Page 134 of So I'll Know
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I shake my head and open my eyes. Jeremy is playing the part well. Too well. He refuses to look at me, staring out the window as we pass through darkened city streets, his mouth set in a firm line. One hand is on his waist, digging into his hip where his scar hides under his clothing, and the gesture breaks my heart.
It takes us about fifteen minutes to get over the lake to Bellevue, and then we’re herded out of the SUV and into my father’s building. The guy with the gun stands close to Jeremy’s back and glances at me like I might try something, but honestly, I’m not really sure what I’m walking into, so I have no intentions or plan other than to get Jeremy out of here so I can do damage control. I don’t even know if this is my dad’s doing; it reeks of Ryan Michaels.
We take the elevator up, but when we get off, instead of the meeting room, he takes us to the larger conference room and opens the door, pushing Jeremy through the entryway with a sneer. My blood boils, and I almost snap, my hands balling into fists. I think he can sense my rage because he turns with a smirk and waves at the door with his gun as if to say, “After you.”
The room is big, but doesn’t have any windows. Sitting at the huge oval table in the center of the space are my father, Ryan, and Regina. Sabrina and her father are at the far end.
Her head snaps up when we enter, and she looks at me with reddened but determined eyes. I give her what I hope is areassuring smile, but before we can sit, Jeremy stops short so quickly that I run into his back.
I have no idea what he sees that has him so shocked, but I grab his shoulders and lead him to one of the chairs, forcing him to sit. His face is bleached of color, and I notice that his hands are trembling in his lap before he clasps them together.
My father and Regina are bickering, but Ryan gives me an appraising look, and then his eyes connect with Jeremy’s and he winks.
What the fuck?
“Does someone want to tell me what’s going on here?” I snap.
My father turns his glare on me and throws a stack of photos in my direction. They slide across the table, coming to a stop in front of me and Jeremy. “I need you to explain these.”
I hear something catch in Jeremy’s throat when I see what they are: pictures of us all over the city. Some are taken in front of my condo, some near Jeremy’s apartment, and a few in random locations around Seattle. A few are of us kissing.
I look up at Sabrina, who’s trying to mask her panic.
Shit.
I know what I have to do and say to fix this. I school my features and look at my father coldly.
“Yeah, and?” I ask dismissively. Outside, I’m a picture of calm, but inside, my heart is shattering into tiny pieces.
My dad pinches the bridge of his nose. “What is this?” He gestures at Jeremy, who flinches at my side. “Are you gay, Marcus?”
I wrinkle my nose, a note of disgust coloring my voice. “No, absolutely not. Did you forget that I’m engaged to Sabrina?”
His jaw tightens. “I don’t understand.”
I shrug. Ryan and Regina are studying me like predators. “These pictures don’t change anything. I was just having a little fun before I’m tied down.” It takes all my willpower to removethe emotion from my voice. But Ryan’s eyes narrow as I talk, and I know I need to appeal to his depraved personality. “It was an experiment, and not to be crude, but a hole is a hole, you know?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jeremy flinch, and I hate myself. So fucking much.
“How can you treat my daughter this way?” Ben pipes up, his face turning a blotchy red color.
Ryan rolls his eyes. “C’mon, Ben, let the man have his fun. As long as they get married, where’s the harm? Did you think they actually fell in love that quickly?” I glance at my father, who’s regarding me shrewdly.
Is he disgusted knowing what I did with Jeremy?
Ryan looks between me and Sabrina, and something akin to pride reflects in his eyes, which is totally fucked up. But also, maybe Ryan is seeing me as less of a threat and more of an ally now, which would work in our favor. “Their arrangement benefits both our businesses regardless, which is obviously their intention.”
Ben starts to stutter angrily, but Sabrina cuts in. “Daddy, it’s okay. Mr. Michaels is correct.” Her voice is steady and confident despite the sadness in her eyes, and I nod slightly in thanks for her playing along. “I don’t care who Marcus involves himself with as long as he doesn’t renege on our plans. Though a bit morediscretionwould be nice.”
Everyone in the room falls silent. Jeremy is practically catatonic, but under the table, his fingers are digging into his hip so firmly that they’re white.
In this moment, despite my plans with John, I feel helpless. I want to comfort him and kill all these assholes one by one. But I can’t.
My father slams his fists on the table, and Sabrina and I jump. “It’s bad enough that Sebastian is some sort of sexual deviant, but I can’t have this sort of public behavior from afuture board member.” He leans on the table, his palms flat. “The media would have a field day, Marcus.” Ryan nods thoughtfully, as if he even wanted me on the board to begin with. “What were you thinking?”
I give him a firm look. “I apologize, but it’s an easy fix: It stops now.”
