Page 11 of Exposed

“What the hell, Nigel?”

“Enough with the vile language,” Tanner said. “My grandson is very impressionable.”

“Nigel, you knew?”

He stayed pressed against the wall and didn’t even blink.

I walked over to him, grabbed him by his orange leather straps and pulled him off the wall. “Talk.”

“I didn’t want to,” Nigel said. “Master made me. I like Kennedy. Very much so. I think you two are very suitable. But it’s not my specialty. I just like to serve. If you need to punish me, I understand.” He turned around, waiting for me to spank him.

“Stop presenting your butt to me.”

“It might make you feel better,” Nigel said.

Good Lord.I looked up at the ceiling. “Why are you both hellbent on ruining my life?”

“We’re not,” Nigel said. “We’re trying to make it better. The best. Only the best for our best friend.”

Were they really trying to make my life better? Because it didn’t feel that way right now. “Well, Kennedy and I broke up.”

Nigel gasped. “Why?”

I looked at Tanner. “Because I wasn’t in love with her.”

Tanner nodded. “And because you’re still in love with Brooklyn. What are you doing here, Matt? You need to go talk to her.”

“I don’t even know where she is. I…” my voice trailed off. “I said some pretty terrible things to her and walked away.”

“Well, it seems like you both owe each other an apology.” Tanner pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket. “That’s her number. Go get your girl back. You can thank me later.”

I looked down at Brooklyn’s cell number.

How was she alive?

I’d looked for her for so long.

I’d held out so much hope.

How?

Tanner sighed. “I can see all those questions floating around in your head.Go to her,” he said in a very commanding way.

“I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“You’ve had 16 years to get ready.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I had 16 years to mourn her. I never thought I’d see her again.”

“Go to her,” he said again.

“Or go to Kennedy,” Nigel said.

“Nigel!” Tanner said. “Seriously, stop it. Go back to the wall.”

Nigel just stared at him.

“To. The. Wall.”

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