Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

My dirty laundry smells better than my father ever will.

~ Zayne

CHLOÉ LOOKED UP at the dark, ominous cloud overhead and was thankful she had decided to meet up with Justin for an early lunch rather than later. It’d been the week from hell already, and it was only Wednesday, so the idea of being caught up in a thunderstorm just seemed like a little more than she could handle right now.

But maybe this was karma. She’d lied to her fathers, and now she was paying the price. She just hoped her transgressions would be paid in full sometime soon, because she wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take.

She walked up to the front entrance of the high school where Justin taught, and made her way to the front office to get a visitor’s pass. Once she was cleared to enter, she headed through the halls and up several flights of steps until she reached her brother’s classroom. The door was open a crack, and just as she was about to knock, she caught sight of him sitting behind his desk with a frown on his face as he spoke to a student sitting opposite him.

“This is the third time this week we’ve had this discussion, Xavier. Not only are your grades slipping, but your attitude. Talk to me, help me understand why you’re acting this way. There has to be a reason.”

The boy sat still and silent with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face as he looked anywhere but at his teacher.

“You’ve always been such a great student. This makes no sense. So unless you clean up your act or start telling me something that does make sense, I’m afraid I’m going have to call your parents in and have a talk with them.” Xavier rolled his eyes, and Justin shook his head. “Nothing to say?”

Again, silence met Justin’s question.

“Okay, then, that’s it. You can go.”

Xavier stood and hiked his backpack up over one shoulder.

“I’m trying to help you here, not bust your chops. Try to remember that, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Chloé quickly turned away from the door, not wanting the kid to think she’d been eavesdropping, as he pushed out and walked in the opposite direction. Then she poked her head inside the classroom.

“Is now a bad time, Mr. Thornton-Priestley?”

Justin sighed but smiled as he stood up and waved her inside. “Only if you’re going to give me trouble.”

“Who, me? Never. I save that for our fathers.”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

“Hey now. Be nice.” Chloé held up the takeout bags she brought. “I bought Thai.”

“Okay, you win. I’ll be as nice as you want.”

Chloé grinned and took the seat Xavier had just vacated. “You mind if we eat in here? It looks like it’s going to storm outside.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Let me clear this off a bit.” Justin began to move some textbooks and a stack of papers to the shelves by the window. “I was happy you called. Wasn’t sure whether or not you survived Sunday night.”

Chloé shook her head as she started to unpack their lunch. “Barely. It was touch and go there for a minute.”

“I bet. So, is that the reason for the Thai? You need someone to vent to?”

“Can’t a sister just come and say hi to her brother?”

“She can… But she often comes for advice too.”

Chloé pursed her lips then handed over his utensils. “Well, you are older and wiser than me.”

“Hey,” he said, pointing a fork at her. “Watch it.”

“Aaaaand you’re clearly good at listening when there’s a problem,” she said. Justin frowned. “I caught the tail end of your discussion with Xavier.”

“Oh.” He sat back in his seat. “I don’t know what’s going on there. He’s always been such a great student, but the last couple of months, not so much.”

“I’m sure he’ll come around.”

“I don’t know about that—he seems to be getting worse. But that’s not why you’re here. So, fess up.”

Chloé took the lid off her pad thai and looked at Justin who was inhaling the delicious aromas of his red curry. “Would you like a private moment?”

He glanced up at her with narrowed eyes. “I missed breakfast, so I’m a little hungry.”

“Oh, really? And was there a good reason that you missed breakfast?”

“My alarm clock didn’t go off?”

“That’s not a good reason.”

“But a valid one. Unfortunately, there’s no sexy men keeping me in bed.” He scooped up a spoonful of rice and curry. “Maybe that’s because two of the last available ones are in yours.”

“Ha. Ha. They weren’t available, they were together—”

“Available enough for a threesome.”

“And now you just sound bitter.”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, apparently you were what they were looking for anyway. Plus, I’m more a one-on-one kind of guy.”

“I know. I always thought I was too. Weird, huh?”

“Or not so weird. Maybe you just didn’t know any better, and when you met them, it made sense.”

Chloé looked at him, a shocked expression on her face.

“What?”

“I… I just wasn’t expecting you to say that. That’s all.”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong, these two still have a long way to go before they get in my good graces, but I’m not going to tell you what you feel is wrong.” He shrugged. “It’s what you feel.”

Chloé blinked, her eyes blurring a little. This was the first positive thing anyone in her family had said about her current situation, and it warmed her heart.

“By the way, I assume these two have names?”

Her cheeks heated, and she suddenly felt shy. “Ethan and Zayne.”

“Hmm. Well, if just saying their name makes you blush, they must be doing something right.”

She lowered her eyes to her meal and got busy eating some noodles in an effort to stop herself from saying anything embarrassing.

As they ate in comfortable silence, a loud rumble of thunder boomed outside. They looked to the windows.

“Geez, you weren’t wrong. It looks like it’s going to come down out there.”

Chloé frowned. “Great. That’s just what I need. To catch a taxi in pouring rain.”

“A taxi? Where’s your car?”

She rolled her eyes and reached for her bottle of water. “In getting repaired. It decided to break down last night when I was on a date.”

“Oh shit.”

“Great timing, huh? I should find out what’s going on with it soon.”

“I keep telling you, you’d be better off trading it in and replacing it. You’ll save money in the long run.”

“Yeah, I don’t think anyone would take it as anything other than scrap metal at this stage.”

Justin took another bite of his lunch, then pinned her with his big-brother stare. “So you were out with them again last night? The parentals were okay with that?”

“They should be, since they’re the reason we went out. That little talk they had with me on Sunday? They basically told me that if I wanted to keep seeing Ethan and Zayne, they had to come and meet our fathers.”

Justin’s spoon stopped halfway to his mouth. “You’re kidding.”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

He clamped his lips together, trying his best to hold back a laugh, but it got the better of him.

“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to imagine that. You, the boyfriends, and our fathers?” He laughed even harder. “That is going to be one awkward dinner.”

“You know, I was actually enjoying this conversation until now.”

“Oh, come on, if the shoe was on the other foot, you’d be laughing your ass off.”

He wasn’t wrong. But the shoe was on her foot, and she was well aware of just how awkward it was going to be.

“So what did these two say when you told them about this?”

She shrugged and said around her next mouthful, “They said okay. Crazy, right?”

“Actually, I think that’s pretty cool.”

“You do?” Again, Justin’s response caught her off guard.

“Yeah. They’re obviously into you if they are willing to put themselves through that kind of torture.”

Chloé leaned across the desk and punched him in the arm.

“Ouch.” He rubbed his shoulder but grinned. “I’m serious. That actually makes me dislike them a little less.”

“Dislike them? You don’t even know them.”

“I know, but it kind of went hand in hand with the fact they’re dating my little sister.”

“Whatever. I like them, and I think once you meet them, you will too.”

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere near that dinner.”

“You weren’t invited. I just meant in the future.”

“Wow.” Justin dropped his fork in his empty container and leaned back in his chair. “And just like that, I feel really pathetic.”

“Why?”

“Here you are talking about the future and planning to introduce your boyfriends to the fathers, and here I am with nothing but an empty apartment and students who can’t stand me.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. At least you’re not about to have to spend all your savings on a piece of shit car.”

He pointed at her. “There is that.”

A flash of lightning lit up the sky. It was crazy how dark it was outside for the middle of the day.

“Damn it. I hope this clears up before I head home.” Chloé pulled out her phone to check, and as she opened up her news app, the headline across the top caught her eye.

SENATOR RANDALL COPELAND CAUGHT UP IN SCANDAL AS RIFT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON GOES PUBLIC

Merde.

Her stomach twisted into a knot as she read the headline again, and when that sick feeling didn’t dissipate, she clicked on the gossip piece, telling herself she was worrying about nothing. But when a video popped up of the ballroom at the LondonHouse, all the blood drained from her face.

“Chloé?” Justin’s voice was faint under the blood ringing in her ears as she scanned the short article and her mind began to spin.

Senator Randall Copeland’s dirty laundry was aired publicly this weekend at a fundraiser held at the LondonHouse. His son, Zayne Copeland, caused quite the stink in his father’s political circles when he arrived with a date on each arm. His boyfriend, Ethan Holt, and a mysterious redhead who has yet to be identified.

The senator—a staunch conservative—has made no secret of his stance on “good Christian values,” but this flagrant display of debauchery has left his opponents asking one question: how can Copeland possibly stand behind his political viewpoints when his own family clearly has skeletons in the closet?

Maybe we should track down the lovely lady Copeland Jr. escorted to the fundraiser and ask her opinion.

Curious minds want to know.

Oh. My. God.

“Chloé?” Justin was much louder this time as he clicked his fingers in front of her, and Chloé looked up at him. “What’s the matter? What’s wrong?”

She handed her phone over to Justin and got to her feet to walk to the window. Maybe if she stood there long enough, lightning would strike her down. After all, it seemed that dark, ominous cloud outside had stopped right over her head.

* * *

“HEY, BOSS.”

ZAYNE waved at one of the floor managers as he made his way through the club and past the cleaning crew while the place was restocked and scrubbed top to bottom. He wanted to check in with Hayden and make sure he hadn’t missed anything important over the weekend, and found his head bartender with a notepad and pen going through the shelves and noting down what was needed.

“Working hard, I see.”

Hayden glanced over his shoulder, a grin on his face. “Someone once told me that wasn’t smart, just frustrating.”

“Sounds like a smart guy, if you ask me.”

Hayden tossed his notepad down. “How’s it going, boss?”

“Pretty good. I’ve got no complaints. Do I?”

Hayden chuckled and shook his head. “Nope. No complaints. As far as I know, everyone that came this weekend left satisfied. Well, most of them, anyway.”

Zayne chuckled. “That’s what I like to hear. Restocking?”

“You know it. Though I’m thinking it might just be easier to have the 1942 flowing through the tap with the amount we go through here.”

“Not a bad idea. Tequila does make clothes come off.”

“Speaking from experience?”

“You’d have to ask Ethan. I’m told it also causes memory loss.”

Hayden’s laugh followed him to the exit leading to the back halls. Zayne stepped through and went on the hunt for the man under discussion. He knew where he’d find him—Ethan had mentioned he had a business call today.

Zayne stepped inside the office and spotted him sitting behind his computer with his phone to his ear. In a navy-blue button-up shirt, he looked as relaxed as Ethan ever really looked, but still sexy as ever. His hair was still damp from the shower, and his jaw was sporting a darker stubble than usual.

God, Zayne would never get sick of looking at that face. From the first moment he’d seen it to all these years later, it still had the ability to take his breath away.

Ethan gestured for him to come in, and Zayne made his way to the chair directly across from him.

“That’s fantastic, Amélie. If you have any other questions. feel free to email or call—if not, we’ll arrange our tickets and see you in a couple of weeks.” Ethan nodded. “Very good. Au revoir.”

He placed his phone on the desk and leaned back in his seat, a smile curving those wicked lips.

“You seem happy for a Wednesday.”

“I didn’t realize I was usually unhappy on a Wednesday.”

“Not unhappy, but it’s Wednesday. Who’s ever happy on a Wednesday?”

“Isn’t Wednesday hump day?”

“That’s any day in our house. But if that’s the reason you’re happy, I’m on board.”

“While that’s a great idea”—Ethan got to his feet and walked around the desk—“you’re right. I’m happy today for other reasons.”

“Good news from Amélie, I’m guessing?”

“Great news. The final permits came in, and everything is ready to go. Opening night is next weekend.”

“Holy shit. So we’re international?”

Ethan leaned down and brushed his lips over the top of Zayne’s. “We’re international.”

This was big—huge, even. They’d been planning to open a club in Europe for a long time now, and the fact that it happened right after meeting Chloé… “I swear, it feels like the French have been calling us lately, doesn’t it?”

“It does indeed.”

“Well, I’m glad, because your leaving for that meeting was hell.”

“Agreed, and never again. If I ever have to leave for a week, you’re coming with me.”

Ethan would get no complaints from him. “Speaking of leaving, what are we gonna do about Red that opening weekend? You thinking of asking her to come with?”

“I was thinking about it. But after everything that’s just happened, I’m not sure. Maybe we could talk to her after this dinner with her fathers and see how she feels. What do you think?”

“That’s probably a good idea. She’s already stressed about everything that’s going on. I don’t wanna add to that.”

“Me either. So, let’s see how this weekend goes and see where her head’s at.”

“Sounds good to me. It’s going to depend on whether she can take the time off too.”

“Exactly.”

“Oh, I also got a quote back for her car. You think she’ll let us take care of it?”

Ethan chuckled and moved back to his chair. “Not in a million years.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Well, I’ll call her and let her know what they told me, and she can take it from there.”

Zayne pulled out his phone as Ethan went back to work, but when several notifications popped up, the smile on his face fell.

SENATOR RANDALL COPELAND CAUGHT UP IN SCANDAL AS RIFT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON GOES PUBLIC

“Oh fuck.”

Ethan glanced up from his computer. “What’s wrong?”

Zayne didn’t answer immediately as he continued to read the article to the very end. One line in particular jumped out at him: Maybe we should track down the lovely lady Copeland Jr. escorted to the fundraiser and ask her opinion. Over his dead body.

A video below showed Zayne’s altercation with his father, and while he didn’t give a shit one way or another that his private life was being reported on, that they were digging around on Chloé? She hadn’t asked for that.

“Zayne?” He looked up to see Ethan watching him with concern in his eyes. “What is it?”

Zayne handed the phone over and waited for Ethan to read.

He shook his head. “The blows just keep on coming this week, don’t they?”

Zayne cursed. “If it was just us, I wouldn’t give a shit—”

“Right, been there, done that. It’ll be gone next cycle.”

“But this one—”

“Involves Chloé.”

“Fuck.” Zayne got to his feet and began pacing the length of the office.

Wasn’t it enough that his father messed with his and Ethan’s life? Now his stench had to surround Chloé too?

It was starting to look like his fun idea of sticking it to the old man had actually backfired in every single way possible. Impatient and impulsive. He hated to admit it, but those two traits always ended up landing him in some kind of trouble.

Zayne blew out a breath. “Do you think we should tell her?”

Ethan was about to respond when both of their phones lit up.

Chloé

Have you seen this?

Attached to the text was a link to the article.

Chloé

It’s all over the news and gossip magazines. What am I supposed to do?

They didn’t need to tell Chloé. She already knew.

* * *

THIS WEEK WAS turning out to be the longest week ever, and Ethan had a feeling it was about to get longer.

He cracked his neck from side to side and got to his feet, heading to where Zayne was wearing a hole in the floor.

“Hey, stop for a second, would you?”

Zayne stopped but ran an agitated hand through his hair. “I’m just so sick of this shit, you know?”

“I know.”

“If it’s not one thing it’s another with him, and now this?”

Zayne’s father and his extreme views had been plaguing them for years now. They were used to it, and knew that generally the media surrounding his bigoted ass only lasted until the next scandal hit.

Chloé, however, wasn’t. How would she react to all of this? How would it affect her?

“Come, sit down.” Ethan took Zayne’s hand and led him to the couch. “Talk to me.”

“I fucking hate him.”

“Right there with you.”

“I try to tell myself that one day he might change, but I know he won’t. So why do I let him keep doing this to me?”

Ethan could see the struggle in Zayne’s eyes and wished he could magically erase it. But this was a problem only Zayne could solve. He was the one that had to make the choice on whether to keep his father in his life. He was the one who’d have to live with the consequences of that choice. But Ethan had made it no secret that he wouldn’t mind cutting the senator from the picture entirely.

“Look, as much as it pains me to say this, he’s your father. Of course you want to believe that one day he’ll wake up and realize what a complete monster he is. But the odds are—”

“He won’t.”

“Right.” Ethan squeezed Zayne’s hand. “The question, then, becomes, can you—and do you want to—live with the decision to cut him out of your life?”

“It’s better than living like this. I’m sick of him and his bullshit views on the world always hanging over us. I’m sick of it infecting us. He’s had long enough to change, but it’s pretty clear what he values in life, and it sure as fuck isn’t me.”

If the senator had been in the room right then, Ethan might’ve killed him for the pain in Zayne’s voice. Not to mention the heartbreak in his eyes.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Zayne’s temple. “You deserve better than him.”

“I have better than him. I have you.”

“Always. You’re mine and I’m yours. It’s been that way for a long time now. We can deal with whatever he throws our way.”

Zayne gripped his hand even tighter. “I know. But what about Chloé? She’s innocent in all of this, but you know the senator. He’ll drag her to hell and back if it means getting him one more voter.”

“Agreed. She knows about your father, but I don’t think she’s aware of just how ugly he can get. How ugly the press can get.”

Zayne sat forward, resting his head in his hands. “You know, just once I’d like to have a normal fucking family.”

“What’s normal?” Ethan rubbed a hand over his back and squeezed his shoulder. “I do think we need to call Chloé and let her know it would probably be smart to stay home for the next couple of days.”

Zayne nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Do you mind?”

“Not at all. You want a drink or anything?”

“It’s before noon.”

“It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

Zayne snorted but shook his head. “Nah, I think in this situation, drinking might make things worse. God forbid I forget what happened and have to wake up to it all the fuck over again.”

“Fair point. Okay, give me a minute and I’ll be back.” Ethan headed back to his desk, where he picked up his phone and called Chloé.

She answered in an instant. “Hello.”

“Hi. I’d ask how you are, but”—a nervous laugh came through the phone—“I’m pretty sure you’ve had better days.”

“It hasn’t been that bad, but, um, did you see that article?”

“We did, yes. We read it right before you texted us.”

“Oh, okay. I wasn’t sure.”

Ethan looked to Zayne leaning back against the couch. He had his forearm thrown across his eyes and looked…defeated.

“That’s okay. It was good you reached out. In the past when it comes to the senator, we’ve found that if we lie low and don’t engage, something bigger and more scandalous usually comes along and the story becomes yesterday’s news.”

Chloé blew out a breath, clearly relieved. “Well, that’s good at least.”

“It is,” Ethan agreed. “Are you working tonight?”

“No, I’m off. But I’m on tomorrow at three.”

“I see.” That wasn’t ideal, and as much as he hated to ask her to take time off, he knew that was the best thing she could do until this blew over. “Is there any way you think you’d be able to swap out a shift or take the night off?”

“From work?”

“Yes. Just until the story is out of the news cycle.”

“Really? But they don’t even know who I am.”

That might be true right now, but Ethan knew how relentless these reporters could be, especially when it came to digging up dirt on their political opposition—and finding out who Chloé was would be a gold mine.

“I know, but the second one of them finds out, they’ll be swarming the restaurant.”

“You think? I work in the kitchen, so no one even sees me. Plus, I’m not ashamed to be with you. Either of you. And my fathers already know so, let them come, I say.”

Ethan was about to double down, but something about her defiance in this moment reminded him of the first time he’d faced off with the senator. She was standing up for Zayne in her own way, for him too, and he didn’t want to take that from her, even if it could come with some serious consequences.

He needed to think about this. Think of another approach he could take. One that she couldn’t say no to. One that didn’t come from him.

“Be careful, Chloé. These reporters don’t mess around.”

“I will. I promise.”

“And if I were you, I’d stay offline for now. Don’t answer any emails, DMs, phone calls from people you don’t know, and don’t talk to anyone about this. Hopefully, it’ll disappear as quickly as it appeared.”

“I can do that.” She fell quiet for a second then asked, “How’s Zayne?”

“He’s dealing, but he’s worried about you.”

“Tell him not to. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do that, and we’ll see you on Saturday.”

“Ugh, that seems so far away.”

It did, but with the way this week was going, Ethan had a feeling it would fly. “It’ll be here before you know it.”

“Yeah, with my parents.”

“Just think, whatever happens with your parents can’t be any be any worse than what happened with Zayne’s.”

“True. Well, I’ve got to go. I’m finishing lunch with my brother.”

“Okay. You enjoy and be safe. If there are any more issues, or anyone bothers you, call me.”

“I will.”

“Good girl.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.” Ethan ended the call, and then made his way back over to Zayne. “How you doing over here?” He sat down and pulled Zayne in under his arm.

“I’m fine. Don’t really want to talk about it anymore, to be honest. Can we just pretend he doesn’t exist?”

They could, but somehow that never lasted, and Ethan knew sooner or later it would catch up with Zayne and he would need some kind of release. For now, though, he was more than happy to give him what he wanted.

“That I can do.”

“Thanks. How’s Chloé? She okay to stay home for a bit?”

Ethan arched a brow. “Not really. She’s headstrong and determined to prove she’s not ashamed of us in any way by refusing to hide.”

“Hide? We didn’t ask her to hide.”

“Yeah, but I think that’s how she sees it. Don’t worry—I have an idea up my sleeve.”

“Should I even ask?”

“Probably not, but I figure if she won’t listen to my advice, maybe she’ll listen to her boss.”

Zayne sat up. “She will not like that.”

“But if it keeps her safe?” Ethan shrugged. “I’m willing to take the risk.”