“Here we go,” Robert mumbles.
Val continues. “But to go to this extreme?”
“I just believe that females should have a choice,” I explain.
“Fate knows what it’s doing with you and Jason,” Robert declares. “Just like it knew what it was doing with me and Val. As for Sherry… I can’t say I agreed with that pairing. We were all upset about it, but I know from firsthand experience that Fate knows what it’s doing. Perhaps there’s a reason yet to be revealed.”
Sherry stares at her father with daggers shooting from her eyes.
“Perhaps part of that reason is so that Sherry’s experience could give females more choices in the future,” Stacy puts in.
“I won’t have what I went through used against my brother!” Sherry declares. “No way. And Bailey, the fact that you’d come here asking shows you’re not just cruel, you’re also a stupid bitch.”
“Watch your fuckin’ mouth!” Jase is barking as he comes in.
He’s looking at me with an expression that has me sure he heard plenty.
“You don’t talk to her like that.” He points at his sister. “Ever.”
“Bailey is asking me for a victim impact statement so she can use my experience with an abusive alpha to punish you. And it’s bullshit!”
“That’s not what I’m doing,” I defend. “I thought you could share your experience to help prevent others from going through whatyouwent through. It’s not just about me. It’s about all women having a choice in the matter of who they spend their life with.”
“I’m not letting you weaponize what happened to me against my brother, Bailey, and you’re a fucking idiot for even thinking to suggest it.”
“Sherry, that’s it. You continue to talk like that to her and you and me are gonna have big problems.” Jase warns.
“That’s not what I’m doing, Sherry,” I defend.
But the whole Creed family is staring at me. Val looks alarmed. Robert’s eyes are moving from me to Jase with questions in his eyes. And Jase looks angry.
“You wanna explain this, Bay?” Jase asks.
Sherry answers for me. “Bailey wants me signing a petition. She also wants a victim impact statement so she can keep you from fucking her despite the fact that she’s been gagging for it for years.”
Jase folds his arms over his chest and frowns.
Shit, my heart is beating way too fast.
“That’s not what this is. Females should have basic rights regardless of whether an alpha wants them or not. I want all of us to have rights, including me. I know you went through helland I thought your story could be an example of why females should have rights regardless of the fact that an alpha has biological urges. You were afraid. You didn’t want to leave with Wyatt and they were forcing it because Dr. Blakely was here and you got talked into it. I want the laws changed so that if a female wants to question something about her own fate, she can.”
“You’re a piece of work,” Sherry spits at me. “You have no idea what I went through, what I’ll go through the rest of my life, and…” She chokes up.
Stacy speaks up. “It was my idea for Bailey to talk to you, Sherry. She’s not using your story for her own benefit. We know you’re grieving and thought maybe being part of an effort to help others might be therapeutic in a way for you.”
“Nothing will undo what I’m dealing with,” Sherry spits. “And even looking at you reminds me of him.”
Stacy’s shoulders slump a little.
“Part of the petition could include a request for bereaved mates to be released from the bond,” I say. “When you want to forget–”
“Oh stop,” Sherry gives me her hand. “You don’t give a shit about me. I give even less of a shit about you.”
“Sherry!” Val reprimands. “Bailey is family. That’s enough.”
“Listen to your mother,” Robert says, looking pissed off, too.
“Bailey was never going to be family to me, and she’s now acting like she doesn’t even want Jase, so…”