“She’s an adult and she wants to stay,” Aaron said.
“I know all about you, but I doubt she does. She thinks you’re a nice guy. She doesn’t realize you’re just using her. Fucking her until you’re bored.”
Aaron stepped closer to the porch stairs. “Get the fuck off my property.”
“Lark, get your stuff.”
“No,” I said, finding my voice again. “I want to stay here.”
“He’s just using you.”
“No.”
“You can’t do this shit, you know? Shacking up with some fuck then coming home when he tosses you aside. That’s not acceptable. If you want to live at the house, you need to get your shit together and come home now. If you want to run the streets, tell Larry and deal with the consequences.”
“She’s not leaving,” Aaron said, stepping off the porch. “Are you deaf?”
“I don’t give a shit what you have to say, pussy.”
“You better give a shit because I’m the one about to crack open your fucking skull if you take another step on my property.”
Dylan looked ready to run at Aaron. Feeling the tension building, I didn’t know what to do.
“Is there a problem here?” Deputy Dickhead said, strutting over like the asshole he was.
“Fuck,” Aaron sighed.
“My father wants Lark to return home. He sent me to get her,” Dylan explained, putting on his respectable citizen face.
“Why don’t you want to go home, hun?” Deputy Dickhead asked me and Aaron stepped closer.
“She’s an adult,” Aaron said. “She can go anywhere she fucking pleases.”
“Watch the language, Barnes.”
“Fuck off, Darling.”
“Your name is Darling?” Dylan asked, grinning now. “Aces.”
“Shut up,” Deputy Dickhead barked. “Look the girl either goes home to explain the situation to her family or I take her home and stand there while she explains it to her family.”
“This is bullshit.”
“What’s it going to be?”
“You can’t…”
Placing my hand on Aaron’s arm, I smiled tightly. “I should just get this over with. Tell them I’m seeing you and they can accept it or fuck off. I don’t want to live there anymore anyway.”
“You can move in here.”
Unsure about the offer, I turned to Dylan and Dickhead. “I’ll get my shoes.”
Once inside, I assumed Aaron was going to bitch. Instead, he kissed me gently.
“I should come with you.”
“It’ll just make things worse. I need to show this is my decision and Larry can fuck off. He thinks women are weak. If you come with me, he’ll think you’re making me say stuff. Just let me handle it. Once I have some stuff packed, I’ll call you to pick me up. Is that okay?”
“I want you to move in here.”
“Bailey said I could stay in Coop’s old apartment.”
Aaron’s angry expression flattened into something I’d never seen before. As if he was hiding his feelings, leaving behind only the mask he wanted me to see. Finally, he sighed.
“Why there and not here?”
“We haven’t been dating long.”
Running a hand over his head, Aaron sighed again. “We’re not fucking dating, Lark. Why play games when we know what this is?”
“What is it?” I asked softly.
“Forever. What we have is forever. It’s not about tomorrow or next month. We’re in this for the long haul. I love you and you love me. Let’s not pretend we’re silly kids having fun. What we have is forever and you belong with me.”
Hearing those words from him, I realized many of my dreams were lies. School, my dream job, finding acceptance from a shit family weren’t what I wanted in my heart. Aaron was the truth and he offered me a future full of love and acceptance. I said the only thing I could think to say with my whole life unfolding before me.
“Hell yeah, I do.”
Aaron grinned and I nearly leapt into his arms. The world outside the little house and this amazing man’s arms faded away until Deputy Dickhead Darling pounded on the door.
“Don’t make me call backup!” he yelled while trying to see in through the shades.
“Fucker.”
“I’ll be back soon,” I said, slipping on my tennis shoes. “We’ll be able to sit on the front porch and go out together and stop hiding.”
Aaron smiled. “If he gives you shit, call me and I’ll fuck him up. I’m sick of this asshole and his turd son.”
Giving him a quick kiss, I walked to the porch where I ignored the deputy. Instead of respecting the dickhead’s authority, I headed straight to Dylan and climbed on the back of his Harley. A wave at Aaron later, I sped off to face the latest asshole in a long line of my mom’s loves.