Page 49 of Faithful

She tangles her fingers in my hair. “You look good like this. Keep it that way.”

“Okay. I will.”

We continue with some small talk without returning to the topic of my dead sister for a few more minutes.

It’s a pretend chat. We’re both pretending that there isn’t an elephant in this room.

A short while later, I say my goodbyes and head downstairs, worry worming its way through my chest.

“Dylan?” A familiar voice calls my name from the vicinity of Gavin’s study.

I come to a stop and turn my head toward the sound. Glasses is smiling at me from the shadows of the corridor. He’s dressed up as always. Expensive suit. Expensive shoes. A slick, shiny watch to offset the dark colors of his clothes.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I hope things are going well for you,” he says, dodging my question and moving a little closer.

I remain still in my spot.

“You don’t need to be nice to me on account of my father. He never was.” I give him the middle finger for good measure. “So drop the act, dude.”

He laughs. Fucking weirdo.

“Too bad you refuse to follow the family tradition. You’d be a great addition to the force.”

“You know what?” The rebellious streak in me has reached its peak. “Politics can suck my dick.”

I turn around, ready to leave.

“And is there anyone interesting suckingyourdick, Dylan?” Glasses asks quietly.

Fear slithers into my chest and hits my bones.

I freeze, my fingers slowly forming fists.

Glasses moves to stand in front of me. He’s short and round and positively unexceptional aside from the designer garb he likes to wear, but he’s somehow more intimidating than LeBron James on the court.

“Are you trying to say something?” I ask, my voice steady but my heartbeat isn’t. “Say it then.”

“Your father might not have been clear enough,” Glasses blurts out, looking up at me with his beady eyes. “But these trips you’re making need to stop.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I do know, I think. Nashville.

“Oh, you do, Dylan,” he croons as if he’s a fucking mind reader. “Your little rendezvous in Tennessee. Remember? The other weekend?”

Now I’m freaked. Kai paid for that ticket. So how did my father’s lapdog find out about it?

“Your point?”

“My point is that this thing you have going on with that young man has to end.”

“I’m an adult. I can see whoever I want.”

“I don’t think you understand, Dylan.” He narrows those creepy eyes of his at me and they all but turn into thin lines.

“And what are you going to do about it?”

There’s the kind of quiet in the room that makes my stomach shrink. His lips form a small smile, then he says, “Everyone has secrets if you dig deep enough. And that boy has a stellar career to be ruined.”

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