My personal phone rang, and when I saw it was my father, my head began to pound. Monday morning and my father. Twothings that sucked. The ringing stopped, then began again, and I grabbed it. “What?”
“Don’t you talk to me like that, you stupid fool,” he hissed. “Since when are you a fairy?”
Stunned, my gaze found Brenner who, sensing something was going on, moved closer. “What’re you talking about?”
“I got a call from a reporter who had a picture of you walking with a man. Said his photographer spoke to you this weekend, and you said”—he paused, and his voice dropped to a whisper but his drawl became more pronounced—“he said you sucked another guy’s cock. Is that what you are? A cocksucker? Queer? What the fuck is wrong with you? You’re doing this to sabotage me, aren’t you?”
Unbelievable. Everything revolved around him and his campaign. “Is that how you think I live my life? Dreaming up ways to screw you over? News flash,Dad, I don’t. I don’t think of you at all. I stopped caring about your opinions when I discovered you screwing other women while my mother was sick. You pig. What makes you so sanctimonious? It’s none of your business who I sleep with, but I’ll tell you this. He’s ten times the man you’ve ever been.”
“So it’s true. My only son, one of them. Thank God I’ve kept you away from Emily.”
My heart squeezed tight at his admission. “I knew it. You deliberately prevented me from meeting my little sister. What kind of monster are you? What father would keep his child from knowing her brother?”
“She’s innocent and too young to understand. I’m the best father because I’m protecting her from people like you. Paige wasn’t sure if I did the right thing by cutting you out, butshe will. Your mother coddled you, and this is the result. A weakling.”
My stomach bottomed out.
“Don’t worry,” I snarled. “I don’t consider you a father, so you can forget about me. You and your young wife can have more babies. Maybe you’ll have a son you actually love.”
I ended the call and threw my phone onto the desk, where it landed with a crash. Wary, Brenner put a hand on me, but I shook him off.
“West, I—”
“Don’t. Leave me alone. I have work to do.” I couldn’t fall apart. Not in the office with everyone watching.
The fierceness in Brenner’s glare was a palpable force, reaching through my hurt and anger. I wanted him to hold me but knew he couldn’t.
“So that’s how you deal with things? By shoving aside the people who care about you?”
“Bren. I—he blindsided me.”
“What exactly happened?” Brow puckered, Brenner’s gaze remained laser focused, but his voice gentled as he took my arm again. This time I let him. “Did he find out…about us?”
I sank into my chair, and Brenner parked himself on the desk. “Remember when we passed by those two guys posing for pictures and I made a joke about you not wanting me to lick your cone?”
His cheeks fired red. “Yeah.”
“Seems the photographer—who also works for a news outlet—took our picture. Of course they connected me to my father, and with the joke I made…” I blew out a breath. “So much for keeping it to ourselves.”
“Does that bother you? That people will find out?”
Before I could answer, there was a knock on my door.
“I have a nine a.m. It’s probably about them.”
Except it wasn’t.
“West?” Grady stuck his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but you might want to hear what I’ve got to say.”
“Already know.” I waved at him to come in. “This must’ve been what that call last night was about.” I explained it to Brenner, who shook his head in disgust.
Grady remained by the door. “There’s a blind item online about a presidential hopeful’s straight son having an affair with a man.” His eyes flickered between Brenner and me. “I’m assuming you two?”
“Surprise,” I said weakly with a rueful smile. “Or not.” Brenner raised his brows, and I shrugged. “We thought we were being smart, but Grady is smarter. He figured it out a while ago.”
Grady’s brow puckered. “Whoa, wait. How long have you two—never mind. That’s not the issue.”
“So what is? Who cares? I sure as hell don’t.” The initial panic had worn off, and I was in my I-don’t-give-a-fuck mode. I looked to Brenner, whose face reflected some concern. “But you do?”
