“But we drifted apart,” Thomas continued as if Jamie hadn’t rudely interrupted. “It was years before we saw each other again, and even then, it must have been written in the stars because…” He stopped, and I wished I could see the expression on Thomas McNamara’s face that caused such a weighted silence.
“Because he saved me from…from being raped in an alley,” Mrs. McNamara finished for him. “After Sean scared those guys away, he took me to the hospital and insisted on waiting with me. He was still there when your father”—she paused at that as if unsure before continuing in a firmer tone—“when your father showed up with your Aunt Dilwen and Uncle Douglas.”
“It was the shock of my life,” Mr. McNamara admitted much easier than he did telling his son that his mother had almost been raped. “I’d convinced myself that he was dead. No one had heard from him in over a decade. Not even his parents.”
“I admit I was a little captivated by him,” Mrs. McNamara said shyly. “After what Sean saved me from enduring, it was easy to think of him as a hero from a storybook. He was so dashing and brave. I thought I’d found my prince.” No one said anything while Evelyn attempted to reign in her emotions enough to continue. “These fantasies were the reason why I didn’t listen to Thomas when he warned me away from Sean. I-I assumed he was jealous.”
“Of who?” Jamie casually inquired. “You or him?”
Collectively, every heart within hearing distance, including mine, stopped.
“Jameson, not another word,” his uncle warned in a low voice.
The demand went through one of Jamie’s ears and out the other. “I said the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth or else I’m walking,” he shot back angrily. “Now tell your fucking son that you were fucking his father!”
At this juncture, I was sure even the jaws of the mice hiding in the walls dropped.
This was getting out of hand fast, and instinct told me it was about to get even uglier. Jamie always had a hard time controlling his emotions, which meant someone needed to intervene before the entire goddamn train derailed.
My gaze connected with Bee over Tyra’s head and a silent war ensued that ended with her exhaling and pushing inside the office. She headed straight for Jamie and started tugging on his tatted arm. If the occupants of the room were surprised by her timing and presence, none of them felt the need to express it. They were all too grateful she’d been there to intervene. “Maybe you should come with me,” Bee gently suggested.
“Yes, I think that’s a good idea,” his uncle readily agreed.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jamie denied while crossing his arms and ignoring Bee. “You were saying,” he added as if he hadn’t just outed his uncle while dropping an atomic bomb on his cousin.
“Maybe we should call his mother,” his aunt suggested.
“Call my mother?” Jamie mocked. “What am I, five?”
“Right now, you’re acting like it,” Bee snapped.
Jamie glared down at her, but he should have known better than to think Bee would back down. “Fine, fuck it. I won’t say another word.” Each of us, including the mice, released a sigh of relief. “But no more bullshit,” he warned his uncle. Relaxing against the wall with his girl by his side, he turned his head to broodily stare out the windows. If the situation weren’t so serious, I would have laughed.
After a beat, Mr. McNamara was the one to break the tense silence. “If it’s all right with you, Ever, the rest of your friends should come in rather than we pretend they aren’t listening behind the door.”
Startled, Tyra, Lou, and I made eye contact. A moment later, we were rushing inside the office without needing to be welcomed twice.
The first thing I noticed was my eerily silent best friend calmly sitting in one of the leather sofa chairs positioned in front of the massive oak desk. Ever’s forearms were resting on the wide arms of the chair, and his feet were planted, legs spread wide as he remained facing forward. All I could see was the back of his head, but I knew his mask was in place. No one else could perfect a blank expression quite like Ever could when he was feeling too many emotions at once and holding them all back. Four sat on the edge of the matching chair next to him, and I could tell she was eager to offer him comfort.
Evelyn McNamara currently stood behind the desk where her husband was seated, and when the door shut firmly behind us, she huffed. “This is highly inappropriate,” she scolded despite the tears glistening in her gold eyes. I wasn’t sure if the reprimand was directed at her husband or us.
“They’ve already heard too much,” he retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Ever,” he said, sounding somber when he addressed his son. “This is not how I wanted to tell you, but what Jamie says is true. Your father and I were lovers.”
After finally admitting the truth, Thomas’s shoulders slumped as if a weight had been lifted. I could tell he was still holding his breath, waiting for a reaction from his son.
Unfortunately, he got nothing in return.
“Shortly after you were born, Sean left,” Mrs. McNamara informed her silent son. “He was involved with some really bad people, so he decided you’d be better off without him. Safer.”
For the first time since Four entered the room, Ever finally spoke. “You said he died before I was born.”
“I…well…that wasn’t exactly true.”
“Just say the words, Mother. They’re simple to understand. You lied. You fucking lied.”
Thomas’s face looked like a bruised tomato as he glared at his son. “I know you’re upset, son, but you will not disrespect your mother in my home!”
I guess my best friend decided he’d rather leave than submit to either of his parents. Without a word of explanation, Ever rose from his seat and made a beeline for the exit.
Shooting to his feet as well, Mr. McNamara desperately shouted four words in hopes of stopping Ever from leaving. “You have a brother!”
It fucking worked like a charm.
My eyes squeezed shut as Ever paused in front of the doors. This was getting a little too hard to watch. And to think it had been my genius idea to drag Tyra here to hang out rather than to the beach house to make out as I should have done. The worst part was knowing that I could never fully be there for Ever. Hell, for any of my friends. Not unless I wanted to put them all in danger.
When I opened my eyes, my gaze landed on Lou, and I found it interesting that the usually smug pickpocket was suddenly shaking in her boots. In fact, she looked ready to bolt as her gaze met Four’s, and something passed between them. Obviously, the people in this room knew more than they were letting on, which begged only one question. How much did Tyra know?
She slipped her hand inside mine, and when I turned away from the train wreck ahead, I found her looking just as baffled as I felt.
“What did you say?” Ever’s hoarse demand was a telling sign that the tumultuous emotions he was trying to keep at bay were fighting to break free and winning.
“You have an older brother, and he knows about you. He’s here in Blackwood Keep. He’s been here and he—”
“Maybe we shouldn’t do this right now. I think Ever’s had enough.”