Page 39 of Unspoken Confessions
“Like that?” I asked sharply, though I knew what he was dancing around.
“One of the gays,” he said looking none too happy that he had to voice it.
A sharp laugh slipped out of my mouth. At first, I wasn’t even sure it had come from me. It must have and by the way my father’s mouth snapped shut and glared at me, I knew he didn’t like that I’d done that. He was pissed, I could tell.
“Did you really just say ‘the gays’ like that’s okay to do?” I asked with a bitter tone. “Like… like… God, I don’t even know. Like you think gay people shouldn’t count for anything. Because that’s sure as fuck how it sounded coming out of your mouth.”
“Watch your tone with me,” he said with narrowed eyes. “I support them. There’s nothing wrong with being gay, but I do have my business to look out for, so I do it silently. You hired Jen for fuck’s sake, it’s not like you aren’t showing your support in your own, quiet way. That’s the way you need to keep it. And Heaven forbid people actually think you are gay…” His head shook sharply. “That’s it. You’ll be nothing but that for the rest of your career. Forget ever getting a normal role again.”
There was a long pause and when I didn’t give him some sort of reply— like I could even do that calmly at the moment— he spoke again.
“You know I’m right. Do as I tell you and this will all blow over soon.”
I was shaking. I could feel my whole body go tight as he turned and walked away, pushing through Jameson and Austin as if they were gnats buzzing in his path.
A fire burned inside of me and when it finally sparked in my brain, I all but lunged forward after my father.
When I caught sight of him, he was already all the way down the stairs and nearly at the front door. If I ran, I could catch him before he left.
Everything was right there on the tip of my tongue ready to come out.
All the things I’d been holding in for years.
The truth.
The rage.
Fuck you!
I hate you more than I could ever possibly say!
I wish you weren’t my father.
I’m fucking gay, you selfish bastard!
Jameson’s hand clamped around my arm and he hauled me back against the doorjamb.
I blinked at him shocked for a second before attempting to fight against his strength.
“Let me go!” I roared. I struggled again but he held me back. “Let me the fuck go!”
Then it hit me just as I heard the front door slam shut, signaling my father’s safety from me. Fromme.
“You fucking work forhim, don’t you?” I seethed through clenched teeth.
I should have known. And, yes, a part of me had assumed that my father probably had a hand in setting this whole thing up. But that was also something I didn’t want to think about so I tried my hardest not to focus on it. I was aware that Jen talked to him often enough. I figured since he was on my side, it was just to keep my father off my back. Could I have been wrong? Was Jen really just like everyone else, eager to do my father’s bidding? That was the only reason I could see that he’d tried so hard to get security in here when there wasn’t a reason for it.
“Fuck you, get off me. Leave.” I stared into Jameson’s eyes, returning their intense, blazing gaze and refusing to back down.
I attempted to shake him off again, but his arm came down against my chest and I was pinned in place with his face just inches from mine.
“No,” he growled. The sound was raw and deep and I will deny that it rocked me to my core.
Austin stepped forward, I saw him just right of frame come into my blurry peripheral vision. His hand went to Jameson’s shoulder, but the brick wall of a man didn’t so much as flinch.
“I should have figured. Protect me unless it involveshim, right? How much is my father paying you to watch me? How much to keep me in line?”
“I didn’t stop you for him,” Jameson roared. “I stopped you because some things you just can’t take back and I didn’t want that for you.”
