“Only because you know if you fire me, the tabloids will catch wind of how shitty a father you are.”
Dad’s raging but trying to contain it in front of Matt. He’s not a violent man. He barely shows emotion other than his usual stoic expression. The biggest thing he’s ever done was threaten to cut me off. But right now, he stands there with his face turning red, and he’s more than livid. It’s the first time in my life where I’ve wondered what would happen if I pushed too far.
“When are you going to get over what I did for you in college?”
He talks to me as if I’m the one being a petulant child, and well, maybe he has a point, considering my relationship with Matt is a ruse to piss him off, but I’m not the one trying to control my father’s life. No, that’s the other way around. Always has been that way, and I’ll be damned if I’ll continue to lie down and take it.
“What you did to me, you mean. Not for.”
“If that boy really was the love of your life, he wouldn’t have accepted a measly fifty grand and tuition to leave you. Especially when he knew how much we’re worth. Trust me when I say he”—he points to Matt—“will be no different.”
Matt makes a strangled noise at the back of his throat, and I freeze. I can’t move, and I can’t think of a retort other than a big fuck you, but I don’t know if it’ll be worth it.
So we continue to stand here staring at each other with nothing left to say.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Dad finally says and walks out the front door.
My gaze is locked on where my father had just stood and said the one thing that he knew would get me to back down. Of course, he’d bring up Nathaniel and play on my insecurities like that. It’s Dad. And it doesn’t matter if he has a point, because Matt and I aren’t real.
That doesn’t change the fact the thought of Matt accepting a payout to disappear fills me with gut-wrenching dread. I should be encouraging him to take it. Free money. A bonus parting gift.
When I’ve swallowed my anger, I meet Matt’s eyes. “Guess that was a total mood killer, huh?” I say, my mask of indifference back in place, even though my heart beats erratically in my chest.
“He bribed your boyfriend?”
Of course, he won’t let it go.
“Don’t want to talk about it.” I go toward the kitchen to wet my dry mouth with a glass of water but turn at the last second. “And if you tell Damon or Maddox what happened, this deal is done.”
“They don’t know? Does anyone?”
“Why would I tell anyone my boyfriend—the guy I thought I was going to end up with forever—thought I was worth fifty K?”
“Uh, so they could track him down and kick his ass?”
Damn it, his answer makes me smile. “He’s not worth it.”
“Is he why you don’t do real relationships?”
“Is your fear of being gay the reason you’re still a virgin?” I snap.
Matt’s mouth drops open, but he shouldn’t be surprised. I’m aloof on the outside and an asshole on the inside. Ask anyone. I take his silence as the opportunity to leave the room and get that drink.
Footsteps follow after me. “Don’t do that.” God, he sounds like Damon.
“Don’t do what?”
“Be an ass to change the topic away from your personal shit by trying to offend me. It won’t work.”
I chug the water. “I’m not discussing this with you. No, not even that—there’s nothing to discuss. Should’ve known better than to fall for the scholarship kid, and I was the dumbass who then followed him to college thinking my dad couldn’t do anything about it. Douche ex-boyfriend was a douche. Dad was a bigger douche. The end.”
Strong arms wrap around me, and with the simple touch, my racing heart falters and begins to calm.
“Who would’ve thought the thing we had in common would be daddy issues,” I try to joke.
“I’m sorry for thinking you had it easy because you have money.”
I run my hand over his thick forearm. “Things aren’t always greener.”
“I’m also sorry for all the douches in your life,” Matt says. “I promise I’ll try not to be one of them.”
Smiling, I lean back against him. “You’re not so bad.”
“When I’m not cranky, I know.”
“You know, sex is known to make a cranky man happy.”
Matt groans into the back of my neck, and his hips thrust forward, pushing his cock against my ass. “I’m up for it if you are.”
He really is up for it. I can feel him hardening.
“Guess we’re about to find out if you’re a top or bottom,” I say. He laughs against my skin, and I shiver. I close my eyes to enjoy the sensation.