“You’re awake,” Barrett said in surprise.
“I am,” I said. “I’m always awake, it seems. Why are you calling me from the study?”
“I can’t find my cell phone.”
“Hawk has it. He called me not too long ago. Is there something you want to tell me?”
Her breath hitched. “Tell you? Tell you what?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you could tell me why I found out about your fucking brain tumor from our seven-year-old.”
“How did he—I didn’t tell him!”
“The nannies were talking and he overheard. I called Sasha and he confirmed it. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
A horn beeped from the car behind me, but I wasn’t going to go faster. The rain was steadily sprinkling, and the conditions were getting worse. No doubt it would turn torrential soon.
“Was that a car horn?” she asked.
“Aye. I’m on my way home.”
“Home? But the press conference—”
“Gianna’s handling it.”
“Why are you driving home?” she asked. Her voice sounded far away and small.
“Shite weather for flying. Couldn’t get clearance to take off.”
“Oh.”
“I’m hanging up now because I have to concentrate on driving. But when I get home, you’re going to tell me everything. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she croaked. “I’ll tell you everything.”
“Like you should’ve done the moment you knew.”
She was silent for a moment and then she said, “I love you, Flynn. Drive safe.”
Chapter45
BARRETT
I setthe heavy vintage phone in its cradle, my heart galloping in my chest.
Flynn knew.
Flynn knew and I hadn’t been the one to tell him.
All I did was hurt him. I tried to shield him, I tried to protect him, and in doing so, I wounded him more.
The drive would take hours—hours of him stewing, getting angrier and angrier.
He was livid, and when he arrived, we were going to have it out. A verbal brawl.
I’d take it. Whatever he threw at me, I’d take it, beg him to forgive me for keeping it from him for so long. And then hope he understood my decision.
I thought about calling Sasha, but I didn’t have the reserves. He’d been put in an untenable position and out of loyalty to me, he’d kept my confidence. Only when Flynn had come to him did he finally speak the truth.
