Page 94 of The Arrangement

“May I ask why you want to protect Gannon?” Towlin asks. “If it were Tate, or Ripley, I’d understand. But it’s peculiar that you’re working so hard to protect your eldest brother.”

It’s none of his damn business why I do or don’t do anything. But I’ll tell him anyway. Maybe then he’ll follow along.

I slide my free hand into my pocket. “Gannon has idolized our father since the day he was born. He played baseball because Dad did. Went to the same business school. He has intentionally or otherwise picked up most of Dad’s mannerisms over the years.” I stop moving, my heart pounding. “He took our father’s betrayal harder than any of us, even if he doesn’t show it.”

Towlin is silent.

“If he knew that the man he’d put on a pedestal his whole life cared so little about him that he’d orchestrate for him to go to prison for something he didn’t do, Gannon would bedevastated.” I frown. “He’d be absolutely crushed, Towlin. And that would destroy my mother. Again. Bianca would blame herself for stepping down as the president of Brewer Group. Ripley would probably try to climb the walls of the prison to slice Dad’s throat. Ripley isn’t going anywhere without Tate. And do you know where that leaves me?”

I pause to see if he responds, but he doesn’t.

“That leaves me figuring out how to do it because I’ll be damned if my family takes any more pain because of that motherfucker,” I growl, running my fingers across my scalp. “I’ll figure this out. Gannon finds out as a last resort.”

“You don’t have to carry this all on your own.”

The bedroom door opens, and I turn at the sound. Chloe’s wrapped in a new robe from yesterday, and she smiles, hesitating, as she observes the situation.

I exhale sharply, my heart softening as I take her in.

I’m not carrying this alone because I have her.

“Are we done here?” I ask Towlin. “I have a few things to take care of before we head to the airport.”

He lets the insinuation of my marital status go. He wasn’t thrilled about the news this morning, although he didn’t have the balls to bring it up to me. His argument against me marrying Chloe would be that it adds another layer of complication, and it’s distracting to the topic at hand.

His argument doesn’t fucking matter. Not when it comes to her.

“One more thing …” He takes a deep breath. “I do have something to run by you.”

I hold up a finger to Chloe. She nods, understanding my need for privacy, and disappears into the bedroom.

My insides pulse, preparing for a bomb to land in my lap. It’s coming. I can feel it.

“What’s up?” I ask, placing a palm on the table.

“Reid’s attorneys approached me on Friday. I haven’t said anything to you because I needed to clear a few hurdles to see if it was even possible, and it is.”

“What’s possible?”

My fingers flex against the stone and around the phone, waiting for his next words.

“He wants to meet with you,” Towlin says, his voice uneasy.

“Who?”

“Your father.”

I snort out a laugh, my eyes popping in surprise. “Tell him to go fuck himself.”

“He’s willing to sign the plea deal if you sit down with him.”

My face burns as I struggle to contain myself. “He doesn’t get to call the shots. He doesn’t get to ask me foranything,” I growl into the air. “He doesn’t want me anywhere near him, I can promise you that. I’ll rip his fucking head right off his shoulders.”

“I understand you’re angry.”That’s an under-fucking-statement.

“A little bit,” I say, shoving away from the table.

“Why don’t you think about it and get back to me in a couple of days? Jason, I know it’s not what you want to do, but there are silver linings.”