CHAPTER 22

Stefan felt Sasha’s hand tremble in his. He had implored Sasha to tell her father, but it was obvious she hadn’t. With JB Morris staring him down, hands fisted at his sides Stefan couldn’t exactly blame her.

JB Morris’s voice cold and angry cut through the silence. “Are you telling me that I’ve worked my whole life to protect you only so you could end up throwing it all away on good time with this ill-reputed party animal?”

Sasha shrank against him and Stefan felt his own temper start to snap and fizzle.

“Daddy…please.” Sasha pleaded.

“You told me you wouldn’t see him again, you know what a field day the press had with your last encounter. Are you telling me my whole campaign is going to be riddled with his face and his father’s shady deals?”

That’s it, Stefan thought, he’d stand there and take it for himself but he was not going to let his father be dragged into it.

“With all due respect Sir, my father has nothing to do with this.” Stefan said hanging onto the last thread of sanity.

“Bullshit! Your father does deals with shady crooks and you spend your time blowing his fortune on parties and girls and now you’re bringing that shadow over my campaign.”

“Dad!” Sasha gasped shocked by her father’s wrath.

“No Sasha, this is between him and me now.” Stefan said without breaking the stare he and JB had going on.

“Between us? There is nothing between us and as soon as my daughter sees sense there won’t be anything between you two either.”

“You’re wrong, Sir. About a couple of things, but you’re right about some of them as well.” Stefan said his own voice low and threatening. “I might’ve been throwing away my father’s money on girls and parties and I might be a bad influence on Sasha but I’ve been making changes in my life because of her.” Stefan pulled Sasha’s hand to his mouth and kissed it briefly before turning back to her father. “Sasha has made me realize that I can’t build a future on my father’s fortune and before I can respect anyone else I need to be able to respect myself. Since I’ve started seeing Sasha I haven’t been to any raucous parties, I haven’t done anything to be ashamed of and I’ve even decided what I want to do with my life.”

“Great, so now she’s made you seen the light you can get out of her life.”

“I’m sorry, that’s not going to happen.” Stefan said resolutely.

“Excuse me; I wasn’t giving you a choice.” JB’s voice climbed a few decibels.

“Actually, Sir, the choice isn’t yours. It is Sasha’s. And before she makes it there is something you and Sasha need to know.”

“What!” JB roared.

Stefan took a deep breath and turned to Sasha, ignoring JB’s outburst. “I’ve never said this to anyone because I didn’t believe it was really possible. You’ve taught me about the person I want to be, someone with values, purpose and someone with a future. I’ll always be grateful to you for that, but that’s not why I feel the way I do. Over the past few weeks I’ve learned so much about you and every time I learn something new I fall a little bit further. You’re that person that looks for the good in everyone. You can be funny and smart and sometimes you’re thoughtful and deep, and it doesn’t matter what you are you’re the person I want to be with. I didn’t know how to tell you this, but I think it’s time I tried.”

JB sighed, knowing what was coming. Sasha dabbed a tear at her eye smiling at Stefan.

“Sasha, I love you. I love the way you light up when you speak about your parents, I love the way you’re dedicated to making something of yourself, I even love the way you sing out of tune when you’re wearing your headset and everyone else needs to cover their ears.”

“Stefan…I love you too.” Sasha sniffed before kissing Stefan.

“This is not going to happen.” JB huffed in their direction.

Stefan felt Sasha stiffen against him and for a moment thought she was going to send him on his way. Instead, she surprised him by turning to her father.

“Daddy, with all due respect, this is my life, my decision, and I choose Stefan. So you can either be part of my life with Stefan or you’re going to lose me.”

Stefan watched JB Morris shuffle in place staring at the ground before turning his gaze towards Sasha, “This isn’t over.” He warned.

Sasha took a deep breath and touched her father’s arm. “Actually daddy, unless you accept my relationship with Stefan, it is.”

JB Morris shook his head and walked out of the office slamming the door behind him.

Sasha let out the breath she was holding, Stefan picked her up twirling her in circles. “I’m so proud of you.”

Sasha laughed. “For what, for basically telling my father he was no longer part of my life.”

“No,” Stefan said kissing her. “For stepping out of his shadow.”

He set Sasha down and her eyes searched his. “You’re right.” Sasha smiled. “I have been living in his shadow.” She thought for a moment and a tear slipped from her eye. “I think I just lost him. Once he’s made his mind up, there’s no changing it, and he’s made his mind up about you.”

“He’ll change it.” Stefan said hoping he was right. If JB was really going to let Sasha step out of his life he was an asshole. A clever and important one, but still an asshole.

“I’m not so sure.” Sasha sighed before meeting his gaze again. “Did you mean what you said?”

“Yes, I am cleaning up my act.”

Sasha lightly swatted his arm. “Not that part, about how you feel about me.”

“Oh, the love part?” Stefan framed her face with his hands. “I’ve never been more serious about anything, except one other thing: coffee.”

“Coffee?”

“Yes, you need a coffee machine. I’m done drinking tea. I’ve done it for three weeks and I’m about tea’d out.”

Sasha laughed. “I love you too, and to prove it we’ll go buy a coffee machine right now.”

“Great!” Stefan said taking her hand and heading out of the hotel. “I know just the right one. It’s a light blue and will look perfect in your kitchen.”

“Not as perfect as you when you’re wearing a towel.”

“Well then, me in a towel with a light blue coffee machine will definitely make the world a better a place.”

“Definitely.” Sasha laughed as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and met her mother’s baffled gaze.

“Sasha what’s going on?” Tisha asked confused.

Sasha sighed and pulled Stefan forward. “Mom, this is Stefan Kelson. My boyfriend.”

Tisha glanced Stefan up and down and Stefan felt her scrutiny wash over him. He held out his hand. “I love her ma’am.”

Tisha’s glance flicked between Stefan and Sasha before she took Stefan’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you Stefan, I’m sure you’re the reason my baby looks so happy.”

Stefan nodded smiling.

“Daddy doesn’t feel the same way mom, he told me to break up with Stefan.”

“Oh dear.” Tisha said placing a hand over her heart.

“He says Stefan’s reputation will damage his campaign.”

Tisha mulled the comment over for a minute before smiling at Stefan. “I’ve raised my girl with a good head on her shoulders, and if you’re the man she’s chosen for herself I respect that. Don’t let me down.” She ended firmly narrowing her eyes at Stefan.

“I won’t ma’am, I love her.”

“I can see that.” Tisha laughed. Turning to Sasha she sobered. “I’ll try talking to your father Sasha, but you know how he can be. It might take a while.”

Stefan watched the women share a knowing look before Sasha spoke. “It’s alright mom, I know he won’t accept this, but I can’t go on living my life at the whim of his campaigns.”

“Of course not darling. Where are you rushing to?”

Stefan and Sasha laughed before answering together. “To buy a coffee machine.”

Tisha’s eyes twinkled before she leaned in and whispered, “Is that what they call it these days?”

As they exited the hotel Stefan stopped and smiled at Sasha. “Now I know I was right.”

“About what?” Sasha asked confused.

“Falling in love with you.”

“Why?”

“Because if you age as well as your mother does, which I’m sure you will. I’m going to have a hot woman for the rest of my life.”

Sasha swatted him playfully before she turned away, but not fast enough for Stefan to miss the shadows in her eyes. Her father’s reaction had hurt her and if she was right, he wasn’t ever going to accept Stefan.