“I have no secrets from you,” Weston murmured to me. He addressed his father. “You can’t be here to pay me off because I have enough money that nothing you could offer would matter. So what is it? And please be brief, because we have company.”
Preston cleared his throat. “It’s very bad for my campaign that I’m at odds with my child.”
“Oh, Daddy, dearest. I didn’t know you cared,” Weston sneered. “And?” He folded his arms.
“But I can’t condone this…this situation you’ve decided to embroil the family in. So I’ve come to put this forward as a way to make it work: you and your…friend stay out of the public eye, don’t make any statements to the press—or better yet, you can state you’re single again. In exchange for that, I will let you see Emily as often as you want.”
Evil comes in all forms, but to use the love of a brother for his sister was so diabolical, so disgusting, I shook my head. “Jesus, that’s cold.”
“No one is asking you,” Preston snapped.
Weston had remained silent, and I waited, wondering what he’d say. Much as I knew he’d stand up for us, giving him the space to build a relationship with his little sister was paramount.
“It’s amazing that you’ve managed to prove you’re a worse person than I’d even imagined. You’ll do anything to win this election, even use your children. What an awful, terrible man you are.”
Preston cleared his throat. “We both get what we want. I don’t see the problem.”
Face filled with thunder and eyes blazing, Weston advanced on his father. “You don’t, but I do. Your threats won’t work on me, old man. God forbid someone like you becomes president. You have no feelings for anyone else, and you’ve just proved you’ll do and say anything to get what you want. And what’s worse, you’ll use coercion and lies.” His lips thinned. “Not a good look for you.”
“So you’ve made the decision that your sex life is worth more than Emily. I should’ve known.”
A flush rose over Weston’s face, and his hands balled into fists. “Don’t you ever say that. I love Emily. But I won’t be bullied or blackmailed into pretending I don’t love Brenner. I’ll never deny him.”
“You stupid fool. You’d have the world at your door. You could be president one day if you’d only see it my way.”
“What way is that?” Bill called out from the opposite side of the room.
“Who the hell are you?” Preston demanded.
“I’m Brenner’s father. And you better not threaten either one of them.”
Preston snorted with laughter. “Now who’s threatening whom? What do you think you can do about anything?” With an arrogant smirk, he gave his back to Bill who, to my surprise, grinned.
“I might not’ve gone to fancy schools, but I watched enough television to know what to do.” He held up his phone and hit the screen. A video appeared, and Preston’s voice came out of the speaker.
“But I can’t condone this…this situation you’ve decided to embroil the family in. So I’ve come to put this forward as a way to make it work: you and your…friend stay out of the public eye, don’t make any statements to the press—or better yet, you can state you’re single again. In exchange for that, I will let you see Emily as often as you want.”
Bill silenced the video and walked to Weston and me as he talked. “So here’s how I see it goin’ down. You’re gonna let Weston here see his little sister, and you ain’t gonna make him and Brenner hide that they’re together.”
Preston grew red. “Are you blackmailing me?Me?”
Holding tight to his phone, Bill crossed his arms. “What’s good for the goose, ya know? Now whaddya say?”
“How do I know you won’t use this against me for anything else?”
“Well, now, I guess you don’t. But see, here’s the difference. Unlike you, I love my son and I’d never do anything to hurt him, or Weston.” Bill glared at Preston.
The senator adjusted his shirt cuffs and huffed. “You can arrange all correspondence regarding Emily with Paige.” Without another word, he walked out of the apartment.
Weston’s shoulders slumped. “Thank you. That was…wow. I’ve got nothing.”
I hugged Bill. “Thank you. Where did you learn about doing that?”
“I told ya. I watch a lotta television.FBIandLaw and Orderare my favorites.” He snickered.
Weston hugged him. “Thank you, Bill.”
“That’s what you do for family.”
