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I shake my head, barking out a laugh. "You know it’s not that simple, Pops."
He steps further back and I notice that my father isn't in the room, which gives me pause because there is no way he would let my pops in here without him.
"Where’s Dad?" I ask as the boys shuffle into the room, moving straight to the drinks trolley.
"Your father had to step out on a call, which gives me a minute to say hello to you without him around. How's he been lately? I heard his latest plans for political power yet again. And I have to say, I'm not very impressed."
Yep, there goes the plan. I guess all I’ve got is the truth. All or nothing.
I take a deep breath and scrub my hand down my face. "Pops, if you had any idea of the crap that he's been up to… you'd lose your shit and I'm not prepared to give you a heart attack right now."
He frowns at me, his brow furrowing.
"Tell me what’s going on, Travis, and tell me everything because if you don't… I can't help. Why haven't you said anything in our conversations throughout the week?"
I deadpan at him and he laughs. "Like I said, old man, if I told you everything, you'd have had a heart attack, and then I’ll be left to deal with him on my own."
He lets out a hearty laugh, clapping his hand against my arm as Cole brings us both over a glass of amber liquid. I take a swig of the whiskey and enjoy the burn as it works its way down my throat. We all move to take a seat on the couches.
Taking a deep breath, I turn to face my pops, who is watching me expectantly.
"Come on, out with it. And don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter, son. I’ll know if you’re holding back."
I glance at the guys, our agreement to tell him everything passes silently between us. Briar was right earlier, this should have been our plan all along.
Taking a deep breath, I run Pops through Dad’s latest insanity, marrying Briar off to Cole, him working on St. Vincent's to gain even more holding via their contacts. Them trying to marry the twins off to other people. As well as the other insanity he’s had me trying to work on on campus.
Pops’s face turns more and more red the more I tell him, and this was exactly what I was afraid of. He leans back in his chair, and I can see the anger in his eyes as he grips his glass tighter.
"I think it’s time your father and I had a chat. Thank you, Travis. You boys shouldn’t need to be worrying yourselves about this. I’ll handle it, do you hear me?"
I nod at my pops, the guys mumbling their agreement before Pops stands.
"That's enough of that for tonight, and for the holiday season. Let’s get through Christmas and then I’ll handle your father, okay?"
"Sure thing," I respond with a nod. There aren’t many people in this world that I’d trust with my life, but my pops is one of them. The guys leave, but my pops puts his hand on my shoulder to hold me back.
"Tell me about this girl," he says with a raised brow. "I can see it written all over your face."
"I—" I start, and he shakes his head.
"We don’t lie to each other, Travis. It’s a deal you and I have always had."
I nod, looking down at my shoes before looking back up at him. "She is joy and light and everything that’s missing from my world. She’s fierce and loyal and sassy as shit. You’re going to love her."
His eyes light up as he smiles. "Sounds like I’m not the only one."
"She’s my stepsister."
He lets out a laugh and claps his hand on my shoulder once more. "And since when did we give a fuck about technicalities, kid?"
* * *
After watching the others drink more than they should and listening to my grandfather bitch out my dad for what was likely the last hour, I realize that we left Briar to the she-beasts of our families for probably too long. While Tobias will have tried to protect her as much as he can, I know all too well what those vapid socialites can be like.
After pointing this out to the guys, I drop a message to Tobias, who confirms she got swept away with everyone and they’re in the drawing room.
We find her sitting with my nana, her mom, and my uncle Bentley. I head straight for my uncle Bentley. It feels like forever since I saw him. He joined the Marines a couple of years ago and spent an eternity being away without being able to tell us anything that he was doing, and now he works as a PI for those rich enough to procure his special skill set.
