Page 269 of Tempting Venom
I gulp.Well, shit.
“What did he say?”
“That you are…” He clears his throat. “His man. Or he was yours? Not sure. He also said if you were alive, he’d take you and leave.”
My lips part, my heart hammering in a low thud.
“He said that?” I ask in a faint voice, my heart stuttering.
“Yes, among other things.” Dad narrows his eyes, placing the plate of apples in front of me. “Is it true, Preston?”
You know what? Fuckthis. I want Dad to know.
Here goes nothing, I guess.
I nod once, biting my lower lip. “It’s not that I wanted to be with a man, and I fought it every step of the way, but all my attempts were futile. He’s the only person who makes me feel safe enough to be myself around him. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“You know…the Vencor thing.”
“If Andrew and I can’t protect you through that, then how are we your fathers?”
Wait. Dad is…okaywith it? “Won’t it hurt you in the long run?”
“Possibly, but I promised you, didn’t I? I won’t allow anyone to harm you again.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my dad? Just kidding. Thanks, really. I don’t think it’ll be necessary, though.”
“Why not?”
I stab the fork into a piece of apple. “He already let me go.”
He did, right? Doesn’t matter if I had a tiny bit of hope that he’d pity me once he reads the letter.
Yes, I’mthatdesperate.
After that convo with Dad,I went to surprise the team at a pick-me-up party thrown by Violet and Denver.
I tried to play it cool with the ghost jokes, but I guess I underestimated just how much they care about me.
Let’s just say Kane and Jude had their jaws on the floor. I really don’t like that they thought I was dead. The three of us have been like family since that infamous murder in the boarding school, and family doesn’t just leave without saying goodbye.
I’ll make it up to them by getting better and brightening their lives until we’re eighty.
After the five of us went to Violet’s apartment, I tried explaining that it was all Dad’s fault—he’ll take one for the team.
But then they told me something.
Something that made me leave Violet’s apartment in the middle of the night after everyone fell asleep. I had Hayes drive me to the house I never thought I’d ever go back to again.
Here’s the thing—I thought Kane and Jude killed Granny, but that’s not true.
It was Marcus.
He killed her to avenge me.
He murdered someone in cold blood for me—like he said he would.
