“Why do you hate me so much, Dad?”
“Do as you’re told, Noah.”
“Is it because I’m gay? Does who I am really repulse you that much?”
“There’s no future with him. It’s time to grow up and accept your responsibilities for our family.”
Fire burns in my stomach, but I keep my mouth shut. I don’t want to make things worse for Noah.
He remains calm. “I spoke to Grandad on the way home. He’s agreed to pay for me to continue my studies. I’m not coming back to Perth.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Do I remind you of him?”
Carl’s face drains of colour. “Who?”
“David? Is that why you’re so desperate to change who I am? What happened to him?”
“He had no right to tell you about David,” Carl grits out.
“He didn’t. He just gave me his name.” Noah pulls me to the couch, and we sit across from his father. “Grandad accepts me for who I am. He always has. So why can’t you? Tell me what happened to David, Dad. Help me understand why you won’t accept me, your own flesh and blood.”
Carl drops his head. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Dad,” Noah pleads. “I need to know. I’ve been hurting myself for years because of what you did to me and Nathan. Help me understand why.”
He sighs. “David was my roommate at university. One night, he was caught with another guy, and these arseholes beat them within an inch of their lives. The other guy died from his injuries, but David wasn’t so lucky. He ended up a paraplegic with brain damage.” He lifts his gaze to his son, fear and pain etched in his eyes as his voice breaks. “I don’t want that to happen to you.”
Chapter 37
Noah
Istare at my father, seeing nothing but a stranger sitting in front of me. Zac squeezes my hand, and I swallow.
“This doesn’t change anything,” I mutter. “I’m sorry that happened to your friend, but I’m done hiding who I am, Dad. I’m gay. Zac is my boyfriend, and I love him. If you can’t accept that, that’s it. I can’t pretend anymore.”
“Noah—”
My hands tremble.
“What you did to Nathan is just as bad as what those guys did to your friend. You ruined a twenty-year-old’s future because you were scared of something that would probably never happen. How could you?”
Zac wraps his arm around me, and I lean into him, letting him ground me.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No. You were tearing me apart.” I shake my head. “Do you know how it felt to know I was the reason Nathan’s life was ruined? The guilt and shame you piled on me? How many times I thought about ending it all? That was all because of you, Dad. Not those homophobic arseholes, but you. My own father.”
A tear slides down my cheek, but I swipe it away angrily.
“I didn’t want to lose my only child.”
I snort. “Well, guess what? You did a pretty shit job of that.”
The front door opens, and Jasper’s and Dane’s voices fill the hall. Obviously sensing something serious is going on with me running off from training, their footsteps disappear upstairs and two doors close.
Dad clears his throat and stands. “I should go. Maybe we can talk more tomorrow morning?”
