One Night Stand with My Stepdad
I thought he would use his authority as my stepfather, as the head of the household, or as the man tied to my deepest secrets to override my choice and force me into that car.
Instead, he took a step backward.
The fight visibly drained out of his broad shoulders, leaving behind a profound, hollow defeat that mirrored my own internal devastation.
“Fine,” he said quietly.
The single word was stripped of all its corporate command, sounding tired, resigned, and painfully lonely.
He walked toward his car without saying anything else.
He didn't look back. He turned his broad back on us, his heavy, measured footsteps carrying him out through the automatic glass doors toward the curb where his sleek