Anything He wants

DADDY DEFENDS MY HONORAll content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

“Well, if it ain’t the skank.”

You can’t understand just how hard I roll my eyes when I hear that voice.

I turn to see Jezzy storming towards me from the school entrance. It’s just like her: I’m here waiting for my stepdad by the street, minding my own business, when she’s gotta tear me from my reverie. It’s the same ol’ song and

dance. She did it in high school, and it’s like she followed me to college to do the same thing all over again.

To say I can’t stand her bullying wouldn’t do it justice.

“What do you want?” I say under my breath.

“Don’t be givin’ me that shit. I heard you been talking to Josh.” I notice Josh doggedly following behind her, avoiding my eyes when I look at him.

“Yeah, I just asked him some questions.”

“That’s not what I heard. I heard you was flirtin’ with him.”

The shock on my face must be evident as the southern bitch just smiles, glad to see the fear and confusion in me. All I can think about is how long the drive is for my stepdad to come pick me up, and how close he has to be to the school. I just want a way out more than anything right now.

I really didn’t flirt with Josh. Or at least, I didn’t mean to. I like Josh, he’s a cute guy, and he’s funny to boot. I might have been extra nice to him when we were talking, but I’m no hussy. I wasn’t givin’ off any signals as far as I know, especially because he’s Jezzy’s boyfriend. She’s the last person I want to fuck with, and I certainly didn’t say anything untoward to him.

“I heard you were asking him if he wanted a handy under the bleachers.” “What?!” My face burns crimson as a few onlookers watch this girl spout nonsense. “I said no such thing. I’d never say that.”

“Bitch, please. We both know you’re a jealous, ratchet skank. You’ve always had a fuckin’ problem with me.”

Oh, I definitely have, but I’m not the kind of girl to act on my hatred of her. I always just brush her off, hoping she gets the hint and leaves me the fuck alone. But she never learns, only causin’ a ruckus whenever she can, looking for that hooker’s attention she craves so much.

But I’ve never said anything to her about any of those feelings. I just ignore her.

I look to Josh, who’s crossing his arms and merely staring at me. “Josh, come on. You know I didn’t say any of that.”

But Josh only smirks, and I feel my heart drop through my chest. That son of a bitch! He knows none of that happened, but he’s lettin’ his girlfriend believe whatever she wants. Shit, he’s probably the one that told her all this hogwash.

But why the hell would he do that?!

“I didn’t say you could talk to him, you skank!” Jezzy’s shrill voice is followed by a violent push, sending me stumbling backwards. I bounce off the brick wall of the school, rocked as I’m caught off guard by her aggression.

It doesn’t hurt, but I semi-get the breath knocked out of me, and it takes a moment to collect myself.

But Jezzy takes that moment to verbally assault me. “Brie, I’m gonna

fuck you up like you never experienced. A stupid virgin like you’s gotta steal my man because you can’t get any yourself.”

And then verbal assault becomes physical as she spins and lands an open palm across my face. It sends me to the side, causing me to have to adjust my stance so that I don’t fall on my face. I touch my cheek, the sting of her slap burning my skin.

I don’t know what to do. Up against the wall, Jezzy seems way more intimidating than before. It doesn’t help with the crowd that’s gathering around outside the school, or the fact that Josh is looming right behind her. No longer avoiding my eyes, he seems to relish the fact that I’m getting roughed up by his girlfriend.

“Stop looking at my boyfriend, you slut!”

Her next attack is a grab for my tank top, which, foolishly, I try to dodge by skirting backwards. Of course, I tighten up against the wall instead, allowing her to catch a handful of my shirt. She gives it a rough tug, and surprisingly, yanks me from the wall, tearing my shirt straight down the middle. I fall to my knees and the tank top splits, the strap hanging loosely over my arm as my black bra comes out of hiding.

I cover my bra with my hands, still too out of it from getting randomly attacked to realize that defending myself should come before maintaining my modesty.

I don’t know if I should fight back, or if I should run away.

I’ve never been in a fight before.

But I don’t want to get my ass kicked. I don’t want my hair to be pulled or my clothes to be torn from me.

But what the hell can I do?

“Hey!” A deep voice comes rushing in, saving me from my own indecisiveness.

When I look up, it’s my stepdad, and the very first thing I see him do is grab Josh by the shirt and put a fist into his eye.

Josh stumbles hard, falling onto his ass and rolling over. I always thought Josh was cute, but I never saw him as a big guy, more skinny and pretty than dominant.

I guess I just saw what happens when skinny and pretty meets burly and rough.

My stepdad stares bullets at Jezzy, who shrinks immediately upon seeing the hulking figure. He points a finger at her, which comes across as the most threatening gesture I’ve ever seen. “You better get your ass outta here and back to yo’ momma, or else I’ll put a foot up your ass as well.” “You wouldn’t.” She defies him, but in the weakest, diluted sense of the word.

“You watch me. I don’t care. I’ll slap some sense into you.” She hesitates, but when she hauls ass across the parking lot, daddy picks Josh up by the arm and calls after her, “And take this piece’a shit with you.” He tosses him like the garbage, forcing Josh to somehow balance himself after most definitely suffering a concussion. He can barely walk straight, but he’s got enough in him to make his way out of daddy’s purview.

Daddy reaches down for me. “Come on, kiddo.”

I keep my head down and my shirt up, protecting what dignity I have left as I rush into daddy’s pick up truck.

He takes off, leaving behind the place I don’t think I ever want to see again. Frustrated and embarrassed as all hell, I duck out of view until we’re clear of the school.

He hands me his leather jacket to cover myself up with, and after a minute of driving, he asks, “You okay?” He’s gotta, otherwise the half an hour trip back to his ranch is going to be the most awkward drive ever.

I nod. “Yeah.”

“What the hell was that all about?”

“Jezzy attacked me because she thought I was flirting with Josh.”

“Were you?”

I shake my head, “No, daddy, I swear! I just talked to him for a little bit, asking him about an upcoming project.”

“Why does she think you did?”

“‘Cause she’s a bitch.”

Daddy looks at me, that look of disappointment he gets when I curse rearing it’s head even at a time like this. I’m a grown woman, but daddy’s an ol’ fashion man who doesn’t think it’s proper for a girl to be runnin’ a foul mouth.

“Sorry.” I know I have to apologize before he tells me to; otherwise, it’s far more trouble than it’s worth. “I think Josh told her that.”

“Why would that little punk say something like that?”

I shrug, but the thought of Josh getting decked repeats in my mind, and I feel suddenly upset by it. “You didn’t have to go and punch him, daddy.” Daddy looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “Babygirl, a boy like him deserves a good knockout punch.”

“Still, daddy. I might not have been flirtin’ with him, but I still like him.” “He deserved it,” he repeats. He looks over at me, incredulous I’d still defend him. “You should not be likin’ a boy like him. He’s no good.

especially if he’s gonna sully a woman’s reputation. You don’t want a man like him in your life. He’ll just mistreat you.”

He’s right. I know he’s right. Josh lied to Jezzy about everything, and then just stood there and smiled, like some sort of psychopath. It’s like he got joy out of watching me get tortured by his demented girlfriend. And for some reason, that cruelty made me feel even weaker when it was happening. I don’t know if I could have ever fought Jezzy on equal footing, but I know that seeing the boy I like watch on with glee was demoralizing to the spirit.

Daddy must have saw it too. Josh wasn’t doing anything directly to me:

he wasn’t doing any of the shoving or tearing, but daddy went right up to him

and clocked him good anyway. He must have noticed something in Josh that itched him the wrong way. There was something in Josh that daddy couldn’t stand, so he made sure Josh felt his fury first.

“Thanks, daddy. I don’t know what woulda happened if you didn’t get there.”

He smiles, glancing my way as he studies the road. “Babygirl, I’d defend you to the death, you know that. I don’t care how many people there woulda been there. I woulda fought ’em all.”

I roll my eyes playfully. “Daddy, you’re being dramatic.”

He shakes his head. “No, babygirl. You may not be my own girl, but I love you more than anything in the world. You’re special to me, baby.” I blush hard, shivers running down my arms and spine. Daddy really does love me, doesn’t he? You’d always think you’d do something for the people you love, but you never quite know if you’re capable of doing it until you’re presented with the real life chance to show yourself. Daddy showed his true colors today. The respect I have for him has skyrocketed. He certainly isn’t just words; He’s action. I can only hope that I can do the same for him, really get the chance to show him how much I love him.

What can a girl like me do to show him that?

“Daddy, I love you too.”

He smiles, “I’m glad to hear it, babygirl.”

“I want to show you how much you mean to me.”

He scoffs. “You don’t have to. You just being you is enough for me.” I shake my head. That’ll never be good enough for me. “No, daddy. You don’t get to show your love and not get rewarded for it.”

“Rewarded?”

I nod, my hand reaching over the space between the car seats and

landing on his jeans. I slide my hand against his thigh, feeling a slight twitch in his leg as my touch surprises him.

“What are you up to?” It’s a question that comes out as a curiosity, but deep down, is fully aware of the answer.