Page 63 of Coming Clean

Connor swallowed and hispulse sped up. His instincts told him he did not want to hear whatDavid obviously hoped to tell him. “No.”

David nodded. “I thoughtnot.”

“Why should he?”

David shrugged. “He caresfor you. I thought maybe he would’ve shared something about hispast.”

“You don’t know me. Youhave no idea what kind of man I am, and yet you’ve decided I’m badfor Jeremy. Why?”

David sighed and saggedagainst the door frame. “You have a point. I’m making assumptions,and that’s not fair. God, you must hate me.”

Although Connor hadn’texpected such a concession, he wasn’t ready to make nice quite yet.“I wasn’t going to say it, but yeah, I do.”

“I’ve been Jeremy’s bestfriend since some of my so-called friends tried to beat him up inhigh school. I’m a bit protective.”

“Ya think?” Was Davidreally trying to help Connor understand where he was coming from,or was this some kind of manipulation?

“Silas is the only manJeremy’s had a long-term relationship with.”

Oh fuck.

“The bastard worked for myfirm. He’s suave, fashionable, and gorgeous. He can be veryattentive when he wants to be, and Jeremy enjoyed that for a while.But Silas only bothers to cultivate others if he thinks he can usethem. He paid court to Jeremy, knew just what to say to lure himin, but he wasn’t in love. He simply wanted a man he could take outand show off, and Jeremy is—”

“Beautiful.”

David inclined his head.“Yes. He’s also loyal and hard working, a good cook—”

“So Silas wanted a wifewith a dick.”

David cracked a smile.“Exactly.”

Connor had a nasty feelinghe knew where this was going.

“He wanted someoneconvenient, someone who would be there at night, who could becounted on to be by his side when he attended a firm function. Butsecuring Jeremy’s loyalty didn’t stop him from—”

“Sleeping around.” Connorwanted to find this guy and make him pay.

“Not just sleeping around.That would be bad enough. I knew something was going on, and I toldJeremy to confront the bastard, but he was comfortable anddetermined to actually hold on to a relationship when he’d neverbeen good at dating.”

Connor was growingimpatient. “What happened?”

“Silas wanted a promotion.He applied for a position at another firm, but the senior attorneysthere are very conservative. He stopped cheating on Jeremy withmen. When he found a woman willing to be his new prize, he declaredhe wasn’t really gay. He said that being with Jeremy helped him seethat it was a depraved lifestyle. He walked out on Jeremy and gotengaged.”

“Fucking bastard.” Connorwas going to take Silas apart. Piece by piece.

“That we agree on,” Davidsaid.

“Where is he?”

David smiled. “I sympathizewith your desire to rip his head off, but Jeremy would kill both ofus if I sent you after him.”

Connor’s rage had blindedhim to everything else, but suddenly, David’s motive in telling himabout Silas clicked. He was comparing Connor to that bastard Silas.“Do you really think I would fuck Jeremy over like that? Because ifyou do—”

David held up a hand “Ididn’t say that.”

“You wanted to.”

David shook his head.“No.”