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I grab his wrist and shove his arm away. Turning to my son, I ask, “Did you send that picture?”
“You’re the one holding the phone.” Brett continues to rub his neck and take the occasional staggered breath.
His phone is locked. I grab his hand. Elijah rushes forward, ready to break us up, but I press Brett’s thumb to the screen and let go.
“Keep him away from me,” I direct Elijah, then move to the other side of the deck. Opening the text message, sure enough, the last one he sent is to Doc Shep. A photo’s attached. My stomach sinks.
“Thanks to you, I’ve got leverage for keeping Doc in my back pocket.”
“For what?
“Doc wouldn’t want this picture of his daughter to get out. It’s my backup plan. Just in case.”
“You can’t just use people.”
“Why not? You and mom do?”
“What on earth do you mean?”
“She said you used her to get through med school so she used you until a better offer came along. And you’ve never been into the dad thing. You just used me to look like a hard-working single dad.”
“I may not have been a good dad, but you got it all wrong.”
“Whatever.”
My thumb hovers over the screen. How did I go so wrong that my son would stoop to this?
My heart beats in my throat, making it hard to breathe. Hard to swallow the guilt I carry as Brett’s parent.
I have to know if the picture is what I think it is. Clicking the message, the crystal-clear photo fills the screen. It should be the most sensual thing I’ve ever seen. A piece of art I would hang in my private study. An intimate moment to be treasured.
Instead, it’s anger, fear, and loss. Of Madison. Of our threesome. Of Madison’s relationship with her father. Of Brett.
I’m crushed. There’s no time to grieve. I have to fight for the things that are most important.
With Elijah’s prompting, I give Madison time to clear out her dad’s phone, and I attempt to untangle Brett.
But when he’s in no mood to listen, I head next door.
Ten
Madison
Irushhome.It’smore than just to get my dad’s phone before he does. I’m broken.
The tears streaming down my face cause my fingers to struggle with the numbers on our keypad.
I try again.
How could Brett do that? Was he acting on what his dad taught him? Did both of the Hamptons use me? And Elijah?
Love at first sight is nothing but a girlish fantasy. I handed myself to them on a silver platter and they ate like kings. I rub my hands over my face before I type the code into our door for the third time.
The green light flashes and the lock clicks. With no sign of dad downstairs, I run up to his bedroom. It’s empty. I slump onto his bed.
Is he at the hospital making the world a better place while his spoiled daughter dabbles in depravity? He’ll be so disappointed. How can I convince him not to open the message? I fuss with the pocket in my skirt, trying to retrieve my phone.
I dial my dad. This is going to hurt. Later, if there’s any chance that Calli will listen, I really need her. Rock bottom looms in my future as I wait for my dad to answer.
