Page 164 of For Wrath and Redemption
My father huffs, perpetually annoyed by me. “I’ll cut to the chase. You have to cut ties with that woman.”
I shake my head. “Yeah, okay, Conrad. If that’s all you wanted?—”
“Jonah, she is a pariah in this city, so she’s latched on to you for financial stability.”
I close my eyes and breathe, wishing I had a pack of cigarettes. Instead, I reach into my pocket, pull out some fucking gum, and pretend it does the trick.
“I bet that baby isn’t even yours, and now you’re all over the tabloids with her. They’ll make a mockery of our family when they find out she’s made a cuckold out of you.”
I snort a laugh. “A cuckold? Really.”
“This isn’t some joke, Jonah. This is serious.”
I drag a hand down my face and pinch the bridge of my nose. I was over this conversation before it began, but it has to be had. My therapist will be so proud.
“Look, I’m not some stupid, naïve child anymore. I know you have zero interest in my well-being or my reputation. You never cared what stories were printed about me until the mausoleum, and that was only because that shit would have tied me to you. That’s the only reason you didn’t press charges, too. It wasn’t because you didn’t want me to go to prison. It was because the whole thing would reflect poorly on you. You’ve successfully kept your youngest son a secret for over a decade. How dare I come in and try to fuck it all up, right?”
My father grumbles. “Jonah, this is completely unnecessary.”
I can practically see his patronizing expression. He feels zero shame for any of the truths I just laid out. He thinks I’m wasting his time. I sigh.
“The only reason you’re concerned about my relationship with Claire is because you don’t want people to learn ofyourrelationship with her. If I were having a child with a random groupie, you wouldn’tcare. You only care because if it gets out that you dated her, it could make you look bad.”
“You don’t think it would make you look bad?”
“If you think I care about what the media thinks of me, you’re an idiot.”
“What about your record label? The morality clause. If you get more bad press?—”
“We’re out of our contract. Have been since the last Warsaw show. It just hasn’t become public knowledge.”
Likely because the label doesn’t want to be humiliated, but I don’t really care. Right now, all people care about is the romantic little love story they’ve created, circulating myrest and recoverystay at Tranquil Waters and my girlfriend’s cute little belly bump.
I smile.
My girlfriend.
My smile disappears when I realize my father has fallen silent. I roll my eyes.
“I know it’s hard for you to hear that there is literally nothing you can hold over either of our heads, but I think you need to sit with that discomfort. Embrace it. This is real life, Conrad. You can’t manipulate everyone to get what you want.”
“That is not what I’m doing. I am looking out for both of us.”
His barked, defensive tone says otherwise. I have to stifle a laugh.
“Look. I’m going to put you out of your misery so you can go back to your self-absorbed life fucking new hires to feed your ego, hoarding your millions while underpaying your employees, and building yourself up by putting others down, okay? We want nothing from you. I never have. My name is Hendrix. My daughter’s name will be Hendrix. And when I marry Claire, her name will be Hendrix. You don’t have to lose sleep over it anymore, because as far as we’re concerned, you don’t exist, so you can go back to acting like I don’t exist either. Is that clear?”
He’s quiet for a moment before clearing his throat and once again saying something that doesn’t surprise me.
“I want it in writing that you relinquish any claim you have to the Henderson fortune and business.”
This time, I don’t bother hiding my laughter.
“Because you want to be buried with it? It’s not like you have any kids or grandkids to carry on your legacy.”
“Jonah—”
“I don’t want your money, Conrad. I don’t want your business empire. I’ve already said I want nothing from you. If you’re okay having that paper trail, have your lawyers draw up a contract and send it over. I’ll sign it, and you never have to hear from me again.”
