Page 86 of Paparazzi Perfect
Pushing through the thick crowd, I scanned the sea of travelers until my gaze landed on a familiar head and shoulders.
Gotcha!
He was hurrying toward the security line. The vein in my neck spasmed as I strode toward him, my eyes boring into his back. I drove my finger into his shoulder blade.
“Why?”
He spun around, mouth agape.
“How could you do this?” I demanded, my nostrils flaring. “You had it all,” I rasped. “But you fucked it up.” I swung my clenched fist through the air.
His face was like stone as he tried to push past. “Get out of my way.”
But he wasn’t getting offthateasily. I blocked his path.
“You’re not going anywhere. I want some answers,” I said bitterly, curling and uncurling my fist. “Weapons trading, hey? What kind of person does that?” I shoved him in the chest.
“Stop,” he said like a whiny kid, rubbing at his chest.
“What kind of father tries to frame his own son?” I shoved him again, sending him stumbling backward. “The way you’ve treated Ivy is fucking sick. Your power’s gone now, though, isn’t it? How does it feel? You’re lucky I don’t beat the shit out of you. That’d be less than you deserve.”
He gripped his bag across his chest, his knuckles turning white. “I had to set the companies up in your name. There was no choice. It wasn’t meant to come back on you. Using my name attracted too much attention.” His eyes darted around, landing on the growing line at security.
I fought the urge to break him in two. “I can’t believe anything you say.”
“Look, Karson, SolStar looked good on paper, but it’s been hemorrhaging money for years. It was the only way to bring the company into the black. And it worked. The price was the best it had ever been.” He shrugged, as if criminality had been the obvious solution.
“You’re a complete madman. Nothing you say can justify the monstrous things you’ve done.” I gaped in disbelief. “Do you even care that people have died because of the weapons you supplied?”
He rolled his eyes. “It’s business. If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else. I did it for you. And for your mother. If you hadn’t stuck your nose into my business, everything would’ve been fine.Nobodywould have even known about it. But you had toruinit.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s illegal. You’re a criminal. And using me and your investors like that makes it worse. I’m yourson. You should have moved heaven and earth to keep my name out of your murky deals.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t understand.” His mouth curled into a snarl. “I had to work for everything I achieved. You grew up wanting fornothing. Because of me.” His voice cracked. “I had to save the company. There was no choice,” he whispered, looking at the ground, suddenly frail.
“That’s where you’rewrong.” I shuffled away from him. “There’salwaysa choice. You just didn’t make the right ones.”
He shrugged weakly. “I know I haven’t been a good father,” he said, looking back up at me. “But my life was hard as a boy. That’s why I sent you away, toprotectyou.” He sniffled, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
Whoa. This is uncharted territory. I’ve never even seen him show emotion.
My skin tingled, and I wanted to hide. I wasn’t up for being his confidant, not after all he’d done.
He reached into his pocket. “Here, take this,” he said, pulling out an envelope and pressing it into my hand. “I was going to send it to you, but you’re here now. It might help you understand.” His voice was small, his posture sagging. “Your mother is already in the Caribbean, redecorating our house there. I’d like to join her.”
I froze in place. My mouth opened… but the words didn’t come.
“You can call the authorities or give me this one thing. Let me go. It’s your choice, son. Either way, you never have to see me again.”
I closed my eyes, my mind racing as a hot, prickly rash crawled over me. I opened my eyes to see him rushing away. With his passport in one hand and his suitcase trailing behind him, he vanished into the mass of travelers.
He was gone. I stood there. Motionless.
“Excuse me, sir.” A woman pushing a small boy in a stroller smiled at me. “Could you tell me where the information desk is?”
I pointed her to the desk.
The boy, reaching for his mother, gurgled happily as she leaned down and scooped him into her arms. He held out his rubber giraffe to me. I gave a small smile before it slipped from his hand, falling to the floor. I bent down and picked up the toy, ruffling his hair as I handed it back to him. After she thanked me, they made their way toward the desk.
