Page 47 of At His Wife's Behest

“You disgust me.”

“Sorry I couldn’t be the carbon copy you wanted but thank heavens I’m not. Goodbye, Dad.”

He escaped his parents’ home, hearing his father screaming his name behind him. Outside, he slid behind the wheel of his SUV and took a deep, shuddering breath. His hands shook on the steering wheel, but he couldn’t sit long. He needed distance between him and his father.

Nearly home, he got a call informing him that he was no longer employed. Smiling to himself, he knew he had no right to be happy. His entire world was on the edge of destruction.

What comes after destruction?

Rebirth.

Before he even realized it, he was sitting in the parking lot of Allton Academy. He hadn’t considered how the news might impact Connor when he’d blasted his father. After checking into the office, he made his way to Abigail’s class. He peeked in, catching Connor’s gaze. Connor glared a moment before walking out into the hall.

“What is it,Mr. Rhodes?I have a class to teach.”

“I wanted you to hear this from me,” Kellan said, pulling one of the images he’d snatched from his father’s desk from his pocket. “My father was sent these with a demand for twenty million.”

Connor snatched the page, eyes wide. He lifted his gaze. “Is he paying it?”

“I don’t know. Dad demanded Emma or I come up with it, and I refused.”

Connor was silent.

“I told him I’m coming out. If the pictures end up in the media, so be it.” Kellan stiffened. “But then I realized after I left… they might hurt you. What can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen?”

Connor leaned up against the wall outside the door, staring at the photo in his hand. A few seconds of silence passed before he looked up again. “The principal’s aware I’m gay. Not all my kids’ parents do. I don’t know how they’ll react, especially being caught with another parent.” He sighed. “Plus, I lied and said my mother was sick last week so I could go to Italy. I’m not sure if it’s a fireable offense, but if parents push back, who knows if the board might not use it to let me go.”

“I’m sorry. I never wanted this to happen.”

“There’s other jobs,” Connor said. “And who knows… I might just do more work with the agency for a while. The pay is better.”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

Connor glared. “Oh? Why’s that?”

“I was hoping that we might be able to see one another. Maybe not now… maybe after the dust settles?”

“You’re forced out of the closet, sonowyou can have a relationship with me? I wasn’t worth it before that, though.”

“No,” Kellan said, gripping Connor’s elbow. “I wanted to as?—”

Connor wrenched away. “Save it. I have class.”

Before he could say another word, Connor was gone.

I wanted to ask you to be with me yesterday, but I lost the nerve.Kellan closed his eyes. If only he hadn’t waited. He exited the school and slipped behind the wheel, yearning to race back inside and drag Connor into his arms and kiss him in front of god and country.

He wouldn’t do that.

I’ll let him calm down. Try again later.

Hopefully, he’ll be willing to listen.

“Test time!” Connor announced as he slipped back into his room, shoving the folded page with the images into his pocket. Spelling wasn’t over, but he needed a little quiet after his conversation with Kellan. The Math test would give him a few beats to get his shit straight.

“Ahhh…”came the collective grousing.

“Put everything away except a pencil,” he instructed, pulling out the test sheets. He passed them out and returned to his desk.

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