AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And we just happened to be in the closet with the drugs.”
“Next time, stay out of closets,” Dad suggested.
I thought of Matthew and his aversion to them. So much so that he didn’t even hang his clothes in the one in his bedroom. He insisted on having everything shoved into a dresser.
“Pretty sure it’s safe to say I will.”
Dad went on. “When I met with McClaren, I showed him all the proof I’d collected. I let him know in no uncertain terms that if he wanted to have a go at me in the press, I was prepared to do the same.”
I wasn’t naïve. I knew that meant more than just waving his receipts for the world to see. “You blackmailed him,” I deadpanned.
“Arsen—”
“Don’t Arsen me,” I spat, my back leaving the seat as I straightened. “I told you Matthew is not a pawn.”
“I realize that.”
“But that didn’t stop you from threatening McClaren with revealing his secret son he’s ashamed of and how he abused him.” My chest heaved. I was pissed and wanted to punch something. Preferably McClaren’s face.
“I did use that threat,” my dad admitted.
I made an angry sound.
“But, son, it would never come to that. Even if it did, Matthew would be the victim. No one would look at him with any sort of animosity.”
“But there would be pity. And an invasion of privacy. Making him relive old trauma. Connecting him with a scumbag piece of shi?—”
“Arsen!” Dad snapped. “It wouldn’t have happened. Yes, I showed my hand to McClaren. It was the only way to get him to back off. I understand you wanting to protect your boyfriend, but I needed to protect my son.”
“I don’t care about me.”
“And what would it do to him if you were continually set up and eventually caught in the press by something his father framed you for?”
I fell silent. He was right. Seeing me dragged and knowing it was because of his biologic would hurt Matthew in a way he didn’t deserve.
“I had to protect you. And by doing that, I protected him,” Dad said, voice gentling. “I understand my methods were not above board, but it had to be done. I never would have gone to the press as I threatened. I just needed him to think I would.”
I stayed silent, my heart thundering in my chest as I digested all of this.
“Son.”
“Did it work?” I finally asked.
“Yes.”
I blew out a breath.
Across the lot, Eli came out of the back door of the station. The second he saw my car, he threw up his hands in a what the hell are you doing gesture.
I grabbed up my phone, disconnecting it from Bluetooth and pressing it against my ear. “So it’s over, then?” I asked, shutting off the engine and reaching for my keys.
“For you and Matthew? Yes.”
“What does that mean?” I scrutinized, getting out of the wagon and slamming the door. I motioned to Eli that I was coming, and he shook his head and went back inside.
He could cue up my timeslot. We did it for each other all the time.
Dad sighed. I realized then how tired he sounded. I felt bad for giving him such a hard time but not bad enough to apologize for it. My father chose this path as a politician. He knew what it involved, and unfortunately, dealing with underhanded shit like this was not new.
