your name?”
“You can protect your family.”
He looked at the desk, his face twisting. “How much?”
“I’ll let you know. Think on it.” I swiveled and headed for the door. “By the way, I’ll be staying in my job here in the office until this is done. You try and remove me, or you call the cops, the photos will hit the web.”
“You played me well. I was just starting to think you might be different.”
His words put pain in my chest and my legs wanted to stumble, but I stayed strong.
“Just another snake,” he said. “Kudos, Penn, I didn’t see you coming.”
“I’ll be in touch.” I bit my lip hard, and didn’t turn back.
“Go and slither under your rock. I won’t let you get away with this.”
I stayed silent, bleeding inside as I walked away.
All a Lie
Liam
Liam sat in the armchair, cradling a glass of Scotch.
He took a long swig, his insides burning.
Fuck. He wanted to hit something. He took another long sip. He wasn’t sure what glass he was on. The open bottle rested on the coffee table.
He barely saw the view of Madison Square Park, or the Flatiron Building.
His cell phone vibrated on the table and this time he glanced at it. It had rung a few times this evening. He saw his mother’s name.
Great. He really didn’t have time for his mother right now.
But Diane Kensington Cavendish Donahue wasn’t one to give up easily. She’d keep calling and calling.
“Hello, Mother.”
“Liam, darling. How’s my son?”
Shitty. “Fine. And you? How’s Florida?”
“Oh, I’m having a lovely visit with the Palermos.”
“That’s wonderful.”
A pause. “Is everything all right? You sound off.”
“Just a long day.”
“Well, I have unpleasant news, Liam.” She sniffed. “I heard from a friend back in London that your father is on the rocks with his latest wife.” She said wife the same way someone would say rotten fish. “I can’t believe that arrogant, selfish man. If he divorces again, it will be all over the papers, and it’ll be tossed in my face.”
Yes, because it was all about her. Liam loved his mother, and he knew she loved him in her own way, but it wasn’t a warm, vibrant, solid thing. It was dependent on Liam giving her everything that she wanted and ensuring she lived the life she was used to. He supplemented the settlement she’d received from her divorce, and she always stayed with him when she came to New York, whether it was convenient for him or not.
If those photos got out, his mother would have an epic meltdown. And he’d have to pick up the pieces.
“We can’t control what he does, Mother.”
She sniffed again. “Isn’t there something you can do?”
Liam rolled his eyes. Sure, I can control who my father fucks or marries. “No, there isn’t. I don’t want anything to do with him, and I suggest you just ignore him.”
“You could at least try, Liam.” His mother released a breath. “Sometimes you sound just like him. I’ve always worried you’d turn out just like that man.”
Liam ground his teeth together. Thanks, Mother. “I really need to go now.”
“Very well. We have pre-dinner drinks soon. Goodbye, Liam.”
He tossed the phone on the coffee table and took a large sip of Scotch. He savored the burn. He just wanted to be left alone.
There was the bleep of a lock. His front door opened and he swallowed a growl.
Only two people had the code to enter.
“What the fuck, Kensington?” Mav prowled in like a panther, ready to strike.
Zane followed behind him, worry on his face. Both were dressed casually in jeans.
“You aren’t answering your phone.” Zane put his hands on his hips. “And you missed our rock-climbing session this evening.” Zane’s gaze dropped to the bottle on the coffee table. “Shit.”
“I’m fine.” Liam rose, and walked to arched, wood-framed windows. He stared blindly at the traffic on 5th Avenue below.
“Is it your father?” Mav asked.
Liam’s gut felt like a rock. The pictures were singed into his eyeballs.
His fucking father.
“Yes and no.”
Zane dropped onto the arm of the cream couch, watching him steadily. Zane was the king of Wall Street because he was so good at reading people.
“There’s a woman,” Zane said. “Simeon was right.”
Liam sucked in a breath. He was trying not to think of that certain, traitorous blonde.
Penn, the promise of her, was all a lie. Their connection was a lie.
Liam drained his drink, then swiveled, pulled back his arm, and threw the glass.
The heavy crystal hit the wall, then fell to the wood floor and shattered.
“Ah,