I head for my bedroom, not giving a shit about my father. I throw the door open with a slam, and the emptiness is morethan apparent. Jacob’s suitcases and duffel are gone, the bed still unmade.
Though I can see him plain as day, tangled up in the sheets like a ghost as the memories resurface.
“Aaron!” my father bites.
“This is your fault!” I sneer, turning around in my room, glaring at my father.
“My fault?” he gripes. “I didn’t force you to hire a—” He gulps, the disgust evident on his tongue. “To bring an escort into our home and—”
“He’s a professional date! Not an escort! And besides, you gave me no choice! What was I supposed to do?” I yell. “Every boyfriend I’ve ever had, you snubbed your nose at, refused to acknowledge, just as you refused to accept that I’m not some… some fucking Prince Charming!” I snap. “All I have ever done was try to be good enough for you! But nothing I ever did—not the properties I managed or the charity work I’ve done, or the connections I’ve made…none of itmeans anything to you if I’m not some picture-perfect husband with a goddamn picket fence!”
“Do not put this on me,” my father growls. “I have only held you to a higher standard, Aaron, because you are myson.You will always be held to a higher standard, in this house and outside of it, don’t you understand that?”
“Oh, but Garrett was a choice?” My voice is so loud the windows shake.
“Garrett, the manipulative, conniving son of a bitch who you’ve been complaining about for I don’t know… since the dawn of fucking time?”
My father steps up to me, his gaze furious. “I thoughtyou,of all people, would have rejoiced at the idea of a merger, considering you were having an affair with the man for twenty years.”
My blood runs cold. Because it’s the harsh way he says the words. It’s the fire in his gaze.
He knew. All this time, he fucking knew, and he never said a word.
“You knew.” My voice shakes as I look up at him. My father’s always been a formidable presence, but now, I can’t help but feel exposed in an entirely new way.
“Of course,Iknew,” he seethes. “You're my son. You think just because you two were colleagues of the same sex, rubbing elbows at events that no one would suspect? That hiding in Tempest hotels and leaving early from parties and keeping me and your mother at a distance would cover up your lie?”
He sneers. “If you had been honest with me, Aaron, about your intentions, about your feelings for Garrett—”
“I have no feelings for that asshole,” I snap. “I never did.” I scowl at my father. “Garrett Tempest was just…”
I let out a heavy sigh. What could I say? It wasn’tjustthe sex that kept me spinning the wheels for two decades. It was that Garrett was the closest thing I had to a friend, the closest thing I had to someone whocared.About me. Someone who knew the real me and continued to show up, even if it was purely for sex. In a way, that was better, because I knew at least he didn’t want my money. Just my cock.
And for a while that was enough. Until it wasn’t.
Until I grew tired of empty fucking and forced submission.
Fuck, does that make me an asshole? Because I wantedmore?
Not from Garrett, but from someone. Was it wrong to want those things from someone else when I knew I’d never get those things from a man who didn’t value actual feelings? A man who purposely hurt the people he’s supposed to love?
“See, that’s what your problem really is. You don’t give a fuck about anyone butyou.You think you deserve to be CEO? Of this empire I built from the ground with my own fuckinghands? Because you’re ruthless and ambitious and resourceful?” He shakes his head. I know he’s bitter right now, but I’ve never heard him say anything like that. Refer to me as anything but a giant pain in his ass.
But I don’t have time to process his momentary praise, no matter how venomous it is, because he fixes his angry gaze on me.
“Because you're simply my son.” He looks away from me. “As if blood alone makes you deserving.” Travis comes to stand beside him, offering me a sad, guilty gaze. My father crosses his arms, turning back to glare at me.“But you don’tcare,Aaron.You say you do, but you don’t give a shit about this company. You don’t give a shit about anything except yourowndamn feelings!”
“Tony—” my mother snaps. “That’s enough, Aaron has always—”
“Look at the man’s history! All he’s ever done is what was good forhim—never for us or his family, or this company. He left, for God’s sakes, Bets!”
“Are you fucking serious, right now?” I lunge towards him, but he doesn’t move. Instead, I feel my mother’s hand on my arm.
“Aaron,” my mother’s soft voice pulls me from my panic. “Don’t.”
My mother’s eyebrows furrow. “And you!” I look at her, the tears pooling in my eyes.
“You're no better, Mom. Every boyfriend I ever had wasn’t good enough for you. And every fundraiser or event, every opening or ribbon cutting, I went above and beyond, but you never once stood your ground. You told me it was my life and my choice, but you dismissed every boyfriend like they were last year’s handbags and not once have you ever come to an opening of mine. You’ve never so much as blinked atmychoices, until now. Until I brought—”
