“But men can dress how they want and sleep with however many women they want and that’s just the accepted norm?”

“Men are the dominant gender, honey. Look at how ducks and chickens mate—the males practically gangbang the females. And that’s part of animal nature. The males do the conquering; the females are the submissives. Haven’t you ever wondered why women only have a narrow window of fertility, while men can procreate almost twice as long? Men are meant to spread their seed; women are meant to be our incubators. It’s just how it is; I don’t write the laws of human nature, I just observe them.”

“You’re not observing them, Owen, you’re twisting them to justify your caveman logic. You’re basically saying that Aria asked to be raped because she made herself vulnerable. But if women are the weaker sex, that pretty much means we’re always vulnerable.”

“Exactly. Now you’re getting it.” He patted my head like I was a good little doggie. “That’s why I always protect you—from the predators out there and from yourself.”

Of course he didn’t mean the predator in my own home.

He shook his head at me. We were both growing weary of this pointless Me Tarzan, You Jane conversation.

“I don’t want to get into this debate with you, because you won’t win, Mac. It’s futile. All I’m going to say is that as the mother, you’re the one who raised Aria. I don’t know where you went wrong with her, but she should have known better than to get drunk with a boy alone in a basement. If those are the kind of loose morals you’ve instilled in her, then that’s on you.”

My palm flew out and slapped him on the face. I only realized it after the fact when I pulled it back and felt the sting. I instantly regretted my mistake. His eyes widened in alarm—no, it was fury—but for once he knew better than to speak because my words were flying like darts at him now.

“I’m sick of it! I’m sick of how you’re blaming us! How dare you blame me or Aria for what Ryan did! That’s your daughter, you asshole. And I’m your wife. If you ever speak about her like that again, it will be the last thing you say.”

I couldn’t believe what I’d done. Standing there, naked except for a tattered pair of underwear, screaming at the man I dared never defy.

He lifted his hands in surrender. Had I won?