Page 80 of Wreck Me

Minutes pass with no reply.

When my phone finally vibrates in my pocket, it’s not Scarlett.

It’s my father.

‘Dad?’

‘A fucking pole dancer? Are you out of your goddamn mind son?’ He booms across the phone. I wince.

Fuck.‘She’s not a pole dancer. Not anymore, at least.’ I pinch the bridge of my nose.

‘For fuck’s sake, son. You were supposed to be repairing your reputation, not obliterating it.’

I lurch to my feet, pacing the plush, carpeted floor. ‘How did you find out?’

‘Does it matter?’ he barks. ‘End it. Now.’

My brothers would never rat me out. They’d die for me first.

Cole. It could only have come from him. He golfs at the same club as my parents. I inhale a deep breath and blow it out slowly. ‘I can’t, Dad.’

‘What do you mean, you can’t?’

I roll my lips and sigh. ‘I’m in love with her.’ It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud, even to myself, but there’s no denying the truth in it.

I’ve known for weeks. Hell, I knew she was different the first time I spoke to her, I just didn't know how different.

‘You’re what?’ My father’s tone is incredulous.

‘She’s like no one else I’ve ever met, or am ever likely to.’

He scoffs, actually scoffs. ‘Look, she’s a beauty, there’s no denying that. I’m sure you feel like you’re in love when she’s balancing on your balls and stroking your ego, but James, a woman like Scarlett is not wife material.’

I flinch. He’s right. She’s not wife material. But not because she’s from a different social background. But because she’s so young. And she doesn’t want to settle down. She wants to travel and see the world. I can’t blame her for that. If I was any sort of man, I’d walk away and let her do exactly that. But I’m far too selfish.

‘I haven't slept with her,’ I admit, staring out across the New York skyline. I’d never normally dream of blurting my private life to my father but it’s imperative he understandswhat I feel for Scarlett is so much more than lust. So much more than a quick flash in the pan.

‘What?’ my dad snaps.

‘I love her, Dad. And I’m not going to give her up.’

‘If you want to keep your position in the company, son, you don’t have a choice.’ He tuts. ‘Look, it’s not even about what I think. It’s the Board. How’s it going to look when it gets out that you’ve finally settled down with a pole dancer? They’re going to dig up absolutely every dirty little secret about her. Find every man who ever fucked her before you. It’ll be all over the gossip columns.’

‘There’s been no one else, Dad.’ God, I can’t believe I’m thirty-three-years-old and talking sex with my father. ‘Scarlett is innocent. She took the job at the Luxor Lounge to fund her studies, that’s all. She’s so smart it’s not even funny. She’s had to claw her way where she is today, and instead of condemning her working at the club, we should be congratulating her on surviving. Alone. She’s an orphan. She doesn’t have the backing of a family like you and I did.’

The phone goes silent apart from my father’s slow deep breaths in my ear.

‘This is far from ideal,.’ My dad blows out a breath. He might be ruthless but he’s also hopelessly romantic deep down. ‘Is this why you had her face pixelated from those photos at the club the other night? In case anyone recognised her ?’

‘One of the reasons.’ I can’t admit Scarlett has a dark traumatic past she’s hiding from, not when my father is coming around to the idea that she might not be such a bad catch after all.

He sighs again. ‘Look, just keep a low profile. Get this acquisition through. And keep your penis in your pants a little longer. We’ll talk about this when you get home.’

‘Does Mam know?’ She and Scarlett got on like a house on fire. I’d hate for her to have a tarnished view of her.

It dawns on me that I’m serious about Scarlett.

Serious about getting serious with her, at least.

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