Page 48 of Anti-Hero (Kensingtons: The Next Generation #2)

“ Y ou sure you’re all right, Mr. Kensington?”

My fingers, already curled into a fist, clench even tighter. “I’m fine, Camden, thanks. This won’t take long, and then we’re headed to Brooklyn.”

“All right, sir.”

I climb out of the car and stride toward my parents’ townhouse. I didn’t button up my coat, but I’m oblivious to the harsh wind as it cuts through my suit. I’m too angry to feel cold. Walking too fast to see my breath hover in the freezing air.

I do feel my phone buzzing in my pocket, but I ignore that too.

Collins has been trying to call me back ever since we got disconnected, but I need to deal with this first. And we’ll be able to talk in person soon.

I’ll be picking her and the last of her belongings up at her apartment shortly.

I was planning to head straight to Brooklyn from the airport, but I need to speak to my dad first.

I rap on the front door twice, jaw ticcing as I stare at the glossy black paint.

A few seconds later, Charlie opens it.

I stare at Lili’s boyfriend, surprise temporarily dulling my anger. “Hey.”

“We flew in this morning,” he explains. “Lili wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh. Nice. I mean, nice to see you.”

“Likewise,” Charlie replies, smiling. “Lili and your mom left to do some shopping about”—he checks his watch—“four hours ago. I thought you were them.”

I nod. “Is my dad home?”

“Yeah. He’s in his office, I think. He said he had a couple of work things to catch up on.”

Probably a custody agreement he had his lawyer draft.

“Thanks,” I reply, already headed for the stairs.

The higher I climb, the hotter my temper flares. I’ve never been so furious with my father. The constant comparisons to him get tedious, but I’ve always found a measure of pride in them too. Not now. Not about this.

The door to his office is shut, but I barge in without knocking.

My dad’s seated at his desk, scanning some papers. He glances up, saying my name with obvious surprise as he checks the clock above the fireplace mantel. “You weren’t supposed to land for another hour.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” I say snidely. “Were you trying to sneak in something else behind my back before I got back to town?”

He sighs. “Kit …”

“Her new job, Dad? You show up at her new job, on her first day? What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I was trying to grasp a better understanding of the situation. This is a time sensitive?—”

“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since you found out! And I’ve been in another state for half of them! You had no fucking right to?—”

“I had a responsibility to. You’re not CEO, Christopher. Decisions concerning the company are not for you to make alone.”

“ You’re not CEO, Dad. You never have been, and unlike me, you never will be.”

It’s a cheap shot, delivered way below the belt.

I don’t know all the details of what happened to cause Dad to leave Kensington Consolidated in the first place, but I’ve pieced together enough to know it was related to the CEO position and conflict with Grandpa and Oliver. Enough to know it’s a sore spot.

Dad rubs his chin before telling me, “I talked to Oliver this morning. He agreed with me speaking with Collins directly was a necessary step?—”

“Speaking with her? You ambushed her!”

“Is that how she described it?”

I say nothing.

“I was very impressed with how she conducted herself.”

A brief flicker of pride breaks through my anger, but not enough to douse it .

“She also signed an NDA.”

“Of course.” I scoff, shaking my head. “Of course you didn’t go over there for a social call. It was to make sure she keeps her mouth shut.”

“I’m just trying to protect?—”

“This family and this company. Yeah, I heard you loud and clear last night. I’m trying to protect mine , Dad.

My family. Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to show Collins she can trust me?

That she can rely on me? I hadn’t even had a chance to tell her you knew about the baby, and you show up at her new job?

You know that whole firm is probably speculating about why you were there, and that is the last thing she needs right now. ”

“That wasn’t my intention. I’m trying to catch up, Kit. You’ve known about this for months, and I?—”

He pauses when I toss the envelope on his desk. “Those are the paternity test results,” I state. “I’m assuming that was next on your to-do list, after the NDA, right?”

“It’s sealed.” He holds the envelope up, as if I’m unaware of that fact.

“Because I didn’t need to look at the results. I know what it says. And if there’s anything else you need to absolve the company of any liability, ask me . Don’t show up at Collins’s work again.” I spin on my heel and stalk out of the room.

“Christopher.”

I continue walking.

“Christopher!” Heavy footfalls pound the hallway as he follows me.

“Is this what you would have done if you’d found out Levi Jenkins had gotten his assistant pregnant?” I call over my shoulder.

“Levi doesn’t have an assistant. ”

“That’s not the point!”

“That’s exactly the point. You have an assistant already because you’re a goddamn Kensington. Start acting like it.”

“You wanted me to be responsible? This is me taking responsibility, Dad.” I walk faster, hell-bent on getting out of this house now that I’ve said what I came here to.

“We’re not finished discussing this.”

“Well, I’m done. We could have talked last night, but you had to go off and consult your legal team, remember?”

“What if you’d been wrong, Kit? What if she was trying to take advantage of you? I’m on your side here, son.”

I turn to face him. “No, you’re not. If you had been, you would have trusted me when I told you I trusted her.

Do you know how many women have made it clear they only see my last name when they look at me?

Collins sees me . Do you know what she did right after she found out she was pregnant?

She made this plan to move back to New Haven and work at Yale and have her mom watch the baby.

She didn’t expect anything from me. Not a single cent.

When I told you not to be concerned about the company, I fucking meant it.

And you should have believed me, not printed an NDA. ”

I resume walking toward the stairs.

“Can you just stop for a second?—”

“No, Dad, I can’t. I need to go check on Collins. Find out how much damage you did.”

“We had a nice conversation, Kit.”

I pause again at the top of the steps, hand on the railing. “A nice conversation ? During which you asked her to sign an NDA? Did you ask about a paternity test too?”

“No, I?—”

“Did Grandpa ask Mom to sign an NDA, Dad? Did she take a paternity test when she got pregnant with Lili?”

Dad’s expression darkens. “You are way out of line, Christopher.”

“I’m not the only one. I used to think you were nothing like Grandpa. People always compare me to you, but I’ve never heard anyone compare you to him. But I changed my mind when my child became a fucking liability to you.”

“ Christopher ,” he calls again, but I don’t pause this time.

I continue pounding down the curved stairs, not even stopping when I have a clear shot of the entryway.

The three shocked people standing in the entryway, specifically.

Well, my mom and Lili look shocked. Charlie looks serious. And uncomfortable.

Welcome to the shit show, Duke.

I shake my head and continue down the rest of the steps.

Mom recovers the ability to speak first. “Kit, what on earth?—”

I reach the entryway and blow out a long breath. “I’m really sorry you found out this way, Mom.” I glance at Lili, who appears comically stunned. “You too, Lili. But I can’t discuss this anymore right now.” I continue toward the door.

“Kit!” Mom’s voice is louder now, the surprise in it starting to fracture. “I’d like an explanation of what?—”

I twist the handle. “Ask Dad.”

Mom glances at him. Dad’s reached the bottom of the stairs too.

“Crew, what’s?—”

“Not now, Scarlett,” is the last thing I hear before stepping outside.

The front door opens again a few seconds later.

“ Stop , Christopher.” There’s an undertone of steel in my dad’s voice that’s startling enough that I stall on the sidewalk .

I can see Camden peering through the windshield, no doubt wondering why my dad is literally chasing me out of the house.

“You’re upset with me,” he continues. “I get that. But I’m your father. Would you let your child storm out of the house?”

“You mean, my liability ?”

Dad exhales. “I’m sorry, Christopher. I.

Am. Sorry. Sorry for how I reacted. Sorry for some of the things I said.

I always judged my father for treating me and Oliver a certain way when it came to the company.

And I was so certain, so arrogant, that it would be different for you and me.

Your mother didn’t sign an NDA. But our prenup had too many confidentiality clauses to count, even though she never worked at Kensington Consolidated.

And if she’d gotten pregnant with Lili before we got married, I’m sure a paternity test would have come up.

Your grandfather hired a private investigator to follow her around, and I was furious.

I felt so betrayed that he’d inserted himself into our relationship. ”

I lift an eyebrow, and he nods.

“I know. I see it. I reacted like my father would have, and I always swore to myself I’d be a different kind of parent than he was.

I do wish that you’d taken more responsibility, handled things a little bit differently, told me sooner , but I understand it was a complicated situation.

And it didn’t occur to me … you care about her. There’s more than just trust there.”

“I’m in love with her,” I state.

Dad glances at the ground, then back up to me.

“You’re going to find this out for yourself—soon—but there’s no guide to being a parent.

It’s half instinct, half trial and error.

I thought you needed my help. I was trying to protect you , Kit, not just this family or the company.

I went about it the wrong way. Please apologize to Collins for me.

And I’d like to say it directly to her, when you’re ready for that conversation to take place.

And get to know her better. I’m sure your mother will feel the same way. ”

I nod stiffly, still on edge from our fight.

I’ve always looked up to my dad. From my vantage point, he appeared pretty damn close to perfect. Infallible. For the first time, it feels like we’re standing on the same plane. I’m realizing no one is incapable of making mistakes.

Dad lifts his left arm. “Come here.”

I hesitate for a second, but I step forward, allowing him to clap my back a couple of times.

“Congratulations, son,” he says thickly.

I clear my throat to dislodge the lump stuck there. My, “Thanks,” still comes out husky.

Then I step back and head for the waiting car.