Page 94 of Brazen Obsession

“What will it cost him?” Wyatt asks. His dark eyes hold my father’s.

“I always liked you best, Wyatt. So loyal and protective.” Dad smiles. “You have your father’s hard looks, but your mother’s softness.”

Wyatt’s lips press together. He doesn’t look a thing like Christopher Hawkins, the man that raised him.

“Gerald was an asshole,” Dad says. “Made a lot of enemies. Not sure if you feel any way toward the man, but I’m sorry for your loss.”

Wyatt straightens. “My loss?”

Fuck, what did my dad do now?

“Gerald died three years ago. He hustled the wrong person. I didn’t get the information until this week. Doing a deal with someone and they thought I might be interested. No one knows he’s dead except for the man who took his life and left him in an unmarked grave.” My dad studies Wyatt. “He was a hard man to like, so I imagine he was an even harder man to love. Charismatic. Could convince you to give him your pants and he’d bring you even better ones. But he never followed through on his deals. Still, he’s the reason you exist, so I’m sorry for your loss.”

Wyatt closes his eyes. Sara goes over to him and sits in his lap, wrapping her arms around him tight and he does the same to her. But it’s not pain on Wyatt’s face. It’s relief.

The specter of his father returning can’t continue to haunt him. I wish Tom and Wyatt could have gotten justice for Tom’s dad, but at least Gerald can’t hurt Wyatt anymore.

“That, like all of my information for you, is free.” My dad meets my eyes. “If you need me to have that body found for any reason, you let me know. That one is on the house. What he did to so many families was awful. He deserves his death to remain unacknowledged.”

“Thank you,” Wyatt says.

My father smiles at him before returning his gaze to mine. “Now how can I help?”

Wyatt

I’m sitting on my bed, still reeling from the information of my father’s death. From this nightmare finally being over. I don’t know if I should tell my mom. She seems to have moved on from my father a long time ago.

The door opens and Sara walks in and sits next to me on the bed, taking my hand in hers. I weave our fingers together. Fuck, even my breathing feels lighter.

“You okay?” Her words are soft.

“Yeah, I’m good.” I draw in a breath and release it.

We told Colin everything about Tom and Natasha. Peter and Alexander. Natasha filled in where we didn’t have information. We told him about the skimming and he nodded like that was good. In the end, he promised to put together the meeting.

“I don’t want you at the meeting.” I turn to look into Sara’s pale green eyes.

“Why?”

I trace a circle on the skin of her hand with my thumb. “I don’t think anything will go wrong, but I need you somewhere safe while we deal with Alexander.”

She nods. “Okay.”

A chuckle escapes me. “Not even a little fight about this?”

She shakes her head. “I trust you. If me being there makes you nervous, then I won’t go. I’ll stay here in the fortress with Mom and Caitlyn and Tom. Besides, I don’t know what purpose I would serve by being there.”

“You helped us through this whole thing. Your life and freedom were on the line. If you wanted to look that man in the eyes, I wouldn’t blame you. I just wanted you to know my feelings.”

“I don’t need to see him. Finn’s dad and Roger will make sure you all make it out okay. I’m done confronting my bullies for a while.” She smiles and it makes my heart warm.

“You really are amazing, Sara.”

“Thank you for finally noticing.” She bumps my arm with hers.

“I always noticed.”

“Are you sure you’re okay about your father?” She lays her head against my shoulder and squeezes my hand.