Catch or Fall

Chapter Nine

She's right. But there's not much of a choice since the only option left for me to sit on is her bed or the floor. I choose the bed and hell no, there's another twitch down south. What the fuck? This chick is doing nothing but sit across me and my little dick is reacting like it's experiencing epiphany.

"Sorry to bother you. Were you doing anything before I called?" She asked, oblivious to what's going on in my head. She's about to open up about her problem and I'm thinking about getting her naked.

I should get my shit together.

"Nothing important. I was just plotting how to take over the galaxy when you called," I throw a little Star Wars reference because this chick will get it. She's wearing a shirt as proof.

"Planning to bring balance to the force?" Harper smiles for the second time in three minutes and it feels like I've performed a miracle. My dick responds and I order it to calm down. This is not the time to give in to its demands. Harper needs me and if that requires keeping my hand off my junk, I'll do it. Somehow, it listens.

"Yes, and the force tells me something's bothering you," I prod. She called me to talk, so I'm here to talk. It's not something I'm used to, but there's always a first for everything.

Harper's lips pinch into a thin line and for a moment I thought she's going to cry. She hugs her throw pillow and mumbles, "I got into a fight with my sister. She's mad at me because I didn't tell her that dad is hooking up with an intern."

WTF?! Is she shitting me? Last time I checked, we're not in some kind of crappy reality TV show.

"I knew about the affair even before I moved to college. Mom kept it as a secret because she knew we'd be mad. Dad has been seeing that bitch since mom was diagnosed with cancer. Now my sister knows about it and she thought I moved here and left her," she discloses.

"Can I first digest everything you said?" I ask. Harper has a problem, I know that. But holy mother of fuck, I was not prepared for the bombs she dropped.

Harper nods and I can tell she's observing me. She uncomfortably shifts in her seat and curses. "Shit! This is just between us, okay? Well, and my two best friends, of course. I expect you to keep your mouth shut."

"You don't have to worry about that, babe. I don't go around spilling secrets. I'm a man of my word. What I'm most worried about now is you." For some unknown reason, I don't want to see this girl cry again. I also want to kill her bastard of a father. "Earlier, you told Riddel you're working. You can tell me about it. That's what I'm here for anyway."

"Well, call me proud or what, but I don't want to use that bastard's money anymore. I can't accept what he did to my mom, to me and my sister. I applied for scholarship so I don't have to pay for tuition. I work because I need to pay for the dorm and other expenses."

Jackson Price is the worst parent on earth, no doubt about that. But Henry Silva comes in close second. For fuck's sake, who the hell gave the right for shithole parents to exist?

"That was brave of you, Harper," I tell her the truth. That was really admirable of her. While I can't stand against my father, Harper can carry her own shit.

"Will it ruin you if I say it still scares me? Maybe if it's just me, it's okay to fail. But I have a younger sister to watch over. I can't all be like, 'Oops, sorry. Wrong move. Let's restart.'"

"Will it make you feel better if I say you have bigger balls than most men I know? And by most men, I meant me, myself and I."

That cracks her up. "You know what, Ashton Price, you're actually not that bad if you're not being an asshole."