Frustration is something I’ve lived with all my life. From having parents who never understood me, to a brother who acted like he hated me. And now, I’m in love with a man who’d rather be away from me than to tell me what the hell is going on.

“Piper.” The deep voice of my father startles me. Spinning around, I find him standing in the doorway to the classroom. His large frame looms in the small space, making him look even scarier than he already is.

“What are you doing here?” I question. I haven’t seen him since he told me never to come back. I chose Ryder, and my father was livid, but to see him here makes me wonder what his game plan is.

My father is one of those men who always has something up his sleeve. As a lawyer, he has to. It’s part of his job. But I’m not his job, I’m his daughter, and I wish he’d treat me like that.

“I’ve missed you, Piper,” he tells me, strolling into the space. “Also, I need to show you something.” He hands me a folder I didn’t notice him holding when he first entered.

“What is this?” Taking it, I flip it open to find what looks like a police report. Ryder’s name front and center as the person who was driving the night of the accident he told me about.

“Your boyfriend,” my father spits the word at me. “He’s responsible for almost killing your brother.”

I open my mouth to speak, but words evade me at that moment. Anger turning my blood red-hot, but it’s a voice behind him that stills me.

“No, he’s not.”

We both turn to face the doorway where Preston is standing. He glances between us, then saunters closer. My heart aches at that moment when I realize my brother had something to do with Ryder’s accident.

“Ryder wasn’t drunk that night.” His words sound like an echo, and I shake my head to clear it. “He had two beers all night, nothing else. He wasn’t drunk,” Preston says, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I was the one who was smashed. He took the car keys from me when I told him I wanted to drive the two girls home.”

“This is ridiculous,” my father hisses. “You both want to protect a delinquent of a boy.”

My brother raises his head, meeting my father’s angry glare dead-on. “You think he’s a delinquent?” The chuckle that rumbles in Preston’s chest is incredulous. “Have you looked at your own son, old man?” He steps forward and my body is rigid. Fear trickles through me and I’m certain there’s going to be a fight.

“Preston, just let him think what he—”

“No, Piper, it’s time dear old Dad hears me, listens to the truth he’s been ignoring for so long.” My brother glances my way. With a nod, he turns his attention back to our father, who is positively vibrating with rage. “I’m the one who got in the driver’s seat and forced my best friend to practically knock me out to get me to sit in the back. I was the one who let him get in the car and drive that night.”

The sadness and guilt that drips from my brother’s words make my chest hurt. My heart slams into my ribs, and I have to swallow back the anger and fury that threatens to pull me under.

“I’m the one who caused the accident, because I was playing a stupid game of chance by blocking his eyes, chuckling that he couldn’t see where he was going.” The confession hangs in the air surrounding us, heavy, drenched in the guilt of my brother and the rage of my father.

I want to slap my brother. I want to punch him, hit him, I want to scream and shout at him, but I don’t, because when I look up at him again, I tell him with one glare how much I hate him.

His expression is filled with sorrow, but I don’t care. I no longer want him in my life. He is responsible for Ryder being as broken as he is, and I don’t mean physically, I mean mentally and emotionally.

“Get out, Dad. I need you to get out and never come near me or Ryder again. Preston, I need time to figure this out. I don’t know how to feel right now other than angry and confused.”

“Piper—”

“No, Father,” I bite out in frustration. “I’m done with this anger you hold toward Ryder for nothing. He’s a good man. He has a good head on his shoulders. He’s got plans for the future and all you can see is the fact he has tattoos and piercings. I’m done with this. I need you both to leave.”

A grunt from my father is all I get, but I know what it means. He’ll be back and even though I’ve told him I don’t want him near me again, he’ll do something stupid to win me back, only this time, there is no winning me back.

My brother steps forward, but I hold out a hand to stop him. “Just go. I’ll call you later.” He nods, presses a hand on mine, and turns to leave me in the classroom.