He slid a check across the desk. Ten grand—he really was broke.Pathetic.
I laughed. Loud and cold. “Is that all your son is worth to you? Ten grand? That’s pocket change. You might be old money and bleed blue, but I was raised in the hills of LA by Hollywood royalty. Our coffers are lined with more money than you could ever dream of asshole. Youcan’tpay me off. You couldn’t afford to…” I let my words hang between us, turning the air in the room glacial.
His eyes narrowed, his face turning a mottled purple, like a balloon about to burst. “You arrogant little fuck?—”
“I did my homework,” I cut in and smirked for good measure. “And you’re broke. You’ve been bleeding money for years. You’ve been living off the illusion of power, but we both know illusions shatter.”
Timothy’s eyes widened, fear bleeding into his smug expression. His head snapped toward me. “Wait—what?”
Ignoring him, I kept going. “You’ve been laundering funds through Brookhaven for how long? Your board’s going tolovethis.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and flipped the screen. “Say hi to the mic.”
Astor lunged for me, spittle flying from his mouth. “You littlefaggot, you think this will?—”
Timothy caught him mid-lunge, holding him back with a gasp of horror. “Sir—Jesus Christ?—”
“You’re done,” I said softly. “The press will crucify you.”
“You don’t have anything on me,” he snarled. But I could see the fear bleeding through his ice-blue eyes.
“Even if Theo left me, even if we never spoke again, he’d still never crawl back to you. You’re nothing. Just a sad old man clinging to illusions.”
“And just so we’re clear,” I added, flipping him the bird, “I quit.”
I turned. Walked out and didn’t look back as I slammed the door behind me.
I found Thalia outside, collapsed against the hood of my car. She was hyperventilating, shoulders shaking, a cigarette trembling between her fingers.
“That was the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen,” she muttered. “Also… maybe the bravest.”
“I can’t lose you,” I said, throat raw. “You were all I had before Theo.”
Her mouth parted. A tear slipped free. “No one’s ever said that to me.”
“I mean it.”
She looked away, blinking fast. I gave her the dignity of silence. “You going home?”
I nodded. She exhaled, smoke curling around her like a ghost. “Can you give me a lift?”
“Of course babe. Just know I won’t Bonnie and Clyde it. We’re living to fight another day.”
“Thank you sinful.”
“For what?” I questioned.
“For being here for me, no questions asked.”
“We’re besties for the resties, T.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me as she sobbed softly, guiding her into the passenger seat of my car.
I hit the gas so hard the tires screamed. The neatly pressed gravel ricocheted off cars and sprayed all over the neatly trimmed flawless lawns.
The drive back to the apartment passed quickly. Thalia chain-smoked like the world was ending, passing me one every so often. Her perfect make-up was streaked down her cheeks. She was shaken and raw, but still gorgeous.
“What are you staring at?” she muttered when she caught me looking at her with a smile on my face, making me laugh. “Fucking tell me now, Sin, or I’ll stub the next one out on your arm.”
“Try me,” I goaded. She cuffed me around the back of the head when I stayed silent. “Jesus fucking Christ. Alright. Alright. I’ll tell you. But don’t go getting all puppy dog eyes on me.”
She snorted. “Well… spit it out then.”
