Read Online Delirious by Suzannah Daniels - Free Book Online Page A

in the eyes. “It’s gone.”
    “I heard you on the phone making a wager not long ago,” Dylan said. “Is this some sort of gambling debt?”
    “Hell, no,” I answered.
    “Are you on drugs?” my father asked, his brows drawn over his eyes in an angry slash.
    I pinched the bridge of my nose and tilted my head downward. It never changed.
    “Answer me,” my father commanded.
    I looked at him and said quietly. “I’ll pay you back.”
    “You’re damn right you will. And I’ll not spend another penny on you until you have.”
    “Everything’s not about money, Dad. I don’t give a damn whether you spend another penny on me. In fact, you can start by canceling the wedding!”
    “Stone,” my mother said, “we’ve already invited three hundred people to the wedding.”
    Clearly unsure of where the wedding stood, h er gaze toggled between my father and me.
    “ I’m sick of all this shit! Y’all always jump to the worst possible conclusions where I’m concerned, don’t you?” I asked my father, pointing at him as my anger rose. “Cancel the wedding. I don’t give a damn if I have to call everyone myself!”
    “This can all be worked out,” my mother assured me. “We’re not canceling the wedding.”
    “Money’s not the only reason I want to cancel it,” I told her.
    “Stone?”
    We all turned at the unexpected voice. Dara stood quietly at the top of the basement steps, her sad, green eyes wide with horror as she focused them on me.
    “What the hell is she doing here?” I demanded to know, angry that my father brought all this shit up like this, angry that she’d overheard.
    Her chin quivered, and she turned and raced down the stairs, nearly knocking Scarlet over in the process.
    “Shit!” I blew out angrily between clenched teeth. “Are you happy now, Dad?” I asked as I brushed my way past him and went after her.
    By the time I ran out of the garage, Dara was already in her car, backing down the driveway. I sprinted to my car, squealing the tires as I drove up the driveway, turned around, and sped back down it toward the main road. This was the exact kind of fiasco I was hoping to avoid.
    I chased her, and it didn’t take me long to catch up with her as she raced down the mountain. Desperately needing to talk to her, I motioned for her to pull over, but she continued to speed along the narrow road.
    Frustrated and angry, part of me wanted to stay on her bumper until she did as I asked, but she was already driving recklessly. I had visions of Luke’ s crash, and my heart couldn’t survive another tragedy. I couldn’t lose Dara. I slowed, letting her pull away from me. When I came upon the next side road, I turned onto it, pulling my car to the grassy edge and turning the ignition off. I watched her as she disappeared.
    I slumped over the wheel, wondering how things had gotten so out of control. I felt like shit. My life was falling apart right before my eyes, and I had no idea what to do about it. I had been so close, so freaking close to having everything I’d ever wanted. And now it was gone. All of the carefully built trust I had with my father had vanished in one moment of weakness. My relationship with Dylan over the last few months had been better than it’d ever been since Luke’s death, and now I had no doubt that he despised me again. I knew my mother believed in me, but even she had doubt clouding her eyes. I could see it. I could feel it. And I hated it.
    But as bad as all that was, life wasn’t satisfied until it’d hurt the one person on this earth who meant the most to me. The pain in her eyes had ripped my heart to shreds , leaving a cold emptiness inside of me that left me frigid, despite the scorching temperatures outside. I had done everything I knew to do to keep her from feeling that kind of pain, and not only had I failed, but our relationship had been sundered in the process.
    I wondered if it would matter what I did at this point. The damage had been done. No