Page 94 of Bidding War

“That I do not know. He did not speak much on the matter. Only no more ride-alongs. I do not know if he wishes you to learn other parts of the business or if something else is happening. He has been agitated. A little erratic?—"

“For how long? Why haven’t you told me?”

He glances toward my injury. “Why, you think, eh?”

“Fine.” But it’s not fine. I hate that I’ve been sidelined like this, and worry creeps in like a thief in the night. “Moss, are there … worse things that get done in my father’s name? Things that not even you do?”

“If there are, I do not know of them. Do you think he will send you to do worse things after what happened to you?”

“He’s Elliot West. I think assuming I know what he’s thinking will only get me into trouble.” It always has in the past.

But Moss shakes his head. “I do not think so. This has shaken him. That is why he is agitated, I believe. A father seeing his child this way … it is bad for him. If someone did anything like this to my girls … ” Just starting that sentence, Moss’ face goes so cold I might freeze in front of him. “Erratic behavior would be best thing that would come from me, were that the case.”

“Understood.” But my father isn’t sentimental like Moss. He has been blackmailing me for months. That’s how I got into this mess. If he wanted to protect me, then he never would have gotten me in this in the first place.

“You and your father, you have differences. But he is still your father. That does not change. And like I say before, he is not the kind of person I used to work for. There is good in him. Deep, deep, deep down. I know it is there. Something like this brings out the good in people. You will see.”

“I really do wish I had your faith in that man.”

He smiles and gently pats my shoulder. “He will give you a reason to have faith in him. Until then, trust in Moss.”

I chuckle. “Unlike him, trusting you has never failed me. So, I can do that.”

He grins. “Good. This will bring family together. You will see.”

How did a man with his life experience end up this naïve? I have no idea. It’s sweet in a way, but it leaves me on less than solid ground.

I cannot stop catastrophizing about this. Moss is a heavy hitter. If Dad is doing things he doesn’t include Moss in on, how bad are they? And if that’s the case, what terrible thing is he going to blackmail me into next? That’s the worst part about being blackmailed by my own father. Not the fact I’m being blackmailed—that happens all the time in business. It’s that it’s my own father and his endless hoops I have to jump through to keep him happy, all the while keeping the blackmail detail to myself in front of other people.

Mom thinks he’s just teaching me a new skill set. She never mentioned the fact he is blackmailing me into this life. As much as I would like to tell her that, I don’t want to put a target on her back. I don’t think Dad would hurt her, but the more she knows about the business, the worse things could be for her. It nearly knocked the breath out of my lungs to hear her speak as openly as she did about it in the first place.

At least I know she likes June, and she’s on my side about that. Sort of.

If I’m not riding along with Moss, he will have me doing something worse. I can feel it. He wants to punish me for being with June. For everything I do, he doesn’t approve. For still breathing.

He’s never been fond of me. Eldest son or not, it’s never mattered to him. I’ve always been what everyone else is to him. Set dressing. We are his pawns he moves about the board to maintain his tragic kingdom. That’s why he doesn’t like June. He can’t control her.

It’s not why I’m with her, but it is a definite bonus.

I want to start my life over. Why is no one passing out do-overs when you hit adulthood? I want to take June and run away from everything and everyone. To live a life free of all the trappings of the West name.

A nice fantasy, but one without teeth, and I know it. Deep down, I know it. I am Anderson West, son of Elliot West and the future CEO of West Media. This is the hand life has dealt me, and I must play it. I will play to win.

As much as he has declared me heir apparent, he has always driven home how little he thinks of me. His slights, his threats, his comments, all of them have been to mold me into what he thinks I should be. Now, with June as an excuse to drive that home further, there is no telling what he will force me to do. All I know is I better get ready.

49

JUNE

After Mosses last visit to Anderson’s apartment, things are quiet for a time. It’s nice getting to wake up next to him every day. In fact, it’s one of the best parts about living with him. He always wakes up rumpled and innocent-looking, and I can’t help but fall in love with him again right then. Even though we both know it’s temporary, I can’t help but think about it on a permanent basis. Living with Anderson has been challenging but rewarding, too.

He's not the world’s best patient. He started out that way, but now things have been getting easier, so he forgets to do his exercises. I’ve even gotten an eye roll out of him on the matter. But he doesn’t refuse, and he doesn’t complain when I give him a nudge. Things could be far worse.

He could be dead.

Anytime we disagree about anything, it is hard not to think about how I could have so easily lost him. One night, I had a nightmare about what he went through, and he woke me up to comfort me, asking about why I was screaming in my sleep. I lied. I didn’t want him to feel guilty. So, I said it was one of those nightmares where you show up naked to class, and he smiled and went back to sleep. I lay awake the rest of the night, holding his hand.

So, living together has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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