Page 142 of Anti-Hero

“Christopher!” Heavy footfalls pound the hallway as he follows me.

“Is this what you would have done if you’d found out Levi Jenkins had gotten his assistant pregnant?” I call over my shoulder.

“Levi doesn’t have an assistant.”

“That’s not the point!”

“That’sexactlythe point. You have an assistant already because you’re a goddamn Kensington. Start acting like it.”

“You wanted me to be responsible? This is me taking responsibility, Dad.” I walk faster, hell-bent on getting out of this house now that I’ve said what I came here to.

“We’re not finished discussing this.”

“Well, I’m done. We could have talked last night, but you had to go off and consult your legal team, remember?”

“What if you’d been wrong, Kit? What if she was trying to take advantage of you? I’m on your side here, son.”

I turn to face him. “No, you’re not. If you had been, you would have trusted me when I told you I trusted her. Do you know how many women have made it clear they only see my last name when they look at me? Collins seesme. Do you know what she did right after she found out she was pregnant? She made this plan to move back to New Haven and work at Yale and have her mom watch the baby. She didn’t expectanythingfrom me. Not a single cent. When I told you not to be concerned about the company, I fucking meant it. And you should have believed me, not printed an NDA.”

I resume walking toward the stairs.

“Can you just stop for a second?—”

“No, Dad, I can’t. I need to go check on Collins. Find out how much damage you did.”

“We had a nice conversation, Kit.”

I pause again at the top of the steps, hand on the railing. “Anice conversation? During which you asked her to sign an NDA? Did you ask about a paternity test too?”

“No,I?—”

“Did Grandpa ask Mom to sign an NDA, Dad? Did she take a paternity test when she got pregnant with Lili?”

Dad’s expression darkens. “You arewayout of line, Christopher.”

“I’m not the only one. I used to think you were nothing like Grandpa. People always compare me to you, but I’ve never heard anyone compare you to him. But I changed my mind when my child became a fuckingliabilityto you.”

“Christopher,” he calls again, but I don’t pause this time.

I continue pounding down the curved stairs, not even stopping when I have a clear shot of the entryway.

The three shocked people standing in the entryway, specifically.

Well, my mom and Lili look shocked. Charlie looks serious. And uncomfortable.

Welcome to the shit show, Duke.

I shake my head and continue down the rest of the steps.

Mom recovers the ability to speak first. “Kit, what on earth?—”

I reach the entryway and blow out a long breath. “I’m really sorry you found out this way, Mom.” I glance at Lili, who appears comically stunned. “You too, Lili. But I can’t discuss this anymore right now.” I continue toward the door.

“Kit!” Mom’s voice is louder now, the surprise in it starting to fracture. “I’d like an explanation of what?—”

I twist the handle. “Ask Dad.”

Mom glances at him. Dad’s reached the bottom of the stairs too.

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