Page 97 of When Kings Fall

At least, for the moment.

That was about to change.

Everything was about to change.

My father shoved a hand through his perfectly slicked back gray hair, a sign that he was right on the verge of flipping out, because he didn’t tend to touch his hair at all once it was set perfectly with all that gel. His espresso eyes that I’d inherited flickered with malice.

I could feel Colt and Brianna just a few feet behind me at the threshold of the mansion entrance doors.

It was enough to give me the initial bolstering that I needed as I sucked in a breath and walked out to meet my parents halfway.

I’d only just made it to them when my father bit at me, “What on earth are you playing at, boy?”

“I’m going to need some context.”

His eyes flashed. “Excuse me?”

I stood my ground and rebutted, “You heard me.”

“Mason!” my mom chastised, backing him up as usual like the weak-willed thing she was.

I ignored it and pushed my father, “Get to your point.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, you little shit. Why haven’t you been in school for days on end? And why did I finally find out from Lena Sharp that you’d left with her son? Are you vacationing together like a… like a couple?” Disgust marred his features. “I thought you’d made it clear to him that you were just friends, that you didn’t and would never share his proclivities?”

Unbelievable.

They would never accept me.

No, there was absolutely nothing to worry about saving here.

It was time to burn it all down.

“Colt and I actually spent time fucking on a regular basis. Now it’s all four of us who fuck around together. We have a girlfriend in the mix too that the three of us share beautifully.”

“Oh my goodness,” my mom choked, literally clutching her pearls right in front of me, her disapproval and nausea not hidden in the least.

My father took a step forward, his eyes narrowed. “This won’t stand, boy.”

“That’s just it, I’m not your boy.”

“You will fall in line, Mason. Or else, I’ll—”

“Leak that surveillance tape of me murdering somebody?”

“Murdering? What are you talking about?” my mom asked.

My father held up his hand to her. “Quiet. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

She shrank back. “Sorry, Pete.”

Urgh. Pathetic.

“And, yes, Mason, that is the consequence of defying me and veering off the life plan I’ve laid out for you.”

“Your life plan, not mine.”

“That doesn’t matter. You will follow it, return to college right now, and get back on track. You won’t return to living with Colton Sharp either seeing as though the unfortunate connection between you clearly can’t be quelled without me taking action. You’ll return to the frat house without him. Levi Knight is off the table too. Him and his father are the last sort of influences that you need. And as for this girlfriend of yours, whoever she is, that’s done with too.”

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