“Promise me that you will talk to me about this later. I want to know what’s going on so I can go around and kick their fake-tanned little asses.”

She smiles sadly, and then she looks up at me. “You have a fake tan.”

I giggle. “I know, its ugly isn’t it?”

She offers me a lopsided smile.

I wrap my arms around her and hold her in an embrace, grateful that she lets me.

She stays in my arms and it nearly brings me to tears because I can feel how much she needs me. God, this poor little girl. And she has no one to talk to because her father has his head up his ass. I link my arm through hers. “Come on, let’s go and get your bag from the changing room. Then we can get the hell out of this place.”

She nods, and we make our way to retrieve her things.

Fifteen minutes later, we find our way back to Julian and Samuel, only to see that the blonde is still with him. Only this time, the blonde little bully is standing behind her.

I can tell by Mr. Masters’ stance that he is angry.

“Go back to the car and wait for me, Will,” I say.

She stops, as if petrified.

“Will,” I say calmly. “Go to the car… now.”

Willow heads off to the car, and I approach the four of them.

“Miss Brielle,” Julian snaps. “Where is Willow?”

“Why?” I ask.

“Because she is in big trouble.”

The woman smiles a smug smile.

“Go to the car, Sammy,” I say.

He frowns.

“Now,” I snap. He runs off into the distance. I glare at the blonde little bitch. “Why, exactly, is Willow in trouble?”

“She’s been picking on her teammates.” Julian growls. “She’s grounded indefinitely.”

“No, she hasn’t. That’s a blatant lie and false accusation.” I narrow my eyes. “The bullying is the other way around.”

“Miss Brielle, I demand you go and get Willow, bring her to me, and I will make her apologize this minute.” His fury is palpable.

Something snaps again, and I step forward

“I will do nothing of the sort.” I point to the mother. “But I’ll tell you what I will do. If your evil daughter comes near Willow again, I will have her charged by the police for harassment and assault.”

The mother gasps, and the other parents all stop to listen to what’s going on.

“Why, that’s ridiculous,” she cries.

I turn to the blonde bully. “Go near Willow again, sweetie, I dare you.” I sneer.

Her eyes widen in fear.

“Miss Brielle!” Mr. Masters snaps.

“Who the hell is this?” the mother asks snootily.

“I’m your worst nightmare. Now get a leash on your girl before I involve the police.”

She puts her arm around her daughter. “Come on, dear, let’s go home. It’s been a traumatic day. This woman is a hooligan.” She glares at me and storms off.

I turn to Mr. Masters. “Are you kidding me?”

“Are you kidding me?” He growls.

“How dare you!” I snap, and I storm my way back to the car.

“How dare I?” he calls as he follows me. “How dare you?”

“Oh. I dare, all right,” I shout as I arrive at the car.

Willow and Sammy are standing wide-eyed at the car, waiting for it to be unlocked. I don’t think they’ve ever seen someone as angry as I am at this moment.

Mr. Masters drops the chairs on the ground and pops the trunk of his car, and the kids dive into the back seat to escape the fury. I get in the front and slam the door hard.

He opens my door. “Don’t slam my car door!” he yells.

I open it and slam it again… harder.

The kids are sitting frozen in the back, afraid to speak or move in case we turn on them.

Their father gets in his precious car and revs the engine before he pulls out in a rush.

Don’t say it. Don’t say it.

I have to say it.

“How dare you?” I cry out.

“How dare I what?” His angry eyes flicker between the road and me.

“How dare you blame Willow for that horrible piece of work.” I shake my head. “You need to apologize to her this very minute.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Unfucking believable. You have the emotional intelligence of a fish. It’s blatantly obvious that those girls were and have been picking on your daughter for a while, but you’re far too busy chatting up their mothers to fucking notice.”

“What?” he cries with incredulity.

“You heard me,” I shout back

“Do not raise your voice at me, and do not curse in front of my children.”

“Your children are not robots. Raised voices are perfectly normal everyday occurrences in families. Stop being so damn safe all the time.”

“I would rather be safe than a complete lunatic.”

I narrow my eyes. “Listen, you big baboon, I’m not afraid of your little high society sluts, and will not tolerate them bullying Willow under any circumstance. I don’t care how much money they have.”

He glares at me.

“And I am not about to buy their fucking coffee! How dare you not pull her into line about that? Do I look like a servant?”

He clenches his jaw as he drives. “Unlike you, I don’t like causing a scene.”

“Because you’re a wimp!” I yell. “Too scared of what everyone will think to defend your own daughter or your nanny.”

He glares at the road and grips the steering wheel with white-knuckle force.

The whole sky feels like it’s a shade of red. I can’t remember ever being this angry.

Fifteen silent minutes later, we arrive home.

I get out of the car. “Go and get changed, kids. We’re going out,” I announce.

The kids waste no time and quickly take off in the direction of the house.

Mr. Masters gets out of the car and slams the door. “I hope you’re happy with the dramatics you have caused.” He brushes past me.

“Do you know what that bully said?” I call. “I heard her. I heard her say it with my own ears.”

He turns to face me.

My eyes fill with tears at the sheer memory of it. Poor Willow. “She said that Willow’s mum probably killed herself just to get away from her. Do you have any idea what it would be like to hear that being said to you?”

He scowls, clearly torn between disbelief and hurt.

“You’re her father, for fuck’s sake.”

His face falls.

“You were going to ground her without a second thought,” I whisper in disgust.

His haunted eyes hold mine as he processes what has happened.

“They are picking on her, and you didn’t even bother to ask for her side of the story. You just believed them without question. What kind of a father does that to his daughter?”

He drops his head in shame.