Page 54 of On One Condition

“I have to talk to her. I have to—”

“Like hell you will.” He picks up a paperweight off the desk, and I swear for a second, I think he’s going to throw it. But he just stands there, gripping it in his hand. “Do you have any clue where I’ve been for the last hour? I’ve been at their farm. Negotiating. Begging. Trying to prevent that grandfather of hers from pressing charges against you. Trying to fix what you fucked up.”

I’m too overwhelmed to ask the questions I should ask. Why was he at the farm in the first place? Why was he even talking to Pop?

Nothing makes sense other than the fear and confusion rioting inside of me.

Pop knows me. Asher and I have been friends . . . more than friends, for three years. He knows I’d never do anything to hurt or disrespect her. I love her. He has to know that.

And Asher. There’s no way Ash said that I rap—

“We are leaving Cedar Falls tonight.”

“No—I—”

“You don’t get to have a say in this. Is that understood?” His voice is calmer now, but it’s cold as ice as I stare at him like a deer caught in the headlights. “We are leaving Cedar Falls tonight. You must never contact her again—in any way, shape, or form. Not a goodbye. Not an explanation. Not a fucking peep to her or anyone else about this—including your brothers.” My eyes flash up to his. The man who always preaches my brothers need to be my everything is now telling me to hide this from them? To lie to them? “If we do all of those things, Mr. Wells has agreed not to press charges.”

I choke over a sob I don’t want to let out. My hands tremble, but I nod in agreement. What else can I do?

“If at any point you break this agreement—your silence—in any way, he will move forward and contact the police.” He takes a long pull on the glass of Scotch in his hand before looking back at me. “And I mean ever. There is a ten-year statute of limitations so remember that. Pretend she never existed. Pretend this summer never happened.”

My entire body trembles. All I can think about are the what-ifs. The how did this happen. The I can’t go to jail.

Tears spring in my eyes as my whole body rejects everything he’s telling me.

This can’t be happening.

This. Can’t. Be. Happening.

“Ledger. Son.” His voice gentles as he puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I’m not sure if it’s the sudden affection when I’m so goddamn scared, or just all the emotion in the moment, but the first tear slides down my cheek.

Sharpe men don’t cry.

“Dad. I’m sorry.” The tear turns into a sob. I’m terrified. I’m overwhelmed. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t . . .”

He squeezes my shoulder again, his face somber, his eyes laden with a disappointment I’ve never seen or felt before from him. “I fixed this, Ledger. I fixed this and, so long as you do everything I just told you to do, it’s over.”

But it’s not.

Asher.

I love her.

He picks up my cell phone I threw on the couch when I walked in and starts messing with something. I’m so distracted in my own thoughts, in my own disbelief, that I don’t think anything of it until he hands it back to me. “There. She’s been erased. Her texts. Her phone number has been blocked. Her emails erased.”

“Dad?” I ask it like a question because there are so many things I want to ask—do you still love me? Is this really going to go away? But I didn’t do anything wrong.

He puts a hand up to stop me from saying anything else before moving toward the door.

“Get yourself together before you walk out of this room. You’re a man. A Sharpe. Stop crying and act like one. Get packed. The jet is fueled and ready on the tarmac. A car will be here for us in thirty minutes. I’ve had an emergency call regarding some business dealings and have to get back to the city.” He looks at me and nods to make sure I understand the story. The lie. The cover. “The matter is closed. The girl is dead to you and never to be brought up again.”

When he walks out, I just stare after him in a daze.

How is this happening?

How will I ever make it right?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN