Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 622 -

*Caterina*

I didn't know what had happened. Everything was going perfectly. All the guests seemed like they were enjoying themselves, and my jittery nerves had finally taken a much-needed rest-until Anna had decided to answer the strange knock at the

door.

It seemed that some unseen force in the universe was set on making me into a complete wreck tonight.

I felt my entire chest seize up in silent fear as I saw Paul standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets and a shit-eating smirk on his face.

His dark eyes immediately glanced over Anna's head to replace mine. Thankfully, Anna was determined to stand her ground against Paul's possible attempt to come inside.

I could feel my friend's anger sizzling through the air. "Oh, God, it's you," she hissed. "What the fuck are you doing here? Leave!"

Paul humored Anna's direct question with a snide remark. "Not that it's any of your business, sweetheart, but I'm here to see my girl."

Something vile burned in the back of my throat. I didn't need to see Anna's face to know that her expression matched Paul's-amused and frighteningly ruthless.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm going to need you to put those two remaining brain cells together and work with me on this, okay?" she said mockingly. "You and Cat are not together."

Paul's lips pulled back into a tight sneer. "Move out of my way. I didn't travel hundreds of miles to be stopped by some know-it-all bitch who thinks she has the right to barge in on other people's business," he snapped. Anna remained as calm as ever. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You see, Paul, when I become informed about my best friend's abusive relationship with her douchebag of an ex-boyfriend, not only does it become my business, it now becomes my sole purpose to ensure that the two of you are never in the same place at once."

My chest swelled with a strong sense of pride, having heard Anna's declaration. Paul, on the other hand, was unrelenting. He rolled his eyes in disinterest.

"I know about everything you did to her," she continued.

For a brief moment, his expression slipped.

"It's why I truly can't believe you'd even have the nerve to show your face here," she said firmly. "You are not welcome."

Paul had just looked as though he was about to say something when suddenly my feet were pulling me toward the door. I reached out to rest an easing hand over Anna's shoulder.

This whole scene needed to stop before it drew any more attention.

"It's okay, Anna," I said.

I slowly eased my friend back so that she was standing behind me. I carefully handed her my glass and ushered her back into the house while I closed the door shut behind me. I knew Anna wasn't thrilled about me being alone with Paul, but knowing her, she was firmly planted in front of the nearest window, watching our every move.

Now that we were alone, I was really beginning to regret handing my wine off to Anna. I could've used the liquid courage at the moment.

"Why are you here, Paul?"

I know Anna had already asked him, but I was hoping for the real answer now.

Paul dropped his gaze to the ground and let his head slightly sag. He never could look me in the eyes when he knew he had messed up. Part of me already sort of knew where this conversation was headed just by the looks of his stature. I knew what kind of talk I was in for.

And it was one that I was not interested in hearing, not again.

"Cat... look, I'm sorry, alright?" he started. "I know what I did was wrong."

I drew my brows together and stifled a doubtful snort.

"Really? If you honestly knew that, then why did you keep repeating it?" I asked sternly.

Being away from home all that time had its pluses and minuses. While I was avoiding Elio's domineering behavior, I had managed to capture the attention of someone who was pure evil inside.

Paul had originally presented himself to be an averagely attractive student who carried a genuine interest in me. Based on his personal group of friends, he seemed normal enough. But what none of them came to realize was that Paul was a closet alcoholic with a deeply hidden violent streak.

I'd made the painful discovery one night back on my previous school campus. We were just starting to go out with one another and were invited to a friend's fraternity party one weekend. It was honestly a fun time until the very end of the night. Paul ended up drinking far too much, and I ended up with a nasty purple bruise beneath my left eye.

Looking back on it, I felt foolish for even allowing myself to tolerate such toxic behavior. Paul claimed that it was an accident, and I was stupid enough to believe him. But I did. Each and every time something like the first incident occurred, it always left us in the same vicious cycle-me being used as a human punching bag and Paul appearing guilty and sorry for his actions.

Why had I stayed with him?

It wasn't for lack of trying... I could say that for the very least.

There were a handful of times when I tried calling things off between us. Paul either outright refused or tried to play the guilt card. I'd constantly put my foot down and refused to see him.

But that never stopped Paul from showing up at my classes or my dorm room, trying to get us to have a conversation about getting back together. It left me feeling terrified at times. I felt suffocated and trapped. I knew about halfway through the last semester that I needed to get away.

'I just never thought in a million years that the guy would have the guts to follow me all the way back home to California!' I shouted in my head.

Paul let out a bothering sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, I know. But I mean it this time," he stated. "I want to get help. I want to get better." "Well, that's nice to hear," I murmured under my breath.

He lifted his head to finally look me in the eyes. "Please come back with me."

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. What? Surely, he wasn't being serious?

Then again, I hadn't caught any scent of alcohol on him since I'd stepped outside. The man was pin sober. I didn't know if this was a good thing or not.

At first, my voice wavered. "No."

Paul's disposition stiffened at my response. There was almost this faint look of surprise wrapped in his expression. The corner of his mouth started to curve upward, causing my whole body to tense.

"Oh, come on, Kitty-Cat. You don't mean that," he said. "I know things have been a little difficult between us, but we can go back together and work them out."

"I said 'no,' Paul."

"Caterina "

"I am not going back with you," I told him. "In fact, I'm not going anywhere with you. Ever!"

I noticed Paul taking a small step forward and moving to reach for my hand. But I quickly yanked myself back before he got the chance to actually grab ahold of me.

"Don't touch me," I hissed weakly.

All those emotions I'd been fighting to keep suppressed since the moment I saw him again were rushing back like a tidal wave. I felt nauseous... scared... angry. I thought of all that wasted time I had spent thinking that he was a good person, believing that he would change and that the pain would stop. But it never did.

None of Paul's actions seemed to register with his intentions. Right after I pulled my hand back, the man proceeded to move even closer with the intention of hugging me. I swiftly lifted my hands up and pressed against the planes of his chests. "Paul, no. Stop!"

I heard the front door behind me rip open, along the startling sound of Anna tromping through the doorway.

"Hey, asshole. She said no," she seethed.

I quickly stepped back and raised my arm up to keep Anna from bulldozing Paul off the front steps of the porch. If there was still time to prevent a complete scene from happening, I was going to do everything in my power to ensure it. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw another dark figure emerging from between the parked cars.

Elio?

'Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me,' I cursed to myself.

As if things really couldn't get any worse, Elio stormed up the main path with a murderous look in eyes. Knowing him, he had probably seen everything that transpired between Paul and me.

His voice was low and rough in his throat. "What the hell is going on?" he asked angrily.

I let out a long breath. "Nothing I can't handle, Elio. Alright?" I tried to tell him.

For a brief flicker of a moment, I truly thought that I'd successfully defused the situation. But then Paul had to go ahead and open his big mouth.

He took a decent step back and gave a long look at Elio, like he was sizing him up or something. His nasty smirk returned, and he spoke.

"So, what are you, like her uncle or something?" He stole a glance back at me and chuckled. "Is he the one who you're trying to replace me with? He's a bit old for you, isn't he?"

I could easily tell from the way Elio turned to glare at Paul that he was majorly pissed. Never taking his eyes off Paul, Elio moved to plant himself between him and me.

"If I was, wouldn't it be a good idea not to get on my bad side?" Elio bit out.

Paul merely smiled, acting unbothered by Elio's remake and growing anger. Apart from letting his fists fly against those who were physically weaker than him, Paul was not someone to pick a fight, especially when it was clear that odds were heavily set against him.

Thankfully, he was smart enough to keep quiet because Elio was, without a doubt, one more smart comment away from decking Paul in the face.

Without a word, Paul left. For the first time within the hour, I could finally allow myself to breathe again properly. Unfortunately, I was now left to deal with an upset Anna and fairly pissed-off Elio.

As all three of us made our way back inside, I heard my phone ring. I looked down to steal a private glance at my phone screen. My heart lurched in my chest when I saw that I'd received a message from Paul.

'I'm not going anywhere.'