“I’m not sure what it is, sir,” Storm said, but given his sudden stillness, something told me he did.
“It’s a truancy notice. From your school.” Graham shoved the paper at his son’s chest.
“So it is,” Storm said, wobbling from the force of the push.
“You been screwing your little friend when you should’ve been in school.” Graham’s dark gaze flicked to me, his accusation making me feel ill.
“No.” I shook my head.
“That’s crazy!” Storm shouted, his face turning red. “Lotus is only thirteen. Jeez, old man, get a grip.”
“That’s old enough to get into trouble.”
“She’s my friend.” Storm clenched his hands into fists. “And just a kid, a good one.”
“What makes you think you’re qualified to make a determination about anyone’s character?” Graham’s hands curled into tight fists like his son’s.
“You only have to talk to Lotus to know the type of person she is.” Storm’s brown eyes flashed with fire. “But then talking’s not your problem. Listening to anyone else speak but yourself is.”
“Enough!” Graham’s dark brows drew together. “I’ve had quite enough of your insolence. You’ll go with me to your school tomorrow. I’ll have to take a day off from work because of you, but you will fix this.”
Storm lifted his chin. “Nothing to fix.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Graham’s fingers flexed so tightly, the veins stood out on the back of his hands. “Of course there is.”
I was scared, but shifted closer to Storm as his father leaned in.
“I have a job,” Storm said firmly, holding his ground and widening his stance. “I start next week. I’m not doing school anymore.”
His mom stepped out through the sliding glass door. Taking in the scene with brown eyes like Storm’s, she moved quickly toward us, holding a dishtowel.
“You absolutely will go to school. It’s not up for debate.” Graham no longer shouted, but somehow his quieter tone was more intimidating. “You will graduate. Afterward, if you want to torpedo your life, that will be on you. Your choice, not mine.”
Storm’s brow furrowed. “It’s my choice now.”
“Not while you live in my house. In my house, you obey my rules.” Graham drew himself up to his full height. Even though Storm had grown a lot over the past year, his father was still taller. “Go to your room. I’m going to take Lotus home. I need to talk to her father, and then I’ll talk to you.”
“I’ll go to my room.” Storm tipped his head back to hold his father’s gaze. “But only to pack my things. I was planning to move out next week, but I might as well do it right now.”
“You put him up to this?” Graham swung his furious narrowed gaze on me.
“No, sir.” Wide-eyed and trembling, I shook my head.
“You pregnant?” he asked.
“What? No.” My cheeks flaming, I dropped my gaze to my feet.
“Thank God for that,” Graham said. “But I don’t want you coming around anymore. It’s not right, a fifteen-year-old boy being friends with a thirteen-year-old girl.”
“Graham, no,” his mother said. “They’re just friends. There’s nothing inappropriate going on. Let’s calm down and go inside. We can sit down and talk this through.”
“No, Ivy. This is my house,” Graham said evenly. “I make the decisions. Storm knows that. You should know that too.”
“We all know how it is, old man.” Storm’s eyes flared. “You tell us often enough.”
“Then you know you’re going back to school.” Graham clenched his teeth. “If you don’t agree, you can turn back around and walk out the gate you just came through.”
Saber and Shield had appeared. Silent and unmoving, Storm’s brothers stood side by side, just inside the open sliding glass door. Though Graham had named his sons after active military operations, Storm’s brothers were merely passive bystanders.
“Then I guess I’m leaving.” Storm took my arm. His grip wasn’t as gentle as usual, but I didn’t let on. I knew he didn’t mean to hurt or scare me.
“Storm.” Ivy stepped closer, her eyes wide as she dropped the towel to reach for her son. “Don’t go. Not like this. Please.”
“Gone, Mom.” Storm stepped back out of his mother’s hold. “I’m gone. I can’t stay here with him any longer.” He jerked his chin toward his father as he told her, “I’ll call you when I’m settled.”
“Ivy, I forbid you to talk to him again,” Graham said to her, then turned to Storm. “If you walk away right now, you don’t exist. You’re dead to me, dead to everyone in this family. Do you understand me?”