namesake, I—” Four inhaled deeply before letting the air free with a frustrated whimper. “I suspected that he might have been your real father. I just wasn’t sure until Jamie confirmed it a few weeks ago.”
“She wanted to tell you then,” Jamie said, breaking his vow of silence. “I made her promise not to. I wanted to give them,” he added while nodding to Ever’s parents, “the choice to tell you themselves.”
“You didn’t give me a choice,” Mr. McNamara spat. “You gave me an ultimatum.”
Jamie shot his uncle a cruel smile. “It worked, didn’t it?”
Slamming his fist on the desk, Thomas’s face turned purple as he pinned his nephew with his glare. “Get out of my office before I throw you out of my home!”
Jamie looked ready to bait his uncle some more, but then remembering Bee, who was also at his mercy thanks to her reptile of a father, wisely decided against it. Taking his girlfriend’s hand, Jamie strolled from the room as casually as he’d arrived. As far as Jameson Buchanan was concerned, his job was done. And what destruction he’d left in his wake.
At least Ever knows the truth now.
Even if it had been a horrible shit show.
“Is there anything else I should know?” Ever inquired. And then with a heavy dose of sarcasm… “Perhaps you want to tell me next that Four is really my sister,” he said, making everyone in the room cringe. With pursed lips, Four took his hand, and surprisingly, Ever didn’t pull away. He did stare down at her long and hard, though, with a look that promised he’d make her pay dearly for keeping secrets. I knew I would.
“Yes,” Thomas admitted sheepishly, making everyone in the room groan without thinking. How the hell could there possibly be more? “Your father is here in Blackwood Keep. He wants to meet you.”
“Holy shit!” Tyra exclaimed the moment we were alone inside my ride. After Thomas sternly ordered everyone but Ever to leave his office, Tyra and I practically raced for my car. Lou had refused to leave when Four offered her a ride home and instead frantically attempted to get ahold of Wren and warn him. “That was not how I was expecting the afternoon to go. Did you know about any of this?” she asked me with a hint of accusation.
“Not a fucking clue,” I mumbled as I started the car and got the hell out of there. As I drove toward the outskirts of town where Tyra resided alone with her father, I wondered about the mystery man who caused such an uproar. And all without even being present.
If you asked me, he fucking sounded like trouble.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATING, I’D BEGGED Terry for as many full-time shifts as I could get this summer, which meant I hadn’t made many plans for anything else. I spent the entire first day after I was suspended, twiddling my thumbs. By the end of day two, cabin fever had already set in. Vaughn was too focused on conditioning his body into shape for college ball to shower me with the attention I required. Four was still somewhere holed up with Ever, probably begging and working overtime for his forgiveness. Knowing how much Ever adored Four, I was willing to bet he’d forgiven her the second he found out. He was simply milking the situation to his advantage as any boy would do—the one time they weren’t in the wrong.
Being in love never made anyone a saint. It just made us better, happier versions of ourselves.
The faint sound of my phone ringing pulled me out of my thoughts and recognizing the tone, I abandoned my food on the stove and rushed up the stairs to answer the call.
“Hey,” I greeted, smiling at the image of a sweaty, shirtless Vaughn with a white towel wrapped around his neck. It was obvious he’d just finished what was probably another grueling workout. He’d barely stopped to catch his breath or wipe the sweat away before calling me. My crazy heart did cartwheels in my chest. That is until Vaughn’s gaze narrowed, seeing me out of breath as well. “What the hell were you doing?”
“I ran up the stairs so I wouldn’t miss your call.” Next time, I’ll just let it go to voicemail, asshole.
His lids lowered, and I rolled my eyes. Vaughn was definitely pleased and turned on by my eagerness. I watched him bite his lower lip as he seemed to contemplate something. “Is your father home?” His