Page 68 of Wicked Scandal

“Tell me this isn’t true, Wilder,” Dad says, disappointment in his tone. “Mrs. Jenkins is the current mayor's wife.” He’s telling me something I already know, but still, I listen because I’m in deep shit as it is. “Why would you even put her in that position? It’s completely unorthodox. I gave you this job because I trusted you were the right person for it. And all this time…” He shakes his head.

“It’s not true,” I tell him.

Rome steps up, positioning himself between me and Troy. “Don’t listen to a word this flake is saying, Dad. Mayor Jenkins is probably just making shit up to save his own ass.”

“Watch your mouth,” Dad snaps at Rome.

Troy steps up to Rome. “Listen to your father, kid,” he grits out with a curled lip. “Watch your mouth.”

Rome snickers. “I’ll watch my mouth if you wash yours. Your breath smells rancid.” He fans the air in front of him with a shit-eating grin on his face.

The next thing I know, Troy lets out a heady growl and lunges at Rome. Dad grabs him by the shirt and pulls him back just before he makes any physical contact with my brother.

“That’s enough,” Dad shouts as more people gather around us. He points a stern finger at Rome then looks at me. “I raised you better than this.” Then he looks at Troy. “And you’re a grown man who should know better. These are my sons! And I promise you one thing, you will not lay a finger on either of them!”

It’s not often I see my dad this fired up, and I’m sort of digging it. Even if much of his anger is directed at me. Aside from Cat being caught in the crossfire, I’m sort of glad this all happened. Now, all these people watching get a taste of who Troy Jenkins really is. A few even snap pictures, likely ready to hand them over to reporters.

“Watch your backs, boys.” Troy bares his teeth. “I plan to bury all of you.”

“You do what you have to do,” Dad tells him, keeping his composure. “And I’ll do what I have to do.”

Troy walks over to Cat and I listen as he says, “Get in your car and go straight home. Now! We need to have a little talk.”

Cat gulps and I can see the terror in her eyes. “Don’t,” I blurt out, unsure what to follow it up with.

Troy’s gaze snaps to me. “Mind your business and let me handle mine.” With that, he walks down the fence line toward the gate while Cat walks unhurriedly away. She glances back at me and I shake my head, terrified of what’s next for her.

“I have to go,” I tell my dad—as well as Celia and Elodie, who look to be in a state of shock right now.

I go to walk away so I can catch up to Cat, but Dad grabs me by the back of the arm. “You’re not going anywhere except home so we can talk about all of this.”

“It’s not what you think, Dad. Cat…err, Mrs. Jenkins is in trouble.”

“That’s not your business,” he stammers.

“But it is my business. Mayor Jenkins is not a good man. He’s…he’s digging into Rome’s past and how Celia dropped those charges last year. He plans to use it against you by putting his own twist on the truth.”

Dad shrugs, but I can see the fury in his eyes. “Let him. There’s nothing to find. Everything was handled legally. If needed, I’ll just come forward with the true story of those events. You can write the speech, without Mrs. Jenkins's help.” He rolls his eyes, displaying his disapproval of what I did. “I have nothing to hide, Wilder. Can you say the same?”

“He…he hurts her,” I blurt out, ignoring everything else he just said. There, I said it. The truth is out. Cat might be angry at me for it, but it had to be said. I’d rather her live her life hating me than not living it at all because her husband killed her.

Dad’s eyebrows cave. “What do you mean, he hurts her?”

I swallow hard, ready to lay it all out there. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone and open up the video I took last week at their house. I tap play, then hand it to my dad. As he’s watching, I explain, “He hits her, Dad. Hard. She’s practically a prisoner in her home, only allowed to leave for work. She had to sneak here tonight and now she’s been caught and there’s no telling what he might do.”

I turn my head momentarily, catching a glimpse of Cat’s car. Beside it is a very pissed-off Troy and who I think is the love of my life. He grabs her arm and she shrinks into herself. Before I can do anything, he rips open her car door and shoves her in so hard I see her head hit before she has the chance to duck.

I can’t take this. She can’t go home to him. His reddened face turns toward me and we lock eyes. He glances at the phone in my father’s hand and I smile. He pales slightly before walking over to his truck and getting in. I think I actually watch him debate on running his vehicle through the crowd just to hit me.

But all too soon, his tires screech and people watch as he disappears down the road.

I warned him if he touched her again what I would do. Now let's just hope I can save Cat before he has a chance to do anything worse.

Without a word to my dad—leaving my phone with him—I haul ass and jump the fence, running toward them.

CHAPTER 21

WILDER

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