Off the Ice (The Penalty Kill Trilogy) (Volume 2) Read Online Free Page B

your grades.” He made sure to throw that last part in there. He never cares about what I do. I’m just a girl and really a nobody in the family.
    I’m not in the mood to listen to his crap today. “Oh, that’s right, Daddy. I’m just no one in the family.”
    “I highly suggest that you watch your tone, young lady. I’m not concerned about you because you have Levi. He’ll keep you in line and secure your future.”
    “ Excuse me?” I shout at him. “Keep me in line? Are you serious? This isn’t 1613, Daddy. It’s 2013 and I have my own plans, remember?” My blood is boiling. How dare he talk to me like that.
    “ Talk to your daughter.” I’m not sure who he is talking to until my mother comes on the line.
    “ Presley Marie, this conversation is over. Now, give us Marley’s number. Do it for your brother.”
    “ Why are you with Daddy?” My parents had been divorced for years and have barely spoken to each other. Or so I thought.
    “ That is none of your concern. Now, stop arguing with your father and give us the number.” I hear my dad ask for the phone again.
    “ Presley, do this for your brother.” My father is just saying that because he knows that I’ll do anything for my brother.
    “ Fine.” I give him Marley’s number.
    “ Thank you, Presley. Oh, and I put more money in your account.” And then he hangs up.
    Of course, he put money in my account, because that is what he does. Every single time. I know exactly what to do. I go to my laptop and log into my bank account. I look at the amount and just roll my eyes. An ‘I love you’ or ‘great job’ would mean more to me than this. I transfer half of it into an interest bearing account. I know that I shouldn’t hide money, especially from Dad, but I need to be sure that my law school will be taken care of. Yes, I want to be independent, but I’m not an idiot. I know how much law school is going to cost.
    Plus, what is the deal with my mother being there? They’re never together. My parents divorced because my mother kept climbing the corporate ladder and my dad wanted a ‘house wife’ more than a ‘working woman’.  I hate that he thinks Levi is going to take care of me. I’ll do this on my own, as much as I can. I shake my head and clear my thoughts. I grab my books and figure out what I need to do for my classes. I begin to study and figure out my timelines for my research papers.
    Before I know it, it’s dinner time. I text Levi to see what he’s doing. Then I text Marley to see if my dad contacted her. I sit my phone down and head into my bedroom and change into some comfy sweats. Maybe I will order take out tonight. It’s supposed to snow anyway. After tying my hair up in a messy bun, I go back to the kitchen.
     
    Marley: Looks like I’m an official employee of McCarthy, Inc
    Me: Ha! That isn’t the name of my dad’s medical practice
    Marley: Either way … I’m getting $$$
    Me: Trev know yet? He hasn’t called me yet
    Marley: He will soon enough
     
    Just then my phone rings.
    “Hey, Twin,” I sing out.
    “ Shut. Up. Do you know about this crap plan Dad came up with?” Trevor is very upset.
    “ Well, some of it. I did give him Marley’s number.” Trevor begins rattling about Dad’s plan for an extensive workout and study schedule.
    “ I’m glad that he doesn’t care about me and didn’t put me on that schedule.”
    “ Ugh, that’s not true, Pres. They care. They’re just weird.”
    “ Not in the mood to talk about it. I need to study and apparently, you do too.” I laugh at him and then hang up.
    I still haven’t heard from Levi, but I assume he is having ‘guy time’ with his friends. I decide that take-out Thai food will be the best thing to drown my misery. As soon as I order, I pop in a DVD of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. It’s my favorite of the trilogy, and I wait for my food to come.
    When it arrives, I eat with nothing but the background noise of the movie behind me. I