Page 38 of Married to Murder
Feeling festive, I finished off my champagne and refilled my glass. My dad got up and headed in the same direction as Seth. I assumed he had yet another phone call to make, but when I glanced over a few minutes later, I saw that he had Seth cornered in the hallway that led to the restrooms. Since he’d never really bothered to engage Seth in conversation, at first I was pleased that he seemed to be making an effort. But then I noticed how flushed Seth looked and that he seemed to be arguing with my dad.
I watched them for a few moments, wondering what in the hell my dad could have said to have Seth looking so upset. I stood and headed toward them. As I neared, I saw Seth lean in toward my dad and growl, “Fuck you. How dare you threaten me.”
I’d never heard Seth even raise his voice in the weeks I’d known him, so the dark look of fury on his face was shocking. His hands were balled into fists and his mouth a grim line.
As I got closer, my dad snapped back, “If you’re smart, you’ll give me what I want.”
“I’m not going to use him like that.”
“Then you’ll pay the price,” my dad snarled.
“Or maybe you will,” Seth hissed.
“Hey.” I moved quickly to get between them because Seth looked like he was ready to punch my dad. “What’s going on?”
Seth’s face immediately shuttered. “Nothing.”
I laughed disbelievingly. “Yeah, right.” I gave my dad an impatient look. “What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything,” he barked. He turned on his heel and strode off.
I grabbed Seth’s arm. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing.” He pulled his arm from my grip, rubbing his wrist.
“Obviously something happened.” I couldn’t imagine what they would have to argue about. They barely knew each other.
Seth’s face was impossible to read, and he watched me warily.
“Seth, if he said something that bothered you, you can tell me.”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “It’s fine. Just drop it.” He was pale now, and his eyes glittered with distrust.
I could only push him so much to talk; after all, this wasn’t a real marriage. Regardless of the warm emotions I’d experienced today with Seth, we were only a couple on paper. I didn’t know much about him at all, and judging by his pinched face, he wasn’t in the mood to share. “I know he can be annoying. Did he insult you somehow?”
“Tanner, drop it.” His voice was hard. “I’m fine. I’m sure it will blow over.”
Gordon came out of the shadows nearby, and I had the feeling maybe he’d been there longer than I’d realized. “Seth, you okay?” His voice was concerned.
Seth nodded but didn’t speak. He hesitated, and then he brushed past me and headed back toward the table. My dad was nowhere to be seen now, and I wondered if maybe he’d gone out the back. He had a way of ditching events by sneaking away when no one was watching.
Gordon met my gaze, his face stony. “Did you hear what they were talking about?” he asked.
“No. I mean, not really. I know Seth was furious.”
“Yeah.” He glanced in Seth’s direction. “He deserves to be happy. He’s been through enough.”
That piqued my interest. “He won’t really share his past with me. I know there are things he doesn’t want me to know.”
“Everybody has a past.”
“Yeah. I just wish he’d tell me more about his.”
“It’s not my place to tell things he wants kept private.”
“Of course not.” My face warmed. “But I wish Seth would trust me more.”
Gordon studied me intently. “Trust doesn’t come easily to him.”
