trouble for being involved while on duty. The further I looked I was able to spot the police cruiser outside.
Cammie and her mother rushed back through the room. She was dressed in my T-shirt and a pair of the jeans I’d bought her. Her mom continued shoving her daughter out the door hoping she wouldn’t stop to say goodbye to me. The moment they hit the threshold I watched the girl of my dreams dash back toward me, ending up in my arms. “I’m sorry, Wes. Don’t let them take me home. I want to stay with you,” she whispered. “Please don’t let them take me.”
I kissed her once. “They’re not leaving without you. Go home. I know you’ll do what’s right. I’m not going anywhere, Cam. You know where I stand, and where to find me.”
She held my hand when she began to walk away, only letting go at the last minute. Her father was the last person to leave. He pointed in my direction again. “I’m not kidding, Wes. Don’t let me see you anywhere near my property. Heed my warning. You’re no longer welcome. That ain’t going to change. This thing between you and Cammie is over!”
“I’ll still love her, no matter what you say to me. You can’t stop me. She’s an adult. You’re going to push her to make desperate decisions again. Put yourself in her shoes, sir. She ran to me because she knew I’d love her and keep her safe. I’d never hurt her. You can forbid me from your home, but you won’t keep us apart. You’d need a rifle to do that. With all due respect, I’m not giving up on your daughter. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
He shook his head and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
I didn’t know what I was going to do, but letting her go was never going to be an option, not now, not ever.
Chapter 32
I stared out the window of my father’s truck from the backseat, tears streaming down my face, while both of my parents continued to yell at me. I blocked them out, finally closing my eyes and thinking about the way it felt when I was in Wes’ arms.
I didn’t care what they threatened, I was a grown woman. I could make my own decisions. If they thought I was a whore, so be it. I was done trying to please everyone around me. I’d spent my whole life sitting on some pedestal I never deserved. I’d only ever wanted to be normal, like everyone else. Just because I had a high IQ didn’t mean I deserved special treatment. What I wanted was to know the meaning of true love, and through desperation I was finally seeing the light.
When Wes’ home was no longer in view I began to weep. None of this was going to be okay. My parents knew I was pregnant, and now they caught me with another man; someone they thought they could trust.
I was in a terrible predicament. The doors were closing on me, and there didn’t seem to be a key around to get me out.
The ride back to the ranch was long and excruciating, neither of my parents giving me a second to get a word in edgewise.
Once home, I jumped from the back seat of the truck and dashed in the house, skipping steps to reach my room before either of them could follow behind. With a loud slam, I secured the lock and backed away, expecting my dad to do the same thing to my door as he’d done to Wes’.
I turned back to look around my room. My cell phone was still charging next to my bed, plugged in where I’d left it. My purse was on the floor, some of my luggage sitting on my dresser wide open.
I rushed over and zipped it up, pulling it down and sitting it with my other items. As soon as my parents went to bed I was out of there. They couldn’t hold me hostage. I wasn’t a child.
I think what frustrated me the most was that they assumed they were in charge of my life still.
I was going to college on a scholarship I’d worked my ass off to receive. It had all been my decision, not theirs.
A light knock caught me off guard. I heard my mother’s voice speaking softly. “Cammie, it’s me. Please open the door so we can talk about this.”
I hesitated, only doing it because I