Page 125 of His Secret

I rub my eyes and then sigh. “Maybe I'll do what I’ve been wanting to do since I was in college.”

His expression hardens even more, eyes narrowing. “Which would be?”

“Whatever I want.”

His nostrils flare. “We don’t get to do whatever we want in life. We do what is needed.”

“I feel sorry for you then. You’re clearly living a life you never wanted.” I cross one foot over the other as I lean into the corner of the countertops.

“I’ve worked very hard for the life I have, for the life I gave to you and your sister. And now you want me to hand it over to someone who doesn’t share my blood?”

“If you spent a little more time being a better father rather than being a businessman, then maybe I wouldn’t have minded working with you. But tell me, do you really think I’d want to work for or with someone who hates the person that I am? Who says vile things to me? I should want to work for someone who threatens me because they can? Who uses their power and authority to scare me into doing things?”

He’s quiet for a few seconds. “If you think you’ll always work for someone who is going to cater to your feelings, thenyou’re wrong. Every boss you have will be an asshole. Every supervisor has to use their authority to keep people in line.”

I give him a small grin. “See, that’s the problem. You’re not my boss. Or my supervisor. You’re my father. I only ever wanted you to be my dad—someone I could go to for advice and support. Someone I could be honest with. Vulnerable even. But you don’t allow that. I’ve never felt comfortable going to you for anything, and that’s not my problem. It’s yours.”

The shower cuts off upstairs, and both of us glance up when we hear the floor creak with her footsteps.

“So, you’re telling me this…thing. This—” He waves his hand in the air. “You’re telling me you have no interest in your wife.”

He says the last part in a quieter tone, and somehow it feels like he’s trying to protect my secret.

I stare at him, knowing this is just part of the journey I have to take. “You’ve always known the truth. Haven’t you? You hoped you were wrong. You hoped I’d change. Or keep up with the lie. But you’ve always known.”

He takes a deep breath and sighs, pressing his forefinger and thumb into his eyebrows, like I’ve just given him a migraine.

“You can’t tell her.” He meets my gaze and repeats it. “You can’t tell her. She won’t be able to handle it.”

“She’ll be fine. She has you on her side, apparently. And her own father. She can go home, and you two can watch over her. That’s your priority, right?”

He opens his mouth, but a door opens upstairs.

“How long are you in town for?” I ask.

“Not long. I have work to do.”

I nod my head. “Did you rent a car?”

Charlotte emerges from around the corner, wearing pajamas. “I got an Uber and picked him up from the airport.”

“I’m happy you both arranged this meeting without letting me know,” I say with a tight smile. “I’ll take you to a hotel,” I tell him, pushing away from the counter and heading to the front door.

“Adrian,” Charlotte says with surprise. “He can stay here.” She looks at my dad. “You can stay here. We have a?—”

“We have an air mattress that’s still in a box in the garage,” I say, cutting her off. “And a spare room that doesn't even have curtains up yet. He’s not staying there.”

My dad gives her a thin-lipped smile. “I’ll stay in a hotel.”

“Will you be coming by tomorrow? I can make lunch or maybe we can go out.”

My father smiles again, this time a little more genuine. “I’ll let you know. I may have to fly out in the evening, but I could probably do lunch.”

She nods once. “Okay. Yeah, let me know.” Her eyes slide to my face, but she doesn’t say anything, only turns away.

I grab the keys and walk out the door.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

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