“Yeah. Something like that.”
Logan snorted. “Something exactly like that.”
“It’s a good plan,” James said. “Except it won’t work.”
“What?” Mason stepped away from the wall. “What do you mean?”
James pointed at the file. “Reading his history and last review comments, I’d say he’s got a chip on his shoulder. You give him power, he’ll want more. He won’t be content to stay where he is, even if it does mean he’ll lose a significant raise if he acts up. I don’t know what he’s been doing—” His hands shot up when Logan jerked forward in his seat. “And I don’t want to know. What I do know is that this is not a kid you can bribe or threaten.”
“What are you talking about?” Mason’s tone was quiet, eerily quiet. I looked over to him, but he was watching his dad with rapt attention.
“Is it within reason that this kid is doing something illegal?”
Mason shrugged. “You mean besides assaulting people?”
“You can charge him with that?” James frowned.
Logan snorted again.
Mason sighed. “Nothing he can’t charge us with, too.”
“My sons,” James bit out, standing up again. He gestured to both of them. “Such saintly examples.” He turned to Mason, his neck becoming red. “You’re fighting again?!”
And the pleasantries were over.
Mason jerked forward, but Logan was on his feet as well. He said, “Dad.”
“Will you never learn? You’re almost a senior in college, Mason! You’re doing the same shit you were doing when you were a freshman in high school!” James’ voice rose louder and louder. His hand curled in a fist, and he shook it in the air. “What’s your excuse this time? You blamed me for the divorce back then. Well, you can’t anymore. I’m not whoring around, as you like to say. I’ve been faithful to the same woman since—” He glanced over, and his eyes found mine.
In an instant I was back there, back to the first time Analise told me we were leaving my father. I felt the same emotion I had then. Nothing, because it was all too much.
His voice quieted. “I’m sorry, Sam.”
I closed my eyes, hanging my head.
She had been on the floor, sitting in between boxes already. Two empty bottles of wine had lay next to her, and I knew she was only starting.
I barely heard myself as I said, “I remember feeling like I was suffocating when she told me we were leaving him.” I’d never known it, but there were words I needed to say to this man, and right now he was listening.
Now was the time.
I took a calming breath. “You were the catalyst for all of it. I mostly blamed my mom. I knew she was the one who went after you. And I knew I’d find out Jeff was cheating on me, and I should’ve lost my two best friends, because it turns out they’re really shady assholes. But I blamed you for ripping apart my family because you were stupid.” I frowned, biting the inside of my lip for a moment. “I still think you’re stupid.”
Logan covered a laugh.
James’ gaze had fallen to the desk.
I felt Mason next to me. He was right there, if I needed him.
But I was okay on my own. “She cheated during her entire marriage. You cheated during your entire marriage. How am I supposed to believe both of you won’t cheat when you marry each other? How am I supposed to know that cheating’s not a part of every marriage?”
Now I really felt Mason watching me, but I couldn’t look. There was no way, because he’d know.
“Samantha,” James started, his posture that of a broken man.
But I knew he wasn’t broken. That was the problem. People like him never broke. They did the breaking.
“You broke your family. She broke my family. You guys are going to break it again.”
“Is that what you think?” he asked.
I nodded. “That’s what I know.”
“Samantha.” He started to walk out from behind the desk.
Mason was right there, blocking him, and when James looked over, Logan moved closer to me, too. Neither of them was going to let their father close to me. When he saw that, he nodded, a sad laugh coming from him.
“This, right here.” He pointed to us. “This is how you know we won’t be breaking another family. My sons love you more than they love me. I lost their love so long ago, and I’ll never really get it back. I’ve made my peace with that. But with you, that love is solid. It’s the only beautiful thing Analise and I have done together, and we can’t take credit. You three found each other.” He looked at Mason. “I know my son will never cheat on you, and my other son will never stop being your brother. We’ll never break the three of you again.”