"Do you remember our conversation on the phone, Maddox?" My father questioned him.

"Yes, Sir." Max confidently spoke and stood his ground, which shocked me.

"Did you put your hands on my daughter, son?" My father snapped like a drill Sargent directly in Max's face. The two of them having a staring contest.

"Consensually, sir." Max didn't blink. Didn't move.

My father gave him a double take. And for once in my life, I saw him at a loss for words.

"Remember what I told you about the last guy that touched her?"

"I really like your daughter, sir." Max sounded like a robot with his answers.

"Wait, you told him about Mason?" I grabbed my Dads arm. "Why- why would you do that?"

"It was for your own good. You don't need another guy like that in your life." My fathers voice softened, just hearing me say his name.

"That's my story to tell, Dad. Not yours." I felt tears pricking at my eyes. "You don't get to threaten every guy that comes into my life because of what he did to me."

My heart broke. My father is supposed to be my loving protector not a gossip queen that spills my deepest darkest secrets to anyone that picks up the phone.

My father turned to me, regret in his big brown orbs.

"Ellie, he put you in the hospital. I had to hold my baby girls lifeless hand, praying to god you'd be able to see again. I'll be dead before that happens again." My father was on the brink of breaking down, just like every time we had this conversation.

I ached watching my strong father wither before me.

"You have to trust me. We've talked about this." I whispered, holding back the tears that begged to be exposed.

"I know, princess." My father sighed, pulling me into his chest. "I do trust you. It was out of line."

I bit back my emotions. Wandering how many people look at me and see how truly broken I really am. How many people has he told without my knowledge?

"I.. I gotta go to work." I gave my Dad a small kiss on the cheek. "Have fun on your trip, okay?"

"Ellie, I'm sorry." He cupped my face before kissing my forehead. "I'm just doing what I can. Tough guy. Macho man. Super dad."

"I know, Dad. It's fine. I would have told Max sooner or later if we got serious." I whispered to him.

"What do you mean if?" Max questioned with a frown.

I ignored him and grabbed my keys. Giving my Dad one last hug. Maddox followed me out to the car, calling my name and telling me to stop.

I took a deep breath, opening my car door.

"Ellie, just please. Stop for a second." Max huffed, grabbing my arm before I could open my car door.

"You just infuriate me!" I yelled at him.

"What did I do?!"

"My dad tells you my biggest secret and then you what, decide that I'm the one suddenly? That I'm some broken toy you have to fix?" I snapped.

"That's not why I want to be with you." Max sighed.

"And then you think you have some right to talk to my Dad when I explicitly tell you not to. News flash Maddox, we aren't a thing. You're just forcing us into one."

Max lifted my chin up, wiping my cheeks with his thumb. His mesmerizing green eyes turned into a pout.

"Don't look at me like that." I swat his hand away.

"I- I don't know what to say." Max stuttered. "Just, tell me what to say."

"I have to go." I rubbed my eyes dry. My head pounding.

"You can't drive like this." Max pleaded with me. "I'll drive you there and walk home."

"Fine." I mumbled, handing him my keys.

I sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window.

"How long ago did.. you know?" Max asked after five minutes.

God, this was going to be a long car ride.

"A year ago we broke up." I mumbled, pulling my knees to my chest. "We were together for five."

"Your Dad Just said your ex was abusive. He didn't really go into details."

"Good." I groaned, fiddling with my fingers.

"He put you in the hospital?" Max pried for details. Details I can hardly even talk about.

"Twice. The second time the hospital called my father. If they didn't, I'd probably still be with him or dead." I admitted, feeling the tears well up. "It's not easy to leave someone that controls every aspect of your life."

Max reached over, placing his hand on my knee.

"Where is he now?"

"Mason? Hell if I know." I grumbled, pulling away from his touch. "We moved to Florida together. After I left him, my father moved down to keep an eye on me. I just never saw him again. He never reached out. Nothing."

It was silent for a while. Nothing but tense air filled the car.

"I'll leave you alone." Max started, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "I don't want too. But I don't want you feeling like I'm forcing us together."