Of course. I huff out a breath, but it was fair game, wasn’t it?
“Regardless, Jordan’s mother worked for him before he pressured her into bed. Their affair was toward the end of my stint in the Marines, when I only came home to see my mother before she died. When he found out she was pregnant, he fired her, and strong-armed her into signing a NDA. He tied her paltry severance pay to the contract with some child maintenance—something I doubt was even legal. I didn’t find out until much later...” I shake my head. “About eight years ago, I went into my dad’s office. Marissa was cowering in a corner, and my fuck of a dad was shaking a fist at her and screaming.”
I hold my breath while Brina gasps. Her hands reach for mine, stroking my fingers so gently. I watch my breath smoking out into the cold air.
“Mag, I’m sorry.”
“I almost killed him on the spot. He kept saying she shouldn’t have had the ‘nerve’ to come back asking for more after he’d given her a settlement,” I say, my voice colder than the winter air.
“Settlement for what?” Anger rises in her voice. “She was the victim.”
“Yeah. It took me a minute to realize they were talking about a kid. My father had a secret child with his intern while my mom—his wife—fought cancer every day until it chewed her into nothing. And all he wanted to do was hide the truth from me, from the company, to cover his lying ass.”
Her mouth forms an O.
“I couldn’t take it. So I snapped, rushed over, broke his nose right in front of Marissa. She screamed and ran out of the office. I told the bastard to get the fuck out, effective immediately. I dragged him by the arm and got his blood all over my suit. Everyone in the office at the time saw it. I told him to leave HeronComm and leave Chicago, or I’d destroy his company, his house, everything.”
“Jesus. How did you go from that to Marissa’s emergency contact?”
“I followed up with her. I had to make sure she didn’t need anything. I’m glad I did, because she didn’t want to ask my dad for anything. Naturally, she hated him. She only came back to the office to confront him because her house burned down. She barely made it out alive with Jordan, and he couldn’t even help them with fucking rent for his son. The more we talked, the more I realized she’d never been interested in my father. Later, I found out he threatened to fire her if she didn’t give in to his advances. He all but raped her while my mother was at home, dying, and I was off at war.”
The color drains from her face.
I hope she won’t be sick.
“Oh, my gosh.” Brina covers her mouth with her hand.
I’ve never discussed this shit with anyone. A few people at the office figured it out, but they know not to run their mouths.
I don’t talk about my problems.
I don’t show weakness.
I don’t even know why I’m telling her this, or why Ruby’s comment felt like toothpicks under my nails.
But when Sabrina stands and puts a hand on my face, I don’t flinch.
“Mag, I’m so sorry you had to go through all that. Especially so young, barely out of the military. If I lost my mom, I don’t think I could handle it. If I found out my dad was cheating as she died, I’d probably kill him.”
“If only I had,” I growl.
“I’m proud of you for helping Marissa and Jordan.” She looks up, her eyes bright.
“What else could I do? The way she was hunched in a corner, crying...I’ll never forget it as long as I live. My father savaged her, hurt her so bad she was hell-bent on doing everything herself. If it wasn’t for him, she might not be out cold in a hospital room right now. And knowing my goddamned dad...”
“No. Don’t you dare beat yourself up, Magnus Heron. You stepped up where he didn’t for his mess, his crime. You’re taking care of Jordan and doing a good job.”
“Thank you,” I say. “But I’m not taking care of everything I should—not if I’m anything like him.”
I look at her slowly, wondering if she understands.
The blank look on her face says no, she doesn’t.
“We have to come clean, as soon as this is dealt with,” I whisper, my voice ragged. “I can’t hide what we’re doing. I’ll bring it to Ruby, you and I. I’ll find some way to do this by the book, ethically, and announce it to our staff. We have to be transparent. Leave nothing cracked for rumors.”
She doesn’t remove the hand from my face. She just smiles so wide I feel warm, even in the frigid afternoon.
Her hip touches mine, closing any space between us.
“If you’re willing, of course,” I say. “I shouldn’t presume—”
“You aren’t him, Mag. I promise you aren’t,” she cuts me off. “And if you’re saying you want to explore whatever this is? Of course I’m game. You’ve given me some of the best days of my life, and the worst, too. But even the bad times taught me so much. I want our whatever. I want us.”
My heart damn near crashes through my ribs. I seize her hand, draw her leather glove off, and kiss the back of her fingers.
Her giggle falls out like this strange music echoing across the snowy park.
If I had to pick someone to tell my deepest, darkest secret, I’m glad it’s her.
She’s the right person to tell. She belongs in my life. She makes my withered heart beat like it’s alive again.
Hell, what am I doing settling for the back of her hand?
Tugging her closer, I brush my lips on hers.
“Let’s get the grub before I freeze my balls off,” I tell her, sliding my fingers through her hair. “But first, hang tight.”
And just like that, I’m kissing my EA in broad daylight in the middle of Millennium Park.
21
Black Cat (Sabrina)
I’ve fallen so far down the rabbit hole that the next few weeks pass by in a blur.
Mag had Armstrong bring some clothes to his place, so I’m no longer doing the sex-hair walk of shame every morning. We sit around a massive wooden table Mag never used before with Jordan every night, and I’m at the office before the brothers are out of bed every morning.
If you’d told me a few months ago I’d be swept up with some billionaire bad boy and his teenage ward, I’d have rolled my eyes and told you, not on your life.
But I have to admit, it’s been a sweet, strange Wonderland.
One lazy morning, on my way out, I stop at the kitchen to tell Mag goodbye.
He beckons me in and I come, where he holds a cup of coffee in front of my face.
I grab for it, and he moves it up higher and pulls it back, just out of my reach. Smirking the whole time, the dick.
As I step closer, I laugh and reach for the coffee, lifting up on the balls of my feet.
He seizes the opportunity to throw an arm around my back and pull me in.
He kisses my forehead, and his lips turn up from a wise-ass smirk to a full-on smile. How freaking cute is he?
“You’re taking the weekend off.” His voice is gruff and sexy. “The frontline data from the Arrowpoint Airlines campaign will still be in your inbox on Monday. You should be with me and Jordan. Right, J-man?”