Brother After Dark

Chapter Fifty-Three

Zach.

I arrived home from Charleston on time to meet my dad. He was waiting for me at his library. That’s his favorite spot for handling serious businesses at home. The library was filled with books, memorabilia, his awards from home and abroad, his business files, and other exotic possessions worthy of an accomplished man like him.

I knocked on the door gently. His husky voice asked me to come in. I opened it slowly and stepped inside. Seeing him somehow unsettled me. He stood behind his desk, disheveled, angry, and… hostile. He only puts on that kind of a countenance when he’s really furious about something. My curiosity increased but I maintained a straight face.

I approached him with calculative footsteps. “Dad, what’s the matter?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

It was then that I noticed that he’s holding a bunch of photos on his left hand. He shoved them in front of me with force, stronger than normal. They dropped on the floor, scattered at my feet.

“Care to explain that shit to me?” he roared.

I gasped in shock as my eyes caught several clips of me nuzzling Blaire’s neck outside a bar. My mouth dried up and I swallowed a lump from my throat.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Who fucking took these and sent it to him?

I gaped at them like a dummy, unable to form a reasonable train of thought.

“How long has this been going on?” he growled, and I jerked. I couldn’t bring myself to look at his fiery eyes because I wouldn’t be able to stand his hurt.

This is it! Our show has finally ended. My deepest, darkest secret was now out in the open.

I knew my forbidden love will not remain a secret forever. But I just didn’t expect it to end so soon. Not like this. Not when I was so unprepared. Not when I haven’t figured out how to best protect Blaire from this.

“You son of a bitch!” Dad cursed and advanced menacingly toward me. I backed away until my back touched the door. The look in his eyes could kill. Was I scared of him? Hell yeah, I damned was. But I knew that I brought this upon myself! And I would take all the blame, all the punishment. So long as I could keep Blaire away from all of it.

He continued to curse at me. He was livid. His eyes were red and blazing. He charged at me and gripped the collar of my shirt, squeezing it tight that I began to choke.

“After all I’ve done for you? You low-life ingrate from a drunkard father!” he spat, his eyes widened in fury. “You could have anyone you wanted. Why does it have to be your sister? Have you no dignity?”

I couldn’t breathe. I grabbed his hands and broke free. I stepped away from him and doubled over to catch air into my almost deflated lungs.

“You bastard! How could bring this shame to our family? Blaire is your sister! This will be the end of the reputation I have been taking care of for years!”

I straightened up, panting. “Blaire is not my sister!” I flared up.

He glared at me like a lion eyeing his prey. “You are my son, regardless of what the court said. And a romance between my son and my daughter is unacceptable!” he barked. “Get that in your thick skull! You could never be with each other! I would never allow it! You will never touch my daughter again, do you understand?”

Now, Blaire is suddenly his daughter?

I’ve had enough lies, deceits, and hypocrisy. I might not be right by sleeping with Blaire, but I would not condone any more bullshit from this man. This was a man who had never seen Blaire as his daughter since she was born. Why was he acting like he cared about her now?

“Stay away from Blaire! I command you to stay away from her!”

I stared back at the man I referred to as my father. I gave him a hard stare, full of meaning.

“I know you have always treated me as your son?” I asked, in a low, cold voice. “But… you never saw her as you daughter! Not before and certainly not now!”

“That’s not…”

“And I know why!” I cut him off. He stared back at me in shock. “I know the truth.”

“What do you mean?”

“You never treated her that way. Because we both know, she isn’t your daughter… right?”