Page 79 of Wreck Me

Me: I’ll check in later

I pocket my phone and take a deep breath. They can’t make anything easy.

“Go better than you thought?”

“Eh. None of us gets a whole helluva lot of privacy. Comes with the territory of being close, but goddamn, sometimes I just want to be able to say something and not get the third degree.

“I have no idea what that’s like, but I can imagine it could be a little suffocating sometimes. At least they love you.”

I look up at Finn as he drives and smile. I really want them to love him, too.

We arrive at a large office building in Seattle, and I swear to Christ, it’s goddamn hotter in the city than in Aspen Ridge. I use two fingers to loosen the shirt around my neck, but I’m not about to complain.

“You okay? You don’t have to come with me.”

“I’m good, I promise.”

“If you feel any bit of panic, Carter, just give me a look and we’re out of there.”

“Baby, I’m good. I’m going to have your back. Let’s go put an end to this shit so I can take you home with me.”

Finn gives me a chaste kiss and we walk into the building. I’m acutely aware of his every move, every tick of his jaw, theway his eyes dart around, and I know that I made the right decision by being here with him. Sliding my hand down the sinewed muscles of his forearm, I thread our fingers together and hold his hand. His shoulders relax, and he exhales a breath that he was clearly holding.

There’s only one word that comes to mind when walking through the building—opulent. Especially for a magazine like this. I know they’re popular, but it’s clear the Nashes didn’t get their money from it. At least, not all of it. Everything is marble and glass, and compared to the rough grounds of the distillery in the country, with our raw materials, gravel roads, and rocky landscape, I can’t imagine living in a concrete jungle like this. I hope Finn falls in love with Aspen Ridge because there’s no way I’m living anywhere else. I’d be miserable. Everything he’s told me so far leads me to believe that he hates this shit just as much as I do, and that he’s craving the comfort and peace that a small town brings.

We ride the elevator in silence, my thumb rubbing small circles across the back of his hand, a silent reminder that he has someone in his corner, that I’m not going anywhere. It seems to keep him grounded, and I’m surprised to find that I love the feeling of being someone else’s comfort. The bell rings, and we step off on the top floor. My nerves ratchet up a few levels, but I breathe through it, I’m here to support Finn and I’m not going to let anyone fuck with him. His dad seems like a top-notch fuckface, and I’ll be damned if Finn has to live under his thumb for a moment longer.

To our surprise, Finn’s dad is standing in the doorway of his office with his arms crossed, looking like he’s waiting for our arrival. Finn’s dad exudes the exact false bravado that one would expect from someone of his stature. You can practically taste the thick arrogance wafting in the stuffy room. His physical traits make it clear that he’s Finn’s father, yet he looks sodifferent at the same time. His face is rounder, deep lines crease his forehead like his brow is always furrowed with anger. He shares the same jawline as his son, but his facial hair is salt and pepper. At first glance, he looks polished—based off the suit that has been tailored to fit his physique— but men like him can’t hide that they’re actually desperate, weak fucks.

“Griffin. What the fuck is he doing here?”

“Let’s go have a chat, Dad. You’re gonna want to hear this.”

“I’m not speaking with you in front of this bastard.” His dad’s voice rises a notch, and my blood starts to boil over. Who the fuck does he think he is?

“Fine, we can do this right here, then,” Finn says, keeping his composure, unlike me, who is slipping and about to lose it on this dick. “I am done being your puppet. I am done letting you control my life. You’ve controlled me long enough, Dad. I’m done.”

A maniacal laugh bubbles up from his dad’s mouth, and I take a step closer to him, wanting nothing more than to knock his fucking teeth out.

“The fuck you are. You’re my son, Griffin! You can’t just be fucking done!”

“Oh, I can. And you’re going to be done, too. You’re going to let me walk away from you and the magazine peacefully and without issues, and I’m going to start a new life on my own that you won’t be part of. You and I both know what I caught you doing, you sick fuck, and if you as so much think about sullying my name to anyone, I will make sure everyone knows what a low-life cheater you are. You’re all about appearances, Dad, what would everyone say if they found out you were fucking your lawyer’s daughter?”

I stiffen next to Finn as his dad throws his head back and laughs. I can’t believe this is the man who raised such a loving, compassionate, loyal man. I reach down to thread my fingersthrough Finn’s, giving his hand a little squeeze, letting him know that he’s got this. Even if I want to handle this my way, I know he needs to get through this on his own.

“You’re such a stupid boy, Griffin. You have no proof. It’s the word of a disgruntled, spoiled little boy who didn’t get his way, trying to get his dad’s attention. No one will believe you.”

“Maybe. If I hadn’t taken a photo of you in the act. Don’t worry, there’s no nudity shown, but it’s very clear what’s happening. Poor girl,” Finn replies with a shudder.

“You fucking bastard! So, you’re here to ruin me? Take everything that I’ve worked hard for? I fucking made you, Griffin!”

“I don’t want anything from you! All I want is to walk away from your toxic, abusive bullshit and never hear from you again. You’ve controlled me long enough. You can continue to live your life, and I’ll be free of you. That’s it. I’m leaving the Northwest Explorer, effective immediately, and walking out of your life. You’re going to let me go.”

My mouth nearly drops open in awe of him standing up to his dad. I can’t begin to fathom the strength it takes to confront your abuser, especially when the abuser is your own father. This man should have been Finn’s safe place, his guardian in everything, his mentor, and instead, all he’s done is use fear and control to wield him how and when he sees fit. I release Finn’s hand and take several confident strides into his dad’s space. I’ll give it to him, he’s a cocky bastard, but I’ve got a strong feeling it’s only there because of the piles of money and power he stands on and inside he’s really just a sad, weak, little man.

“Just gonna interrupt here for a second. Hey, I’m Carter, Finn’s boyfriend. Pretty sure you know who I am already though, amIright?” I taunt. “You didn’t create shit. You may share DNA, but it ends there. Finn’s the best man I’ve ever fucking met and it sure as shit isn’t thanks to you. Finn is way too fucking humble tothreaten your slimy ass further but I’m not. Going to just make this real fuckin’ clear so you understand the world of shit you’re in. You won’t so much as utter his fucking name after we leave here. If you think about reaching out to your competitors or making his life harder, we’ll release the photo. You’ve done more than enough damage to him, and I’m going to guarantee he gets a fresh start with the ability to write anywhere he damn well wants and feels all the love that he deserves. And I’m gonna be the one who gives it to him. Every damn day. You understand me?”

I can feel Finn’s stare burning into the back of my head. I know I was only supposed to come here for support, but I also needed to make sure he was protected and that this asshole knows we’re a team. He matters, and I choose him.

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