Page 94 of The Sculptor

He turns then but pauses. “One last thing.” He eyes Remington with hatred. “During my digging, I found something interesting about your stellar employee here.”

Vance has to yank Remington back again.

“Maybe you should ask him why he was on the run for several years.” Langston grins like the bastard he is, but this time, it’s Halle that steps forward.

“You need to leave,” she spits, which only amuses Langston more.

“Dear girl. I wouldn’t be so quick to defend someone you don’t truly know.” He leans in toward Halle, and Remington and I both have to hold Vance back. “Ask him what happened to his mother. I bet you’ll be as shocked as I was to hear the answer.” Halle backs up and hollers for security.

“No need.” Langston puts his hands up. “I’ll see myself out.” He turns and flashes Vance and me one last look. “I regret not sharing this moment with my ex-fiancée.” He snaps his fingers. “That’s right, I already have.” His face turns to stone, and the evil he keeps tucked away bleeds out when he meets my gaze. “Let this be a lesson to you, boy. Never blackmail someone when you have more demons in your closet than he does.”

My heart is pounding as I use every bit of self-control not to chase after him. Instead, I grab my phone and dial Ray.

It goes straight to voicemail. “Fuck!” I yell, pressing her contact again.

Again, it goes straight to voicemail.

“What the—”

I didn’t see the punch.

I only felt a sharp sting to my jaw. “What the fuck?” Rubbing my jaw, I stare up at Remington, a vein pulsing in his forehead. “What’s your deal?”

He looks at me, then at the letter in his hand, his lip quivering.

He doesn’t say a word.

But he doesn’t need to.

My gut says it for me.A mother knows.His mother knew. His eyes.

Suddenly, last night’s confusion comes barreling into my chest like a wrecking ball.

Her sketch.

“Did you know about this?” Remington finally explodes, screaming at Vance, who stares down at the paper in his hand, too. “Vance!” Remington shouts. “Did. You. Know?”

The brother who I’ve looked up to my whole life looks at me, and it’s a devasting blow before he even says, “No, I had no idea. You know I would have told you.”

“Do I?” He laughs, shrugging off Halle’s touch. “Do I really know any of you?”

“Yes,” Halle cries. “You know us. You know we love you. We’d never do anything to hurt you. Never!”

I lower to the floor as if my legs can no longer hold me up. The envelope crumples in my fist, drawing Remington’s attention. “Aren’t you going to look, Pops? Apparently, we share DNA, or maybe this adoption contract is a lie, too.” He laughs, but it lacks his usual humor. “You’re familiar with those, aren’t you?” He crumbles the paper in his hand and tosses it onto my chest.

“Well, let me save you the breath. Congratulations, it’s a fucking boy—Jude, to be specific.”

And then he turns and pushes past Halle. “Remington!” Vance shouts, his voice stern and hard. “Don’t you fucking think of leaving.”

“You see,” he turns slowly, “the thing about being eighteen”—he glances down at me—“and on my own for so many years is that I can take care of myself. I don’t need any of your guilt-laden parental guidance anymore. Adios, Potters.”

He flips us off when Halle snatches him back by the shirt, hugging him to her body. “If you leave, I leave.”

If there is a way to Remington’s heart, it’s through Halle.

“You’re staying here,” he grits out, trying to pull away without being a real dick. “With Vance.”

Halle holds tight. “I’ll follow you,” she threatens.

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