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Dad stood and crossed his arms. “It’s not your concern.”
“She’s my sister, it is my concern. And I’m really confused because I thought I just heard you tell your daughter to…” He gagged and shook his head. “I can’t even say it.”
“It’s business, Austin. If you want to run this company someday, you’ll realize sacrifices need to be made sometimes.”
My brother stared at Dad like he wanted to punch his face in, and with a disgusted sneer, he walked until he was toe-to-toe with him, then pointed at me. “I don’t want this company if that’s what’s expected. Paris, button up your shirt and go home.”
“Don’t fucking move, Paris,” Dad growled, then inched in closer to Austin, who was a couple of inches taller than him. “This is the way of the world, Son. Paris has been here a little longer than you, so she gets it. She does what’s expected and doesn’t bitch and cry about it. Time for you to grow a pair and man up.”
“You think treating her like that makes you a man?” Austin challenged. “You’re sick. Fuck this, I’m gone. Paris, let’s go.”
“Austin, it’s fine. Seriously.” I tried to calm him down, but Dad talked over me.
He got that look on his face, the sinister smile, a glow in his eyes, the look that said he knew he won. “You walk out that door, Son, might as well head straight to the police station.”
“Oh no.” I gasped. This was not good.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Did you think to ask that cute little number how old she was?”
His eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Who?”
“Does poppin’ her cherry ring a bell?”
“What are you talking about?”
“She was sixteen, Austin. You were eighteen.”
I sighed and looked down at my feet, knowing there was nothing I could do. I tried to protect him from this, but he was nineteen, now, going to college to get his degree and learning the ropes in his spare time. And unfortunately, also getting a lesson in blackmail. Welcome to the club…
“You’re crazy.”
“And you’re a rapist.”
“Are you serious right now?” Austin asked in shock. “She was my girlfriend. I didn’t rape her.”
Dad shrugged. “Statutory rape is up to twenty years in prison. Your call, but if you make the wrong one, be prepared for the consequences.” He barked my name. “Go. Howard’s waiting in his limo outside. Don’t come back until you get him to sign.”
I tried to assure him I was okay as I passed him with a smile, but his fists were clenched, and his eyes were hard, and I hated that he had to see me this way.
“Oh, and Paris. I want Austin to be lead. Make sure you turn the contract in to him. He’ll be at his desk until then.”
I nodded and pulled the door open, then went to the elevator. And when I came back an hour later with the signed contract, I couldn’t look at my brother as I dropped it on his desk.
“We never talked about it,” Austin said, pulling me out of the memory. “I never told anyone, not even Piper. I should have tried harder, but I was a fucking kid. I was nineteen, and I was scared.”
“As you should have been.”
He tilted his head. “I wanted to talk to you about it, though, but whenever I tried, you wouldn’t even hear me out, then you’d get pissed and pretend I didn’t exist for weeks, sometimes months. I wanted you in my life, so I kept my mouth shut even though I knew you were miserable.”
“I was never mad at you. I was trying to protect you.”
He scoffed. “I didn’t need protecting from him, not anymore.”
“I’m glad. I’m happy for you. You’ve got a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, Aubrey’s great and you’ve got a kid on the way. You deserve it.”
“But I don’t have my sister.”
