Page 42 of Destined To Fall

His father? You’ve got to be shitting me. He didn’t. He can’t be…

“Son,” Max responds, his lips pinching in a tight smile.“Vivienne, always a pleasure.”

He gives me a pointed look, cracking the surface of my shock. I shoot Max a curt smile and shake my head. The infinitesimal movement doesn’t go unnoticed before he walks off without a response from Jeremy.

Jeremy.

His son.

Oh. My. Fucking.Fuck.

My heart skids around in my chest, and a million incoherent thoughts race through my head. I don’t know how to process this, or what to do about it.

His son.No…

I feel like I’ve been hit with a dumb stick. How was I so oblivious? Jeremy never said where he worked, or for whom, and I never asked. I didn’t think anything of them both being at the charity auction—half of Boston and this building were there. How is this…real? I have a lady-boner for my newest client’s son. Yeah, that’s not awkward at all.

If this is my karma, then she can go suck a—

“Shall we?” It’s gritted and cold, rousing me from my unkind thoughts. It’s so unlike Jeremy,I almost wince.

All I can manage is a nod. My head spins to the point of motion sickness as Jeremy takes my hand with force, pulling me out the doors, but thankfully avoiding the revolving ones.

“You remembered.”

“Hard to forget.” His reply is sharp, but his thumb brushes my knuckles, confusing me further.

I try to force some function back to my mind, but I overshoot the mark, because the next thing I know, my brain-to-mouth filter stops working, or breaks completely, and Iramble.The fear I might not stop any time soon escalates quickly.

“Okay, I’ve been as patient as I can. I can’t wait any longer. Spill. You’ve been keeping me in the dark for days, Jer. Come on, tell me. How did the presentation go? What did you wear? Was the video a success? Did you wow everyone? Did you secure the deal then and there, or do you still have to wait for a decision? Come on, don’t hold out on me, now. You owe me, remember?”

Jeremy stops before we enter the bar next door, his posture rigid. I freeze, wondering what I said.

“Who’s keeping whom in the dark, Viv?”

It came out so quietly, I almost missed it. Almost.

“Excuse me?”

He drops my hand and opens the door. I almost expect him to take it again, or guide me through the door, yet somehow, I’m not surprised when he doesn’t. Instead, he storms in, leaving me standing outside, lost and alone.Damn it.

“Jesus, Jer, where’s the fire?” I chuckle, but it sounds flat, forced.

I follow behind as he heads straight for an empty table at the back, sitting down stiffly.

“How do you know my father?”

Not one to beat around the bush, it would seem. I crumble into the adjacent chair with a sigh.“I don’t. Not really.”

He raises a brow.“Oh, so you kiss everyone on the cheek?”

“Maybe.” I didn’t think it was possible, but Jeremy bristles more.“Ikissedyou on the cheek the first time we met, remember? It was a peck. Nothing.”

He takes a deep breath, seeming to compose himself, but I don’t think it works. His eyes still blaze.“Can you give me a straight answer for once?”

“About what?”

“How do you know my father?”

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