Page 109 of A Cold Hard Truth

“I’m here,” Remington said.

Sebastian stepped forward and buried his face against Remington’s chest, his throat constricting when Remington’s arms came around him and tightened. Sebastian inhaled the now familiar and comforting smell of Remington. He wrapped his arms around Remington’s back, fingers shamefully clawing at the soft material of his shirt, trying to pull him closer.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call,” he apologized.

“But you did.”

“I mean before. Since I’ve been gone.”

Remington kissed the top of his head.

“What are you doing here?” Sebastian asked.

“I missed you,” Remington said, “but honestly, your brother called me.”

“What?” Sebastian untangled himself from the welcome embrace and looked up at Remington, his face marked with confusion.

“Rhys called me earlier today. He told me you needed me.”

Sebastian snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Do you not?” Remington arched a brow.

Sebastian quickly sobered. “No. I do. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on? What’s the cause for all the dramatics?” Remington adjusted his glasses and reached for Sebastian’s hand.

His skin felt cold and clammy against Remington’s smooth and long fingers, but he held him tight anyway, not convinced he wouldn’t wake up and find it all to be a dream.

“I have a very thorough divorce agreement with Daniella,” he explained, running a shaking hand through his hair. “There’s a slander clause in there that’s focused on the family name.”

Remington pursed his lips, and Sebastianknewhow ridiculous it sounded. What kind of life had he built for himself where the propriety of his family was worked into a divorce clause? It was embarrassing to speak the words out loud, but Remington deserved to know what a mess Sebastian was. He’d come all this way after all.

“Daniella and I slept together, uhm…before.”

“Generally, yes,” Remington agreed. “It’s not a problem for me that you’ve slept with a woman. Or that you slept with your wife, Sebastian.”

“She’s telling Rhys’s ex-fiancé she’s pregnant.”

“Is it yours?” Remington asked, his features hardly readable.

Sebastian dragged his tongue over the front of his teeth, biting the tip until he grimaced from the shock of pain. “I don’t think so.”

“What’s the problem, then?”

“God. It’s this whole thing.”

Remington stepped backward, and Sebastian frowned, bracing himself for the man he needed more than air to walk away from him and not look back. But when Remington reached the bathroom door, instead of walking out, he flipped the lock, ensuring their privacy. He leaned against the door, using his body as an additional buffer, and settled his gaze on Sebastian, who still half-hid in the stall.

“Go on.”

“You know Daniella used to…” Sebastian gestured vaguely, hoping Remington could decipher the flip of his wrist to meanyou know Daniella used to fuck me up the ass and laugh about it, but I got off,anyway.

“I know,” Remington said.

“She had pictures of that. She tried to sell them.” He looked away, shame heating his throat and cheeks. “Rhys is friends with everyone, though. The St. George name carries a lot of weight. He managed to get that shut down.”

“Your brother is a powerful guy,” Remington observed.