Chapter 27
I don’t remember going back to my room, but I panted within my own safe walls.
I must have just run . They kicked my aunt out of the house, but she’d almost seemed amused.
Did she know that would happen? I kicked my shoes off.
I needed the dress off, too. It might be beautiful, but I never wanted to wear it again.
I would find a way to pay them back for it.
It was too expensive to have been on my body just for those short minutes.
Tears flooded down my face, but I couldn’t even be ashamed of my own weakness. I was downright disassociating or something. I wiped them away, since I didn’t feel connected to them in particular.
I pulled the dress over my head then hung it on the hanger. Someone else would love the dress. Gently, I took off my pearls, but my hair remained swept up as I stood in the bathroom. My hair looked ready to be counted, to be important, even if the rest of me was a hot mess.
The door was flung open, and Phoenix stood there panting. “Here you are.”
He must have realized the moment I did how little I wore. He lowered his gaze for a second before he pulled off his jacket then came around behind me to put it over my shoulders. Quickly, despite his shaky hands, he buttoned me up. It was a strange look, but at least I wasn’t nearly naked anymore.
“Okay.” He turned my chair around to face him. “Look at me. They’re gone.”
I nodded. “Yes, but the damage is already done.”
“What do you mean?”
I had to find a way to explain this. “Everyone heard it by now. There were enough ears in that room to fill the ocean.” Maybe not, but it was a good enough image.
“There will be whispers, so when my family finally sends me away, they will be congratulated for putting up with me as long as they did. Dina stood up for me, and they intended this as punishment. They showed me that even your family can’t protect me from their wrath. ”
“She’s right.” Julian leaned against the door frame. “That’s what they intended, but it isn’t going to happen. There will be punishment for them , trust me on that.” He walked into the room. “Don’t cry, please.” Julian touched my hair. “Let’s get these pins out.”
I swallowed the tears that rose at the sweetness of him worrying about my hair—because honestly, I’d had enough of the lies and secrets.
I wanted everything out in the open. “ I need you to be really forthright and honest right now, because it means a lot to me. Is there any part of you that doubts me? Do you even a tiny bit believe I had an interest in Ted? That man who thinks that …”
“No, Baby.” Julian put his arms around my back, pulling me close. “We don’t think that. We know that’s not who you are. I know we’re still early in our relationship, but it doesn’t feel that way. You did not try to seduce that man.”
I breathed out a gust of air, relieved beyond measure for some reason. I really didn’t know what I would do if he believed that about me. I met Phoenix’s gaze, wondering what he thought.
He shook his head. “There’s no way you wanted anything to do with that old man. Creeper. End of story.”
Ted would hate being called an old man, which made me love their description more.
Jeremy rushed into the room. He took one look at us then leaned over to kiss my cheek.
“Sorry. You took off so fast, Princess. I would’ve chased you, but I had to keep Barrett from killing Ted.
He punched him, though. Hard. Ted went down like a sack of bricks.
It happened out on the driveway, so we can probably rewatch it on the security footage.
Your aunt started screaming like someone got murdered.
It took two of us to get Barrett off the guy. Uncle Daniel helped me.”
“Barrett punched Ted?” I couldn’t believe it. “What?”
Jeremy nodded, his grin crooked and terrifically pleased. “Yep. I would like to point out, I’m the one people always expect to throw punches, but I haven’t done it once. Yet. I wanted to. I was going to do it and moved with every intention. Barrett just beat me to it.”
Phoenix cleared his throat, his fists clenched. “I wish I had done it.”
“You guys.” I closed my eyes. “You can’t hit people. You could get hurt.”
“Hey ...” Jeremy tapped my chin so I opened my eyes. “He tried to hurt you. He deserved a lot worse.”
Phoenix came up behind me, rubbing my shoulders briefly with his clever fingertips. “Let’s get these pins out of your hair. I can’t imagine it would feel good to lie down with them still against your scalp.”
“She asked the rest of us, so she probably would like to hear it from you, too.” Julian sank down on the bed. “Do any of you think she might have done it?”
Jeremy widened his eyes. “Tried to seduce him? Or that she is dangerous to have in the house? No, Alatheia, none of that ever crossed my mind, but he will pay for slandering you, I promise.”
He met Phoenix’s gaze in the mirror, and some silent communication passed between them. I opened my mouth to ask them when Barrett finally arrived. His bow tie hung half on and half off, and even his hair seemed disheveled.
“I wish you hadn’t stopped me,” he growled to Jeremy before he looked at me.
“I am so sorry. I am so, so fucking sorry that just happened. They weren’t invited.
They came with the other couple, some idiots who barely made the list. They moved to Southampton next to the Greens and managed to convince …
never mind. You don’t need the details. It was obviously contrived. ”
Jeremy elbowed him. “She’s worried we might believe them.”
“What? No.” Barrett’s brows arched in genuine surprise before he kissed the top of my head. “Not even a little bit.”
I cleared my throat. I couldn’t let it go at that, since I should probably address a few other matters while I had all of them in one place. “Could you close the door so no one can hear us?”
Barrett didn’t just close the door, he twisted the lock as Phoenix started pulling the pins out of my hair. I sighed in relieved pleasure, because in addition to them being removed, he dug his fingers into my scalp and rubbed. I didn’t even notice all evening, but the pins had been poking my head.
Aloud, I said, “I don’t want there to be secrets.
You just learned one of my secrets. My family was happy to keep it hush hush because of the embarrassment of my behavior, but apparently they’ve changed tactics.
Anyway, I’m done with it, because I just am.
” Tiredness threatened to sweep me under, but I also knew I wouldn’t sleep.
I was soul exhausted, a whole new level of tired.
Phoenix shook his head. “I look forward to such a thing someday being possible.”
Well, how about now? I cleared my throat. “I’ve guessed for several days what you guys aren’t saying. The big secret about your family is your mom is with all four of your ... dads.” I hadn’t considered quite how to phrase it, but I figured they could correct me if I was wrong.
Julian’s mouth dropped open, genuine surprise widening his eyes to an almost comical size. “You knew that and you said nothing?”
“So, you’re saying I’m right?” I still wouldn’t spoil Dina’s surprise, especially not if they believed I heard it somewhere else.
Jeremy ran a hand through his hair. “And? Do you want to run away? Do you find us too odd for polite society? Do you think that kind of love is a crime against humanity?”
“I think you guys have a beautiful, loving family you shouldn’t have to keep secret.
I can’t begin to imagine how exhausting it would be to keep up the facade, particularly due to the nature of your family’s wealth and businesses.
It probably requires a constant public face and a very private life, never the two shall meet.
” I caught myself sounding like the Poor Relation and tried to rephrase my thoughts.
“I think you’re all amazing. I’ll never tell a soul, I promise, regardless of what happens in the future.
Plus, I love how your family has stayed together.
You aren’t plotting against each other for who knows what reasons, which is all I see in my mother’s family.
You don’t hate each other. They may be distant, but they provide for you and I think they care more than you realize, although it’s not my place to judge.
” Even though I totally judged that day on the lake with Jeremy.
I met his gaze. “I’m sorry about any time I did. ”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry, Princess. You didn’t know everything you needed to know.”
Phoenix pulled out another pin. “You’re the first person we’ve ever told the family secret.”
Barrett snorted. “Maybe Mom was right. It’s dangerous to have visitors. In this case, I’m glad, but we don’t hide it very well at home. In public, no one would ever guess. Well, no one has until now.” Barrett stretched out on the bed, shaking his hand.
I tried to rise but Phoenix put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. I had to explain. “I think your brother needs some ice.”
“Oh!” Julian rushed from the room immediately. “Wait a second, I’ll be right back.”
He reentered with an ice pack in hand from the fridge and handed it to Barrett. “Here. We should teach you how to throw a decent punch. You can spare yourself some pain.”
“When you and Jer were smacking each other around, I was playing the piano.” Barrett laughed.
I didn’t know he could play, but it wasn’t surprising somehow. He loved music.
“Well …” Jer sank to the floor by the bed. “Someone knows, and the world hasn’t ended.” He let out an audible breath. “Now, we just have to convince you to stay with us forever.”
I rubbed at my eyes. “You have to know that’s a terrible idea. First the PI, and now this? I’m going to have a reputation, and you’ll want to stay away from it.”