Free Scent of a White Rose by Tish Thawer Page B

explaining
what I was and how by changing him I could save his legs, he agreed
to become my vampire consort.

* * * * *
    CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    Bad Ass
    (Rose)
     
    After bidding Jillian goodbye and thanking her
parents for having me yet again, Dad and I headed home. We had
stopped for takeout on the way, and were now sitting at home
finishing out our Saturday evening by eating Chinese food and
telling each other how our weekends had gone.
    "Did you have fun with Jill this weekend?"
    I wasn't sure if Jillian's parents told my dad
that we had "gone to the movies" or not, but I didn't think so. He
had always been pretty good about trusting them to watch out for
me, so I decided not to share this little tidbit. "Yeah, it was
okay, we really didn't do much Friday night, but today Jill and I
went looking at apartments."
    I knew this wasn't a topic that he wanted to
ever discuss, but too bad. After Christian and my little argument
over it, I was still feeling a little jaded about the subject. It
was time I stood up for myself, even if that meant having an
argument with my dad.
    Dad took a deep breath. "I know that you turn
twenty-one in April and then graduate in May. And I know I said
that you could move out once you had graduated. But Rose, don't you
think it's still a little too soon after everything that's
happened?"
    "I don't think so, Dad. I'm a responsible girl,
and I know Mom would want us to move on with our lives and that is
exactly what I'm trying to do." I set my fork down, shifted in my
chair, and met Dad's gaze. "I could have easily given up on
everything when she died. And there were times when I thought I
wanted to, but I didn't. Instead, I kept getting out of bed every
morning, I kept going to school every day, and I kept getting good
grades so I could get a good job after college even though I don't
need to. I want to live my life Dad, and that involves me growing
up and moving out."
    The more I thought about Christian and my dad
having a problem with this, the quicker my temper continued to
rise. "And if I can be honest here, I'm feeling really stifled with
how protective you've become. You just said it yourself; I'm going
to be twenty-one soon, and I really don't feel like I should be
forced to have a sleepover every time you head out of town." I
shoved the chair back from the table and stood up, continuing my
rant as I cleared the dishes away. "As a matter of fact, I want to
buy a car. I'm sick of being driven around by your guard dog for
hire, or having to bum a ride with Jillian." I was on a roll. I
wasn't sure where this newfound strength was coming from, but I was
happy to have found it. It felt good to get all this off my chest.
Dad, on the other hand, was looking at me like I'd just lost my
mind.
    He sat there stunned for a few moments while I
leaned back on the counter. I had almost sounded like a badass; now
I was trying to look the part. It didn't work.
    "You know that I've always been proud of how you
pulled yourself together after what happened. And I'm even prouder
that you want to get a job after you graduate instead of living off
of your settlement money. But that doesn't mean I will ever stop
being your father, and with that comes the right to not only
protect you from others, but to protect you from yourself. I just
don't think you're ready to be out on your own yet." He finished
with a very stern voice, stood up and dropped his plate in the sink
with a loud crash.
    My dad wasn't someone who showed anger very
often, but I could tell that my little speech had pissed him off.
"I can't believe you are coming at me with this kind of attitude.
We haven't even had a single conversation about me buying you a
car, or you moving out, and the first time you want to talk about
it, you act like this? Not the brightest move, Rose."
    "It looks like we are having a conversation
about it right now! And I'm sorry if I have an attitude. I'm just
trying to talk to you about my future, but for some reason you
refuse to