She pulled something up on her phone screen. “I need you to understand that she was going to print the story with or without my input.”
“What? Who was?” he asked, not following. Then it hit him. “That reporter. Did she print the story about my DUIs?” He couldn’t blame her. It was a great story. But still. “Way to kick somebody when they’re down,” he muttered.
“No. Well, not exactly. She went after the much bigger story.”
She turned her phone screen toward him. On the front page was the headline: RED FAVORS BLACK AND BLUE. The headline made no sense until he saw the line below. Explosive Abuse Allegations against GOP Senator. Below that was a picture of Wyatt’s back, covered in red welts. Wyatt was going to puke. Somebody had clearly taken the picture without his knowledge. It was from five years ago, after a house party incident where Monty had caught Wyatt making out with a boy named Jaden. He’d beaten Wyatt with his cell phone charger.
Wyatt’s gaze jerked to Charlie, setting off an electrical storm in his head, his stomach sloshing. “How did she get that picture, Charlie?”
She dropped her phone into her lap and took his hand. “You refused to tell anybody what your father was doing. Whenever I could, I’d take pictures of your bruises. Just in case. Nobody believes the victim without pictures.”
“You gave her that photo?” Wyatt’s face flushed, his heart sinking.
“She was going to print the story about your DUIs… but then she was eavesdropping on you and your father in that conference room. She recorded you two. She heard enough to confirm you were gay, that Linc and you were a couple… by the time she came to me and asked for a statement, the news of your accident was everywhere.” As Wyatt listened, a strange sense of peace washed over him. Maybe it was the meds the nurse had given him kicking in, or maybe he was happy he didn’t have to lie anymore. But Charlie wasn’t done with her confession. “When she said she was going to print what she knew, along with your DUIs, I offered her proof of his abuse—photographs, incidents I’d seen—in exchange for her keeping your record under wraps.”
“So, the world knows I’m gay?”
“She didn’t explicitly state it, but once the article hit, some guys you’ve hooked up with in the past were hot to out you online.”
Wyatt laughed, then winced. “God, why does my throat hurt so bad?”
“Because you haven’t had anything to drink since before your surgery.”
“Surgery?”
“Yes, you idiot. You almost died. They had to take a vein from your leg just to fix your arm.”
Wyatt groaned. There was nothing he could say to defend himself. “I suppose my father has disowned me?”
Charlie snorted. “Your father is too busy trying to stay out of prison.”
“Prison?”
She shook her head. “You don’t get it. He assaulted you, Wyatt. You have photographic evidence… dates, times. Well, I do.”
What was she getting at? “I’m not sending my dad to prison.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, do us a favor and don’t tell him that because it’s the only thing keeping Lincoutof prison.”
Wyatt’s pulse skipped. “What?”
“Yeah, Linc may have kinda, sorta beat the shit out of your father in the waiting room while you were in surgery.”
Wyatt couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “He did?”
“That man loves you more than he loves his freedom. He would have happily gone to prison, hell, he would probably die for you. He’s a smitten kitten. Thank God my parents have excellent attorneys. A littlequid pro quokeeps Linc out of jail and your father from being charged with multiple counts of assault.”
“He loves me…” Wyatt said, the words foreign on his tongue.
“There’s somebody else here who loves you too…”
He frowned. “You?”
“Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant.”
Charlie stood and left without another word. A metallic taste flooded Wyatt’s mouth, his anxiety pumping adrenaline through his veins until he was light-headed. When the door opened again, Charlie was pushing an old wicker wheelchair. “Nana?”
Charlie parked his grandmother as close as she could. “I’ll let you two talk alone.”
