There is no way he is serious. He’s probably staying at some hotel. With one bed. My eyes scan down his body. No. I can’t let my mind go there. Not with Cody. The man will only crush my heart. Again.
“Pack up enough to get you through the week,” he says.
A week? With Cody? “I-I can’t—”
“Stop overthinking. Maybe I can help you get some of your money back.”
He’s right. I do need help.
There’s a knock on the door. “Are you expecting someone?” he asks.
“No.”
He peeks out the peephole, then leans his forehead on the door. “It’s your dad.”
Shit.Why would my dad be here? He never stops by.
Cody must remember my dad not being his biggest fan, because he stands up straight, as if bracing himself for what is about to come. Then he steps back and opens the door, gesturing for my dad to come in.
The way my dad looks at Cody is a mix of seeing a ghost and a pile of garbage at the same time. “Cody Anthony? What are you doing here?”
I push between them. “Dad, someone broke into my apartment. I’m sure it was Joseph because he also closed out my bank account. He’s taken all my money. Again.”
My dad’s face flushes as he takes in the condition of my apartment. “That’s why I’m here. The bank called me. How the hell did you let this happen again?”
“I didn’tletit happen.” How dare he try to blame this on me.
“Did you change your passwords like I told you to?” he tosses back.
Shit. No. I didn’t.
“Jesus, Lucy. The man knew them all. You can’t reuse any of them.”
“This isn’t her fault,” Cody says as he steps between us. “This is all Joseph.”
I furrow my brow. “Why did the bank call you?” That little nugget just sank in.
Dad scoffs. “My friend Jack was alerted the account was overdrawn, so he reached out to me to make sure everything was all right.”
“That’s an invasion of my privacy.”
He ignores me and turns to Cody. “And why the hell are you back in town? You broke my daughter’s heart. How dare you come back—”
“Dad, stop. He was working for Joseph, and we ran into each other on campus.”
He steps closer to Cody. “You were working for that son of a bitch?”
Cody crosses his arms, which only makes his biceps bulge. “I was providing protection. I work in security now.”
Dad frowns. “You’re a security guard?”
“No.”
My dad turns to me. “Dammit. If Joseph has bookies coming after him again, you might not be safe.”
“His bookies came after you last time?” Cody asks.
“Yes—”
