Page 213 of For the Fans
“Nothing,” I jump in, shooting Avi a look.
“Aw, come on! Tell me!” Bridget whines. “I promise I won’t say anything.”
Avi looks like he really wants to just say it, and I kick him under the table, causing him to grunt.
“Avi, don’t you dare…” I hiss.
He blinks at me and bites his lip. Then he says to Bridget, “I have an OnlyFans.”
“Jesus…” I scoff, rubbing my eyes while Bridget gasps out loud.
“Oh my God! Really?!” Her mouth is hanging open, eyes all wide with fascination. “Like solo content or with… partners?”
Her eyes shift to me.
“I can’t deal with this right now…” I rub my eyes.
“I’ve been working with a… partner.” Avi chooses his words carefully, like he’s on trial for murder. “But currently the account has been… absolved.”
“What does that even mean??” Bridget shakes her head, grinning.
“It means don’t worry about it,” I snap.
Bridget squints at me, and I gulp.Yea. I was a lot less quick-tempered before she left home too.
“The point is that it kinda… came to light recently,” Avi goes on. “And I don’t want that affecting Kyran.” His chin tilts in my direction. “And yourdad…” He frowns, and Ihatethat he seems so stressed over this. “Your relationship with him is already awful. I don’t want to make it worse…”
My eyes flick to Bridget, who’s staring at me.
“If we’re being honest, he’ll probably be more upset that you’re dating a guy than the fact that it’s his wife’s son,” Bridget mutters, scoffing at the ridiculousness of it.
And the saddest part is that I know she’s right. If Avi was female, my father would care infinitely less about me falling for a stepsibling. But because he’s aman, it’s going to turn up his Biblical hate-o-meter to full power.
Fucking asshole.
“Well, I don’t give a fuck,” I state firmly. “When we get back to Boston, I’m telling him the truth. I don’t care if he has a problem with it. He stopped being my father a long time ago, anyway.”
I pause when I realize what I said, eyes shifting to Avi, who’s blinking at me, once again, like he’sdesperateto know what I mean by that.
“Ky…” Bridget jumps in before he can potentially ask. “I’m just so happy for you. You have no idea how ecstatic I am thatyou’re finally feeling comfortable enough with who you are to be with someone.”
My stomach twists almost violently at her words.
I know she’s only being supportive, but it’s whipping up a tornado of jitters inside me. Muscles tense all over my body, and all sorts of things start rumbling up from where they’ve been lying dormant in my mind.
Avi’s forehead creases, unease etching his face. I can only imagine what he must think…Based on Bridget’s words, I know how it might seem…
His mouth opens, but I speak before he can.
“You’re the only one, baby,” I whisper to him, my voice shaking a little. “I promise.”
Avi looks worriedly between me and Bridget, and I glare at my sister.
“I’m sorry… You know that’s not what I meant, Ky,” she says. “I’m just happy you’re happy. That’s it.”
I nod, swallowing and swallowing over the bile trying to rise in my throat.
The smell of smoke and fragrant oils… The bitter taste of it in my mouth.
