Chapter Eight #2
“Jules is right.” Robbie smoothed a hand down Priest’s arm, as though trying to soothe a savage beast. “Do you really think he’d be here right now if he wasn’t telling the truth?”
“I don’t know what he’d do, since I don’t know him.”
“Then let me tell you,” Ethan said, and all three pairs of eyes landed on him. “The other night, at the fundraiser for Zayne’s father, a video was taken of the three of us.”
That shut Priest up real quick, and Ethan could see the wheels turning.
“A video?”
“Yes. Before we ran into the two of you”—Ethan gestured to Robbie and Julien—“you might recall the senator having a discussion with us?”
Julien frowned and shook his head. “ Non. All I remember is the three of you.”
“I understand, completely. However, just before that took place, Zayne and his father—who I’m sure you are aware of?”
“Yes.” Priest scowled. “He’s just another piece of this wonderful puzzle our daughter has decided to throw in our lap.”
“They got into a rather heated discussion.”
“Imagine that.”
“Stop it,” Robbie reprimanded his husband as he leaned forward and braced his arms on the table. “What do you mean, heated discussion?”
“If you know of Senator Copeland, then you know his…beliefs.”
“You mean the disgusting diatribe that spews from his mouth every time a camera is pointed his way?”
Ethan’s eyes shifted to Priest. “It’s when they aren’t pointed his way, too. I’ve known him most of my life, and he’s been this way from the very beginning. Zayne and I are used to the repercussions that come with our relationship and his father. Chloé, however—”
“Is not.”
“Correct.”
All three men were laser focused on him as his words lingered in the air.
Robbie frowned. “I don’t understand. What do you mean, repercussions?”
“The press.” Julien sighed and sat back in his seat. “Joel and I dealt with similar issues back in the day, remember?”
“That’s right.” Robbie nodded. “But that was so long ago. I can’t imagine it would be such an issue now.”
“A gay couple wouldn’t be. I’m not even sure that many would bat an eyelash at three these days. But when you attach those three to one of the most conservative mouthpieces on a public platform, it becomes news.”
Priest’s eyes darkened like the sky before a thunderstorm, and Ethan had a sudden flash of Chloé.
They have the same eyes. Does that mean—
“So what you’re really trying to tell us is—not only are you too old for our daughter, but you’ve drawn her into an already established relationship where she is about to be picked apart by rabid reporters?”
Ethan could see why they would be mad about that. Hell, he and Zayne were too, but he wasn’t about to back down now. He was there to protect Chloé from that exact thing.
“No. What I’m trying to tell you is we don’t want that to happen. An article came out yesterday asking who the redhead spotted with us on Saturday night was.”
“Putain.”
Ethan looked to Julien, who was shaking his head. “It should blow over quick enough. These things tend to disappear when no one engages or a new scandal hits the internet.”
“So our daughter’s a scandal now?”
“Your daughter’s amazing,” Ethan fired back, not about to let Priest believe for a second that he thought what they were doing was wrong.
“We won’t let anyone talk badly about her.
Which is why I’m here talking to all of you now.
We know she has several shifts this week, tonight included.
We’d like to ask you to keep her home the rest of the week, away from where anyone might track her down. ”
Robbie scoffed and then let out a burst of laughter, which had everyone looking his way. He covered his mouth, but his eyes still twinkled.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make light of all of this, but have you met our daughter? She is not going to like being told what she can and cannot do, especially when it comes to work.”
Ethan knew exactly where he was going with this, which was why he was there in the first place.
“That’s why we’re asking you, her boss, to do it. We know how fiercely independent and”—he glanced at Priest—“headstrong she can be. We don’t want to take that away from her, just want to protect her the best we can.”
Julien ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh. “She’s not going to like this. But I understand where you’re coming from.”
Ethan nodded, thankful that they’d heard him out.
“I won’t lie to her, though,” Julien added. “Not after everything that’s happened this week. If she asks why I’m sending her home, I will tell her.”
In other words, I’m not covering your ass, so be ready for the fallout.
“We understand. We just want what’s best for her.
Zayne and I will also be lying low for a while.
Which is the other reason I am here. We’re heading out to a place we have in Winnetka tomorrow, and we’d like to invite you for the weekend.
We know dinner was meant to be at your house this Saturday, but we’d hate to lead any reporters your way. ”
Robbie’s eyes widened. “Is that a real possibility?”
“We haven’t seen anyone yet. But we’d rather not risk it.”
“So you want us to come to your place? In Winnetka?”
“Yes. We would like to invite you to come and stay for the weekend.”
“Stay?”
Ethan nodded. “It would be a good chance for you to get to know us, and vice versa.”
Priest spoke up. “I’m not all that concerned with vice versa.”
“Oh, Joel.” Robbie rolled his eyes. “The poor boy is trying here.”
“He’s not a boy , and he’s overstepping.”
Ethan had to agree—he was overstepping. But he couldn’t think of any other solution right now.
With the story about Zayne and his father so hot off the press, it was too risky for them to visit Chloé at work or go to her house on the weekend.
Just a glimpse of them anywhere near something she was associated with, and reporters would be all over them.
“I am, but I’m doing it because we really care about your daughter, and she loves all of you. Zayne and I would never try to come between that; we’re just asking for you to give us a chance.”
“Oh, mon c?ur. ” Julien rubbed a hand up and down Priest’s arm. “How can you argue that?”
Priest grumbled and let out a sigh. “What’s the address?”
Ethan resisted the urge to smile—he had them.
“No need for an address. We’ll send a car.”