I slid into the booth across from Brett, still in my suit because I’d come immediately after work. He was in slacks and a gray collared shirt, his dark hair styled like he’d been somewhere important that afternoon. “Hey.”

There was a noticeable tension in the air between us because we were both thinking about the exact same thing. “Hey.” He was on his second beer, his first bottle off to the side and ready to be taken by the waiter.

I waved down the bartender and ordered what he was having. The second the cap was off, I took a deep drink. Right now, I had nothing but good things going on in my life. My relationship with my father wasn’t perfect, but my woman was happy now that Thorn was back in the picture.

And that made me happy.

“Vincent said the same thing to me that he said to you.” It was pointless to beat around the bush when the topic was so profound for both of us. Our father was trying to get back into our lives. He’d done terrible things to me, but what Brett had experienced was much worse. He was young at the time, much more vulnerable than he was now. Time had scarred him, and he’d turned into a man just like me. But he smiled more often—something I’ll never understand.

“And what do you think about it?” He drank his beer again, taking bigger gulps than he usually would.

“I’m not sure. Seemed like he meant it.”

“Yeah, I got the same impression.” He rested his arms on the table, his shoulders slouched and the joy in his eyes gone. “I never would have agreed to meet him in a million years, and when I sat across from him, he said everything I didn’t expect him to say. I thought I would hear excuses…but I didn’t hear any of that.”

“No.”

“But I’m closer to forty than I am thirty, and I don’t need him. When I was young, it was a different story. But so much time has passed, it seems like it’s too late. What kind of relationship can we have now? What would be the point of it?”

“I see what you mean.”

He sighed as he stared at his beer. “But I don’t want to deny forgiveness to someone who’s being sincere either. I’ve never been the kind of guy to hold a grudge. I let things go, and I’ll live longer for it. But with Vincent…it’s different. He told me I was never the problem, but he was jealous of my father. Couldn’t handle it.”

“He said the same to me.”

“And he’s not even my father…so we really don’t need a relationship.”

It was already difficult enough to connect with someone you were related to, but to share a connection with someone who was practically a stranger was even more difficult, especially when that person did terrible things.

“Whatever happens between us, I don’t want it to influence your relationship with him.” Brett picked at the label on the bottle, peeling the sticker away. “He is your flesh and blood, and he never did anything to you.”

“You’re my flesh and blood too, Brett. And he did do something to you.”

His brown eyes narrowed in intensity. “You’ve always been loyal to me, and I appreciate that. But he’s apologized for his wrongdoing, so you have no reason to shut him out anymore. He made things right with me. Now you need to make things right with him.”

It wasn’t so easy; the situation wasn’t black and white. “He did a lot of fucked-up shit to me.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think I can sweep that under the rug.”

“Don’t blame you.”

“But he seems sincere in his remorse. He’s helped Titan with a lot of things. He’s been good to both of us, kind and understanding. It’s hard to say no to him when it seems like he’s changed.”

“If you want to forgive him, you should.”

“I don’t know…”

“You don’t have to make a decision now. But don’t let my feelings affect your decision.”

“You think I should forgive him?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I can’t answer that.”

“I want your opinion, Brett.”

He sighed before he took another drink of his beer. “If he’s changed and he’s living up to his word…maybe you should. At the end of the day, he is your father. He’s in great shape, but he’s not going to be around forever. If there’s a possibility you can make things right and start over, why shouldn’t you?”

“You really believe that?” I whispered.

He nodded. “Family is family.”

“And you’re my family, Brett.”

“I know, man. I never met my father. Have no idea what he was like. The way I see it…you do have a father.”

“He should have been a father to you too.”

“It doesn’t matter what he should have been…it’s in the past. Honestly, I wished he loved me the way he loves the two of you. That always hurt the most…never being good enough.”

I’d never heard Brett say anything like this. He was usually carefree and lighthearted. He didn’t pour out his feelings like this. “It sounds like you can’t forgive him.”

“Sometimes I think I can. Sometimes I think I can’t.” He stared at the peeled wrapper on the table, the hard lines around his jaw more pronounced because of the tension. “What does Titan think?”

“That he deserves another chance.”

“She’s usually right about everything…”

“Yeah, but don’t ever tell her that,” I said with a chuckle.

He smiled back. “So, you guys are official now?”

“I’m sure you saw the headlines.”

“She must be head over heels for you to go through all of that…”

“She is.” I grinned like an idiot, remembering how she’d crawled into my bed the other night. A single night apart was too much for her. I didn’t like it either, but it was nice to see her cave first.

“You’re a lucky guy. Titan is a great woman. You couldn’t have settled down with anyone better.”

“Thanks, man.”

“If she pities Vincent and even has a relationship with him…you may not have much of a choice. She’s going to get her way on this.”

Very true. Titan managed to manipulate me like she did the rest of the world—because I let her. “You’re right. But she’s going to do the same to you.”

He scoffed. “Damn, you’re right.”

“Looks like we’re both going down.”

I clinked my beer against his. “You got that right.”

---

I had just finished all my meetings for the afternoon when I wondered what I should do for lunch. Now I had the luxury to ask Titan to lunch whenever I felt like it. I could show up at her office without even needing a reason.

It was nice.

But my plans changed when Natalie spoke through the intercom. “Sir, Mr. Vincent Hunt is here to see you.”

His random visits no longer caught me by surprise. An unexpected appearance could happen at any moment in time. Instead of just calling, he chose to speak to me in person. I wasn’t sure if that was a gesture of respect on his part. “Send him in.”

My father walked in a moment later, looking sleek in his three-piece suit. He was dressed in black, the dark color suiting his expression perfectly. Black was my preferred color as well. It fit our brooding demeanors.

When he reached my desk, he didn’t take a seat. With one hand in his pocket, he stopped just a few feet away and stared at me with his typical look of confidence. He could be caught off guard, but his attitude would never change. All through my childhood, he had always been that way. Always strong, quiet, and resilient. “I’m heading to lunch. Join me.”

This would be the second time we would have lunch together, and it was beginning to become a routine. I wasn’t sure if that was the kind of relationship I wanted, one where expectations would start. I sat in my chair as I stared at him, debating my decision.

“You can always say no, Diesel. I never want you to feel obligated.”

I didn’t feel obligated. A part of me actually wanted to go, and that scared me.

My father patiently waited for a more concrete answer.

“Alright.”

He didn’t question my decision. “What are you in the mood for?”

“Something light.”

“I know just the place.”

We left the office and walked a few blocks until we found a small deli. It wasn’t a formal restaurant like it had been the first time, and the casual atmosphere made the situation less tense. We ordered our food separately then sat down.

He sat across from me at the table, eating a vegetarian sandwich with no pickles. He’d always hated pickles.

Without Titan there, it wasn’t always easy to have a conversation. She somehow defused tense situations as a moderator. It kept everyone comfortable. A lifetime of working in challenging situations had given her an incredible wealth of knowledge and intuition. “I saw Brett yesterday.”

My father opened a bag of chips and munched on a few. “How is he?”

“He’s okay. Unsure how he feels about you.”

“I don’t blame him for being hesitant. He doesn’t owe me anything.”

My father was different from how he used to be, now extremely blunt about his shortcomings. He didn’t show the stubbornness I was used to seeing. Transparent like glass, he made his thoughts easy to see. “What do you want from him?”

“Forgiveness. I thought I made that clear.”

“Ideally,” I said. “But what would you like from him?”

“Ideally…” He mulled over the word as he took a bite of his sandwich. He chewed slowly, taking his time before he finally swallowed. “If I could get my way, I would like to be on speaking terms with him. I’d like to be his friend. I’d like the opportunity to be family to him. Be something like a father to him…even though I know that would never happen.”

“Because you want that? Or because Mom would want that?”

He pulled a chip out of the bag as he contemplated it. “Both. I’d always considered myself to be a father to two sons. I should have been a father to three. When I see your mother’s eyes in his face, I should see him as mine. I know it’s late, but I feel that way now. Perhaps he’ll have the compassion to give me a chance to prove that to him…or maybe he won’t.”

When my father said things like that, I forgot about the terrible things he’d done. I forgot about the way he’d threatened me in my own office. All of that didn’t seem to matter anymore when he sounded so sincere. I didn’t see him as Vincent Hunt, but as a man who truly wanted a second chance.

I saw him as my father.

He placed another chip in his mouth and slowly chewed. “Thank you for having lunch with me. Even if we don’t talk much, I enjoy looking up and seeing your face. I enjoy seeing you look back at me.”

I hadn’t taken a bite of my food in the entire interaction because I’d been too focused on him. His words were too raw for me to handle, so I continued to sit there in silence. When it came to Titan, I could say a lot of emotional things and not think twice about it, but outside our relationship, I couldn’t digest and process emotions so easily.

My father didn’t seem affected by my silence. “Titan and Thorn are getting along?”

Titan was a subject I could discuss all day. “Yeah. She’s really happy.”

“I’m glad he’s had a change of heart.”

“Me too.” I didn’t know what made Thorn change his mind, but I was glad he came to his senses. “I know she needs him to be happy, so I don’t mind sharing her—at least, a little.”

“Good friends are hard to find. We all need a few.”

“Yeah…” I finally grabbed my sandwich and took a bite. “So, Alessia seems nice.” We always talked about my love life. Maybe we should talk about his.

“I enjoy her company,” he said bluntly. “But that’s all.” He didn’t break his stride as he continued to eat, the subject of the conversation having no effect on his appetite.

“You ever think about getting remarried?” It was a question I’d never asked before because I’d never been in the position to. I saw him with a different woman every few months. Nothing ever seemed serious.

“No.” His response was short, but he didn’t seem annoyed by the question. His body language didn’t change, and his appetite didn’t wane.

“May I ask why?”

His tone remained the same. “Don’t see the point. I’ve already had my great love. I had her for a short time, made a family with her, and now she’s gone. I already have my children, so I don’t need a wife for that. I’ll never fall in love again. Marriage doesn’t benefit me in any way. I enjoy spending time with women like Alessia because they’re young and beautiful. I lavish them with expensive gifts and trips around the world. We have a good time together. But once that fun starts to fade away, that’s it. They need to find a husband, and I make it abundantly clear I’m not that man. Some of them think they’ll change my mind if they spend enough time with me. But they never do.”

If I lost Titan, I’d probably have the exact same outlook on life. She was the only woman I would ever love my entire life. There would never be someone after her. If she ever left or passed away, I’d fall into the same type of relationships. It was what I did before her. It was what I would do after her. “I used to feel that way until I met Titan. I thought I would be alone my entire life until I met her.”

“Same thing happened to me. I met your mother, and just like that, my life completely changed. I knew I wanted to give her my entire life. So I did.”

I wanted to give Titan everything I had.

“There’s something I want to give you.” He set his sandwich down and dug into his pocket.

I hadn’t gotten a gift from him since my sixteenth birthday. Now I was a billionaire, so there was no monetary gift he could give me that would make an impact. Besides, money was the last thing I needed from him.

He pulled out a small black box and placed it on the table in front of me. There was no introduction or explanation. He watched me as he waited for me to open it.

“What is it?” I didn’t touch it.

“Open it and you’ll see.”

I didn’t like surprises, so I took my time opening it. I grabbed the sleek box and popped the lid open.

Inside was a white gold band with a solitary diamond in the center. The diamond wasn’t monstrous like the one Thorn had given Titan. It was subtle, but the quality of the diamond was unprecedented. I took the ring out of the box and stared at it harder, realizing I’d seen it before. I focused on the inside of the band and saw the engraving in the metal. It was the date of my parents’ wedding anniversary. When I understood exactly what I was holding, I shot my eyes back to my father.

His expression didn’t change despite the gift he’d just given me. “I’d always planned on giving that to whichever son got married first. Since it’s you, I’m giving it to you. This isn’t some attempt to earn your forgiveness. It’s completely genuine.”

I held my mother’s ring in my hand, feeling the weight of my past. She’d been wearing it the day she had me. She wore it for decades. She wore it every single day until it was removed from her cold hands. “I can’t take this…”

“Your mother would want you to have it.”

“I’m not getting married right now.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Titan and I had just started dating each other seriously. I wanted to spend my life with her, but according to the media, it would seem too fast. Titan had already smeared her clean reputation telling the world about me. I couldn’t expect her to marry me so quickly. “It’s too soon.”

His features hardened, as if I gave the wrong answer. “When you find the woman you can’t live without, it’s never too soon. Time will pass quickly, and when she’s gone, that’s the moment when you’ll say it’s too soon. Don’t waste any time, Diesel. The clock is always ticking, and you have far less time than you think.”

I felt the band in my fingertips, feeling my mother’s love even though she wasn’t on this earth anymore. My father bought her a ring that wasn’t flashy or overly expensive. It wouldn’t have suited her personality if it had been. It wouldn’t have suited Titan’s personality either. She was the richest woman in the world—she didn’t need a man to buy her diamonds. “I’m not even sure if she would say yes.”

“Diesel, that woman betrayed her best friend just to be with you. She’s taken a second chance on love for you. She’s taken your word over evidence. She told the entire world that you’re her soul mate. Trust me, that woman will say yes—a million times. All you have to do is ask.”

---

After hitting the gym, I headed to Titan’s penthouse.

It was empty. She was nowhere in sight, and judging by the fact that her purse wasn’t hanging on the coatrack, she hadn’t come home yet. I helped myself to the shower in the meantime, assuming she would be home any minute.

When I was finished, she still hadn’t returned. I decided to call her.

She answered after a few rings. “Diesel.” She said my name in the sexiest way, like she was teasing me on purpose.

“Baby. Where are you?”

“I’m out with Thorn. We’re getting a drink at the bar.”

I was happy she had Thorn back, and I could hear her joy pour out of the phone. It was a kind of happiness I’d never heard from her. I knew it wasn’t just because of him, but because she had both of us in her life. “I just got out of the shower. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That you were going out.”

She immediately hardened. “I didn’t realize I had to report to you, Diesel. I can’t remember a time when I expected that from you.”

I wasn’t trying to take away her independence, and I should have known she would react that way if I tried. “That’s not how I meant it. You know that. Just wanted to know why you weren’t home.”

“Thorn and I are drinking. You want to come?”

I wasn’t jealous of Thorn, but I was jealous he was hogging all of her time lately. They seemed to be inseparable, going to lunch together or getting drinks after work. It would be selfish for me to intervene in that, but I missed having her all to myself. “It’s alright. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Come on,” she said. “Get that hunky ass down here.”

I grinned at her choice of words. “Hunky, huh?”

“Give me the phone.” Thorn’s voice was in the distance. It got louder when he took the phone away. “Hey, it’s Thorn. Stop being a little bitch and get down here.”

“Little bitch, huh?”

“Yeah,” Thorn said. “I get you guys are an old boring couple now, but live a little. We’re at the Hotspot. Hustle.” Click.

I grabbed my jacket and left.

---

I slid into the booth beside Titan, my arm naturally moving around her shoulders as I leaned in to kiss her.

She kissed me back, longer than usual for a public space. “What took you so long?” Her hand reached for my thigh, and she squeezed it just the way she grabbed me when we were in bed together.

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “I got here in ten minutes.”

“Still too long.”

I brushed my lips along her hairline and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

“You better.”

I turned to Thorn across the table, who was drinking his beer without caring about our affection. “How’s it going, man?”

“Pretty good. The beer is just right, and we ordered a basket of cheese fries.”

“You?” I cocked an eyebrow. “And you?” I turned back to Titan. She was the pickiest eater I knew, choosing to ignore food in favor of booze. She turned down any extra calories she didn’t need just to maintain her figure. Still wasn’t sure how she did it.

“We’re living wild tonight,” she said with a chuckle. “Want to join us?”

“If you guys are gonna eat poison, then I’ll eat some poison too.”

“Good,” Thorn said. “You’re a team player. I respect that.”

My arm slid down to her waist, and I kept my hand on her opposite hip because I loved touching her. I was out in public with Titan on my arm, her old fiancé sitting across from us. We were enjoying life, not caring what anyone thought of us. It was a nice feeling, long overdue. “How are things with your parents?”

“Better,” Thorn said as he kept his hand on his glass. “Titan and I talked it over, and they were still pretty confused about the whole thing. It’s difficult to explain to your mother that you’re a manwhore and you’re always going to be a manwhore. I told her I was incapable of love, and that was something she couldn’t grasp. But that’s how mothers are…always see the best in you even when it’s not there.” He lifted the glass to his lips and downed his scotch.

“Well, that’s inaccurate.” I motioned to the bartender to give me the same drink Titan was having.

“Inaccurate?” Thorn challenged. “Trust me, it’s not.”

“You love Titan, don’t you?”

“Obviously,” Thorn said coldly. “But not in the way you love her. I’ve known her for over ten years, have been through hell with this woman, and out of all that life experience, I never fell in love with her. You don’t find that strange?” He rattled the ice cubes in his glass. “She’s the perfect woman. She’s ambitious, beautiful, funny…what more could a guy ask for? But you know what?” He shook his head. “I’ve never felt anything. Nothing. And if I haven’t felt anything for this woman, no other woman on this planet stands a chance.”

I was relieved he wasn’t in love with my woman. But I also thought things would have been different if the circumstances were changed. “If you were sleeping together, I think your feelings would have changed.”

Thorn shook his head. “I doubt that too.” He turned to Titan. “No offense.”

“None taken,” she said with a chuckle.

“And I’m not here to argue about it,” Thorn said. “But my decision is set in stone. Love isn’t for me. Never has been. Never will be. Maybe I can find another woman who would be interested in having the same arrangement, but I highly doubt it. It worked for Titan and me because we had the exact same needs. But what are the chances of that happening again?” He shook his drink and took a quick sip. “None.”

Titan massaged my muscular thigh under the table, her fingertips pressing through my jeans. “His parents don’t hate me, so that’s nice. But they were definitely disappointed when they heard the truth. I think telling them was the right thing to do because they seemed more upset by that than the actual facts.”

“Yeah,” Thorn said in agreement. “And now I don’t have to lie anymore. That’s nice.” He shifted his gaze back to me. “So you and Vincent are working things out?”

I should have assumed Titan would have told him everything by now. “We’re on speaking terms, but that’s about it.”

“He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that takes no for an answer.” Thorn was still in his suit from earlier that afternoon, a gray one with a pink tie. “When he told me about your relationship, it seemed like he was never going to give up.”

My eyes narrowed as I processed what he said. At what occasion had Vincent and Thorn spoken to each other? Was it the gala last weekend? “When did this conversation happen?”

“Last week,” Thorn said. “He came by my office.”

My eyes narrowed further, my anger rising. My father already went to extremes to repair his relationship with me, but to go to Thorn was simply excessive. “To discuss my family drama?”

Titan released her grip on my thigh, her touch becoming soothing. “No. He actually talked to Thorn about forgiving me. Said he regretted the last ten years and didn’t want Thorn to go through the same thing.”

“He seemed sincere,” Thorn said. “Told me it would be stupid to let Titan go. Time would pass, and I would only find myself feeling miserable rather than vindicated. He made me realize it would be worse to look back in regret than to forgive. So that’s what I did.” His eyes shifted back to Titan. “And I’m glad I did.”

My expression didn’t change because my thoughts were still focused on the revelation he’d just made. My father never mentioned this to me, not even when I saw him the other day. He intervened in Titan’s relationship and did what he could to make Thorn forgive her. I’d never asked him to do that, and he didn’t seem to want any credit for it. Having Thorn back in Titan’s life meant more to me than I could put into words. Gratitude flooded from every organ, and I nearly forgot to breathe.

Titan studied my expression, knowing something was wrong. “Everything okay, Diesel?”

I swallowed and felt the dryness of my throat. “Yeah…I didn’t realize my father did that.”

“I meant to tell you,” Titan said. “We’ve been so busy that it kept slipping my mind.”

My hand slid from her waist as the bartender placed my glass in front of me. Immediately, I wrapped my fingers around it and took a drink. The amber liquid moistened my throat and brought a burn to my stomach. My father used to be my greatest enemy. He wanted to destroy me like he did everyone else who got in his way. But underneath all that hatred was a father aching for his son. I couldn’t see it at the time because I didn’t believe anything good could be covered in something so spiteful. But perhaps my father really meant every word he said. Maybe he really had changed. Maybe he was in far more pain than I realized.

Titan moved her hand up my arm, gently touching me. “Diesel?”

I’d forgotten Titan and Thorn were there altogether. Memories of my childhood flashed across my mind. I remembered the horrible things he did to Brett, and I could actually understand his actions. My sympathy had changed my perception, even though his actions were still unforgivable. “I’m fine.” I downed the rest of my glass in a single gulp and slid out of the booth. “I just remembered I have to be somewhere.” I ignored the concerned expression on Titan’s face and didn’t look at Thorn at all. I stepped out of the restaurant and immediately got into the first cab I saw because I didn’t want Titan to follow me.

She couldn’t help me with this.

No one could.

---

I left one bar and wound up in another.

It was a sports bar right next to my penthouse. The game was shown on every single TV, and groups of friends dined on finger food and beer while they cheered and booed every time the score changed. I was surrounded by social cacophony, but the distraction was welcomed.

I didn’t want to think about my father.

It was nice not to think about anything.

My phone lit up with a text message. I understand if you want to be alone right now, but just tell me you’re alright.

I could hear the concern in her voice even though she didn’t speak. She’d been nothing but good to me, and I wasn’t going to risk losing her by pushing her away. The only thing I should be doing right now was pulling her closer. I’m watching the game at a bar across the street from my place.

Thank you. I’ll talk to you later. Like she said she would, she left me alone.

I wanted to be alone—but I wanted to be alone with her. Where are you?

Home.

I’ll be right there.

Diesel, I understand if you need your space.

I’ve gotten enough space.

I left the cash on the counter and took a cab to her place a few blocks over. I rode the elevator to the top floor then stepped into her living room. She was sitting on the couch dressed in just my t-shirt and her panties. Instead of having another helping of liquor, she had a glass of water on the coffee table.

Without anger or sadness, she looked me over with a soft expression. All she seemed to care about was me, not the way I’d stormed out of the bar a few hours ago. She pulled her knees to her chest and left her laptop on the coffee table. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I fell into the cushion beside her and rested my hand between her thighs. She didn’t exercise regularly anymore, but she still had incredible legs. My fingertips gently massaged her soft skin, feeling the warmth of both of our bodies combined together.

Her makeup had been washed away, so she’d obviously expected me to stay away for the rest of the night. When her foundation was gone, her gorgeous complexion was on display. With a tiny freckle in the corner of her mouth and one right in the center of her right cheek, she was the kind of natural beauty that didn’t exist often. When the mascara and eyeliner were gone, her eyes didn’t stand out as much, but they showcased a deep layer of her soul.

“I’m sorry I stormed out like that.”

“It’s really okay, Diesel.” Her voice as soft as a feather, it floated over my skin and gently caressed me. “We all handle information differently. Nothing to be sorry about.”

“When Thorn said that about my father…I wasn’t sure how to process it. It seems like he always puts our best interest first. I had lunch with him the other day, and he never mentioned his conversation with Thorn…as if he didn’t want the recognition.”

“I think he just wanted to protect Thorn’s privacy.”

“You’re probably right. But even then…he did that for you. He knew it would make you happy, which would make me happy. Slowly, he’s tugging away at my armor and ripping it off piece by piece. Now I’m gradually forgetting all the terrible things he did and focusing on the good… I can’t control it.”

She hooked her arm through mine and placed a kiss on my shoulder. “You want to forgive him.”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “For the past ten years, I’ve hated him. And now that he’s said the right things and done the right things…I don’t hate him anymore.”

“But do you really want to keep hating him?” she whispered.

I stared at the floor. “I don’t know…I just think it’s happened so quickly.”

“But it hasn’t. It’s been months, Diesel. And when it comes to family, you should never hate each other. Vincent did terrible things, but he apologized for them. He’s different now. There’s nothing more he can do. Not once did he ever make excuses for what he did. He owned up to them, apologized, and then moved on. That’s all you can ask for from anyone.”

I continued to stare at the floor, thinking about the last conversation I’d had with my father. “Brett isn’t sure if he can forgive him, but he doesn’t want that to affect my relationship with him.”

“It shouldn’t,” she said in agreement. “Brett is a completely different situation.”

“I still feel like I’m betraying him.”

“You aren’t, Diesel. This is your father. You know your mother would want you to be together, not apart.”

Now that my mother’s ring was sitting in my nightstand, I felt connected to her in a way I hadn’t since she died. It reminded me how much my father loved my mother, how their love was eternal, even now. He’d made a lot of mistakes, but when a man was swallowed up by that kind of grief, there was no telling what he might do. He held a vigil for her in his heart, unable to find love again because it was impossible for him to love another woman besides the one he married. My sympathy had changed my opinion of him, leading to a calm sense of understanding.

Titan rubbed her hand up and down the center of my back. “You want to know what I think?”

I knew she was really asking, offering her advice only if I wanted to hear it. I gave a slight nod.

“I think Vincent is ashamed of who he used to be. I think he’s a different man than you used to know. I think he loves you, and I think he even loves Brett too. If you decided to cut him out of your life for good, you wouldn’t be doing yourself a favor. You wouldn’t be protecting yourself from anyone. And Vincent will have to suffer the rest of his life knowing he has a son he’ll never get to be with. You’re dooming each of you to a bitter and painful existence.”

Titan was the smartest person I knew, and any advice she ever gave was solid. She could remove the emotional part of the situation and stare at it objectively. She could see past the details to the foundation of any given situation. Despite the hard life she’d lived and the ruthless people who’d tried to hurt her, she rose above it and still saw the good in other people. She saw the goodness in my father—because there was something to see.

“But you have to make this decision on your own, Diesel. I can’t make it for you. I’ll stand by whatever choice you make.”

“It’s hard for me to believe we could have a new relationship. So much time has passed, so much heartbreak. But then I look at us now…and we already do have a relationship. It’s tense and uncomfortable, but it’s there. I asked him about Alessia, and he was open with me. He asked me about you…I was open with him. There’s a dialogue…a conversation. There’s something there.”

She ran her fingers through my hair. “And it’s worth fighting for.”

---

Brett and I met for lunch at a table with three menus.

He sat down and noticed the third place setting. “Titan coming?”

I ambushed him, using the same technique Titan was known for. “No.”

Brett’s eyebrows slowly rose toward his forehead. “This can’t be good…”

“I invited my father.”

“Because…?”

“I think we should all sit down and talk.”

“Diesel, I told you I didn’t care what you decided to do. But you should respect my wishes as well.”

“And I do,” I said calmly. “But the three of us haven’t been in the same room together in a decade. I think we should see where it goes.”

“You know, I expected this from Titan—but not you.” He crossed his arms over his chest, wearing a black leather jacket with a dark blue V neck underneath.

“I learned from the best.” I tried to keep it lighthearted despite how dramatic the situation was. “He doesn’t know you’re going to be here either. So you’re both equally unprepared.”

His eyes shifted to the right when he spotted something. “Here he is.”

My father walked toward the table, not affected by Brett’s unexpected presence at all. As if he’d been expecting him the entire time, he greeted us both with a look before he took a seat. He didn’t shake our hands or make any other kind of gesture.

He sat perfectly upright then took a drink from his water glass.

Like any other time I was with my father, it was tense.

Extremely tense.

My father turned his gaze on Brett, paying more attention to him than he did to me. “It’s nice to see you, Brett.”

All Brett gave was a nod.

I’d brought all three of us together, but I wasn’t sure what to do now. “The three of us haven’t had a conversation together in…a really long time. I thought we could talk, maybe clear the air.”

Brett stared at his menu.

My father kept looking at him.

I stared at both of them. Maybe this was a bad idea.

“I recently bought one of your cars, the new edition of the Bullet.” My father removed his phone from his pocket and pulled up a picture. It was dark gray and sleek, a brand-new version of the car I’d bought just a few months ago. “It’s smooth. Before I realize what I’m doing, I’ve hit ninety before I’m even off the ramp and onto the highway.” He set the phone next to Brett so it was easily visible.

Brett shifted his gaze to the screen and stared it for several minutes, probably noticing slight details no one else picked up on. “She’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

Brett returned the phone.

My father slid it back into his pocket. “I bought her last week. She’s sitting in my garage along with the rest of my collection, but I think she might be my favorite. For a luxury car, she has something special the others lack. It’s not just the engine, but the whole experience. The sound system is the highest quality I’ve ever seen—and that’s saying something because I own a lot of cars.” It didn’t seem like he was sucking up to Brett, just talking about something they had in common.

Brett didn’t remain stubborn for long. “Thank you. I take great pride in my work.”

“It shows.” Vincent picked up the menu and scanned it despite the heaviness in the room. “Are you working on anything else?”

“I’m taking a break, actually,” Brett said. “I spent a long time designing that model. Need some time to come up with new ideas.”

“Understandable.” My father looked at me. “What are you getting, Diesel?”

I hadn’t even looked at the menu yet. I picked something at random. “The Cobb.”

My father looked relaxed in his chair, taking control of an awkward conversation with a noticeable level of class. It wasn’t surprising that he was so persuasive when he could handle difficult conversations like this. “I think I’ll get the same. What about you, Brett?”

“I’m not a salad kinda guy. I’m getting a steak.”

My father wore a slight smile. “Excellent choice.” He set his menu down just when the waiter came over. We all ordered our drinks and food, and we were alone once more shortly afterward. My father rested his elbows on the armrests and brought his fingertips together, still looking casual. “How’s business?”

“It usually picks up around this time of year,” Brett said. “You know, the holidays.”

My father nodded in understanding.

“Come January, it’ll be slow,” Brett said. “That’s when I usually go on vacation.”

“Where are you traveling to?” Vincent asked.

“Hawaii,” Brett answered. “Where they don’t have blizzards.”

My father nodded in agreement. “Taking anyone along?”

“Yeah.” Brett didn’t elaborate on the guest list. He didn’t talk about his personal life much, not even to me. Women came and went, sexy flings that he enjoyed. He’d been looking for the right woman for a long time, but she’d never come along. Women like Titan didn’t grow on trees. “What about you?”

“What about me?” my father asked.

“Taking any trips soon?” Brett asked.

“No,” my father answered. “I usually spend the holidays alone. After the new year, I might jet off to somewhere with a warmer climate, but I haven’t made plans this year. A woman I’m seeing asked me to spend the holidays with her and her family in Milan. I declined.”

I never wondered what my father did over the holidays. I usually spent them with Brett. I guess my father spent them alone.

Brett was obviously surprised Vincent had told him something somewhat personal. His eyebrows were furrowed. “Not serious, then?”

“No,” my father said quickly. “None of them is. I usually stop by the cemetery early in the morning. Christmas used to be special to your mother and me. We would each find each other a special ornament, and we would exchange it Christmas morning. So I bring her one every year.” Despite how incredibly sad the story was, he didn’t flinch. His voice remained perfectly steady, completely emotionless.

I’d gone to the cemetery on Christmas before. I’d noticed a glass ornament with an angel inside. I’d assumed one of my mother’s friends had stopped by. It didn’t seem like something my father would bring. Since I never saw him visit, I just assumed he never went. I guessed I was wrong.

I used to see my father as a large brute without a single feeling. Now I realized he was emotionally complicated, carrying a web of different heartaches and feelings. Just because he didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve didn’t mean he wasn’t sensitive and loving. He remained rigid and strong like every man should be, but beneath that hard exterior, he was just a fragile as the rest of us.

Brett obviously hadn’t been expecting that either, because he stared at him in complete silence.

After the silence stretched on for nearly a minute, Vincent broke it. “I think about you a lot, Brett. Probably doesn’t seem like it, but I do. When I read headlines about you in the papers, it makes me happy to know you’re doing so well. You’re very well respected in the industry.”

Brett stilled at the comment, processing it slowly. Then he finally nodded, clearing his throat at the same time. “Thanks…”

“Your mother would be proud of both of you,” Vincent said confidently. “Not so much of me…but that’s something I’ll have to deal with later.” He didn’t wear his wedding ring even though he spoke like he was still married. I wondered if he said the same thing to his lovers. He was so rich and good-looking that they probably didn’t care.

“Yeah,” I added. “I think she would be too.”

Now Brett looked at Vincent, no longer as guarded as before.

“I know you guys don’t owe me anything, but it would mean a lot to me if the two of you met up with Jax. The three of you shouldn’t have been separated to begin with. I know it would mean a lot to him as well.”

“He wants to talk to us?” Brett asked.

“Of course he does,” Vincent answered. “His only hesitance is me. He thinks you don’t have a high opinion of him since he took my side…”

I’d never held it against Jax. I knew the situation was complicated.

“I don’t feel that way,” Brett said. “I’d like to see him.”

“Yeah?” Vincent asked. “I’ll let him know. Maybe the three of you could get a drink…catch up.”

We spent the rest of the lunch making small talk about work and sports. The conversation never truly relaxed, but it wasn’t unnerving either. My father managed to keep it smooth, using his special skills in language to keep the conversation flowing. No subject would ever be strong enough to detract from the reality of our situation.

Toward the end, Brett eyed his watch. “I’ve got to get going. I’ve got a meeting.” He rose from his chair and pulled some cash from his wallet. He set it on the table in preparation for the bill that hadn’t come yet. “I’ll see you later, Diesel.”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, wondering if he would say anything to my father.

He looked at Vincent next, drawing a blank as to what to say next.

My father rose to his feet and extended his hand. “It’s always a pleasure seeing you, Brett. I hope I see more of you.”

I thought Brett wasn’t going to take his hand because he didn’t even raise his arm. He stared at my father’s outstretched greeting as he considered it, not moving. Then he did the unexpected and placed his hand in his. “Yeah. Maybe.”

They shook hands.

And then Brett walked out.

My father sat back down, looking forward with eyes filled with heavy thoughts.

I wasn’t sure what I’d just witnessed, the beginning of a reconciliation or mere politeness.

My father drank his iced tea then checked his watch. He must not have anywhere important to be because he continued to sit there with his legs crossed and his elbows on the armrests. When the waiter brought the check, my father didn’t immediately reach for it, and neither did I. We weren’t doing the check dance, but paying the bill didn’t seem urgent right now.

I expected he had something to say. I could feel it in the air between us. It was a sixth sense I had from growing up with a father like him. I picked up on his quiet moods, his slight shift in atmosphere.

“I know you did that for me, Diesel. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.” He didn’t look directly at me, which was unusual for him because he constantly maintained eye contact. But now he focused his gaze elsewhere. “I think there’s hope for us. When I sit with him, I don’t feel the sense of hatred I used to feel. Like his mother, he’s far too compassionate to feel that way for long.”

“I don’t think he ever hated you,” I said quietly. “I think he just wanted to be loved as much as Jax and I were. He said that’s what hurt him the most.”

My father closed his eyes briefly, swallowing the words like acid. They clearly affected him, making his straight physique seem slightly crooked. “Goddammit.” He said the curse quietly, under his breath, so I could barely hear it.

“But you’re right. I think he’s coming around.”

“And I know you wouldn’t have done that unless you were coming around too.” He turned his head and directed his gaze on me, staring at me with those customary dark eyes. His face was a mirror of my future, my appearance when time caught up to me. “Are you?”

I wanted to tell him I would never forgive him for what he did, but I couldn’t. Right now, I pitied him. I saw a father who would do anything to have his son back. All his past crimes seemed irrelevant now that so much had changed. “I’m not saying everything is perfect between us…but I’m willing to forget the past and move forward. I’m willing to start over.”

My father closed his eyes again, but this time, for much longer. His hand covered his face, and he slowly dragged it down, digesting my words like they were shards of glass. When he dropped his hand and opened his eyes, a thin film of moisture coated the surface. A slightly red tint had already developed, and he wore a heavy expression he’d never worn before. My father was manly, cold, and rigid. The only appearance he ever broadcast was strength. But now, all the strength had been shed, and there was nothing but vulnerability. He was still a man, just a man stripped of wealth, strength, and power. What was left was just a man—a man who only cared about his son. “Thank you.” He pivoted in his chair toward me, extending his hand.

I eyed it but didn’t take it. I looked up at him again, seeing the desperation in his eyes. He kept his hand extended even though I chose to ignore it. I rose to my feet instead and opened both of my arms.

My father didn’t move, shocked by the gesture. He lowered his hand and cleared his throat, the emotion increasing in his eyes. He rose to his feet, his eyes level with mine. He didn’t blink the moisture away, almost proud of his impending tears. “Son…” He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me like a child, his powerful arms circling me with the strength of a bear.

I hugged him back, feeling his hard chest against mine. The last time I’d hugged my father was when I was in college, and even then, it was brief. We hadn’t embraced like this since my mother died. He’d hugged me at her funeral, using my strength to keep himself upright. Maybe this was a mistake, but I refused to believe it was. It was so much better to let go of my anger and pain. It felt so much better to forget the past and embrace the future. It was a risk, but it was a risk I was willing to take. “Dad…”