Page 11 of Unhinged

“She didn’t hold a damn gun to my head. But I didn’t leave.” Tears sodden his eyes.

“You had intercourse with Ali?”

“Well, fuck. I’m not a lab experiment, Vaughn. I finger-fucked Val’s daughter until she came like Santa Claus. She’s a lot to handle and a sex beast—Ali, not Val. Son of a bitch. Images flooded my head of Val no one should ever see.”

“No further explanation needed. So, you left Richmond because of this incident with Ali?”

“Why are you still here? Didn’t my mother kick you out?”

“No.”

“Then, she’s fired. You will not be my stepdad,” Rod slurs, and I can’t help but laugh about that scenario.

“You have my word.” He nods like I just put his mind at ease. “Is there a reason it only went that far?”

“Son of a bitch, you’re a prying fucker.” Rod laughs before it melts into a frown. “I didn’t want to fuck her. Like Shasta. They voided a fill.”

Now we’re getting somewhere, and I’m afraid I know where it’s going, and if so, it alters part of my plan. “What void? Do you have feelings for…someone?”

He hesitates, and tears trickle down his face, splashing onto his pillow. “Yeah.”

“I see. You and Ali were intimate. Your feelings for her are reasonable.” I need to let him fill in the blank. If I push too hard, conversation over.

“Get bent. You know who it is.” I do.

“I don’t. Is it someone you met at the party?”

Rod sits up on his elbow, wiping his wet face. “I’m in love with Hadley Beckett, you dense motherfucker. But you’d better not fuck my mother. Jesus, Harry, and Jonas.” He falls back to the pillow, hanging his arm over his face. Sometimes his mouth still surprises me.

“Oh. Then why did you and Ali…? Hadley was at the party. Did something happen?”

“I gave her an indecent proposal without the cash. Just shut up.”

“You propositioned her?”

“Use smaller words, Vaughn, or I’m going to sleep.”

“I’m trying to understand, and I don’t want to jump to conclusions.”

“Jump away, Frogger.” He sniffs and wipes his nose on his long sleeve. Looking around the room, I don’t see any tissues. Rod sighs and deters his gaze to the wall. “I asked her to screw me, so enjoy that mental picture. I wanted her to cheat on Wilder.”

“You wanted her to have an affair with you?”

“God save the queen. Get the hell on board. I’m not rebuilding the goddamn Titanic.”

I sigh. “I apologize. I’m trying to understand. How far have you gone with Hadley?”

He blows a deep breath slowly toward the ceiling. “Further than you have with any woman. You just want dick details.”

“I promise you, I don’t. Rod, are you having an affair with a married woman?”

“Why should I spill the tea, you sick bastard? You’ll run and tell everyone.”

“I won’t. It doesn’t leave this room.”

“But I wish you would.”

“Rod, please continue.”

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