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“No,” he sounded shocked. “Brad, and Lewis, and Seb, they just took me out like I don’t matter anymore.”
Brad, Lewis, Seb… well shit. Social media was a horrific thing for kids, taken out of chat groups, bullied. I couldn’t even imagine the weight of it, but those three—entitled assholes all—had been Fox’s closest friends back at Grovewood. I never asked if he was still in contact with the old group—just assumed he’d moved on, all kinds of healthy—when he joined the new school.
“I’m sorry, Fox. Maybe it was a mistake.”
His shoulders shook again. “They told me. They said Papa… they said…” He sobbed some more, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine what those little shits had sent Fox about Briggs. “They didn’t want my name anywhere near theirs. That I wasn’t worth the crap they had to deal with because ofhim.”
I doubted that was what it said, for all that private education and money, I bet there were a lot more hateful things that were said than not wanting Fox’s name near them.
“Well, fuckthem,” I announced, and the curse was enough for Fox to glance up at me, his eyes swollen.
He stared at me as I cursed, and I wondered if maybe I’d shocked him out of the pain, but then he crumpled again. “I don’t hate you,” he said, and threw his arms around my shoulders. “I’m sorry. Youaremy dad. Myonlydad. I love you.”
I hugged him tight. “I know, sweetheart.”
“I hate howthat manruined everything.”
That man. His dad. His biological dad. My ex.
Leaving Columbus had been nothing but sacrifice for Fox—leaving behind his private academy, his close-knit circle of friends, and the only life he’d known, not to mention his papa. Briggs’s actions had not only destroyed his own world, but had broken our life in Columbus beyond repair, especially Fox’s. Anyone would find it too heavy of a burden to bear, especially a teenager whose entire existence was formed from chaos and emotion, not to mention the fact that his father was disgraced.
“Fox,” I began, choosing my words with care, “what your dad did, it’s not your fault. You’re not responsible for his mistakes. And it’s okay to be angry that those kids shut you out because of him.”
He looked up, his eyes searching mine for answers I wasn’t sure I had. “I know, Dad.” He sniffed, and I reached for the ever-present bedroom tissue box, awkward given that Fox was hanging off me. I passed him the box, and he released me to blow his nose, tears still falling.
Tears that had been a long time coming.
“How do I make it stop hurting?”
I reached out, placing my hand over his. “You can talk to me, any time, and it’s good to let things out, and you know what?”
“What?”
“It’s okay to cry.”
Fox leaned into me, his body trembling with suppressed sobs. I held him close, offering whatever comfort I could until after a while he stopped crying, but didn’t move away from me.
“What if Clarke and Ainsley do the same thing? What if they decide I’m not worth it to be friends with me?”
I wanted to reassure him that they would never hurt him, but I didn’t know that, so I gave him the best that I could. “Then they’re not your friends in the first place.”
We hugged a while longer, his face buried against my chest.
“Dad,” he mumbled, “can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
Fox’s voice was small, hesitant. “Is it okay if sometimes I hate Papa?”
Was it okay to hate the man who’d hurt his son, lied to us, and destroyed everything? I wanted to say hell yes, but the one thing I’d always promised was that I would never badmouth Briggs in front of Fox, in case, one day, Briggs realized what he’d lost in Fox, redeemed himself, and wanted a place back in Fox’s life. So, I modified my answer.
“It’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling, Fox,” I said, with gentle care. “Anger, sadness, or whatever.”
Fox nodded and leaned against me, seeking comfort. “It hurts so much, Dad.”
“I know.” And I did.
“What if Clarke and Ainsley find out about who he is and what he did, and all that stuff in the papers? They’ll hate me.”
