Fighting to Survive (Guarded Hearts Book 3) by Alexis Noelle Page B

right decisions regarding her future then I will make them for her.”
    I shoot up out of the chair. “Who are you to judge me and decide what is right for her future?”
    “I am the man who holds your family’s future in my hands. Think about my offer, and if you accept it I expect you to be gone tonight.” He flips open the laptop that’s sitting on his desk, seemingly dismissing me. I just stand there like a statue, still trying to digest what just happened. After a few minutes, he peeks over the top of the screen. “You can go now, you have a lot to think about.” Without a second glance he continues to type, completely ignoring my existence.
    I want to say something to him, I want to scream and break everything in his office, but I don’t. I know by doing so, I will only reinforce his opinion of me as nothing but an uneducated loser. I walk back up to the guest room and sit on the bed, trying to figure out what the hell I can do now. My phone beeps in my pocket, and when I pull it out, I see a text from Christen.
    Christen: Hey, babe,almost done! I want to go out to dinner tonight just us! I have something I want to tell yo u 
    I look at the text for almost five minutes before I pull up Carter’s number and dial it. Thank God he answers after a couple rings. “Hey, when are you driving back home?”
    “Tomorrow morning, why?”
    “I need a ride, but is there any way you would consider leaving tonight?” Carter and Madison only planned to come down for half of the break because she’s still sticking to her ban on doing anything in his dad’s house. It drives Carter absolutely insane, so their visits are usually never more than a few days.
    “Aren’t you supposed to be staying the rest of the week with Christen? What happened?” I really don’t want to get into this on the phone, and I can already hear Mads in the background asking what’s going on.
    “Listen, I promise I’ll explain when I see you, but I really need to get out of here tonight. Any chance you will leave early?” Please say yes.
    “Let me talk to Maddy. It should be fine, though. Are you okay?”
    “Not really, but I’ll make it.”
    “Alright, I’ll text you once I talk to her.”
    “Okay, thanks, Carter. Can you not mention this to anyone else? And tell Mads not to, either?”
    I can hear his hesitation and his desire to ask more questions, but thankfully he doesn’t. “Yeah, no problem.”
    I hang up the phone and start to throw all of my stuff in the suitcase. I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna say to Christen. I can’t let her dad ruin my family, though. They are the most important thing to me, and they are innocent in all of this. I’m sure she’ll be fine, though. As for me, this will be the last time I make myself this open to someone.
    When my phone buzzes again, I almost don’t want to look at it in case it’s Christen.
    Carter: We are gonna be good to leave around 6. Fair warning, though, Maddy is freaking out and there is no way you are escaping the interrogation. Do you need me to pick you up?
    I text him back a thank you and let him know I’ll meet him at my house. I need to at least say goodbye to my family. Just then, I hear the door open and close downstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps coming toward my room. I take a deep breath and get ready to put on a show. I know at the end of all this I am going to hate myself, but unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it. I’m backed against a wall right now.
    When she walks in, everything I had practiced saying in my head disappears.

Chapter Thirteen
     
Christen
     
    I practically run up the stairs because I can’t wait to tell Shawn I’ve decided to spend the summer with him. I told my mom while we were out today, and she took it a lot better than I thought she would. She barely even made a sarcastic comment, which is really rare for her. When I open the door, I see Shawn putting stuff in his suitcase. What is he doing? We aren’t