On that note, he tapped his father’s number and lifted the phone to his ear. He stayed tense and listened to the fourth and final ring, a little relieved at the idea of leaving a voice mail.
“Yes,” his father answered, clipped and obviously stressed. Shit.
“Father?” Alec asked and closed his eyes. Why was he always reduced to the little boy so afraid and uncertain of what his father’s hateful tone might mean?
“I said yes.” Well, okay, that helped relieve some of his worry. Alec sat with his eyes closed as he took a deep breath and gathered his will. His father’s irritable attitude helped steel Alec’s spine.
This was his chance to take control of his life.
“Listen, I’m not going to keep you. I’m calling to tell you I’m pulling my nomination and leaving the DA’s office. I should have never—”
“You’re doing what?” his father bellowed, causing Alec to pull the phone away from his ear. Fuck, he hated when his father did that. That tone was like a blade driving straight into his brain. With his heart pounding, he winced at the sudden headache brought on by the pitch of his father’s voice.
Alec was now pissed off and knew how to push his father’s buttons so he repeated the words he’d used before, word for word, knowing his response would send his father’s anger to the next level. “I’m pulling my nomination…”
“You think I didn’t hear you? Do you know we’re three weeks before election? The public sees me as tolerant in a goddamn time the voters want tolerant.” His father’s tone and volume hadn’t decreased. Alec held the phone out to put some distance between his ear and the screaming coming from the other end.
Sure, he understood the timing left much to be desired. He should have done this months ago, but he hadn’t. What he had done, though, was notice he hadn’t been included in any of the pre-election family gatherings with the exception of having his name tossed around when needed. Before living in North Texas, he’d never seen the Dallas local news, so Alec wasn’t aware he hadn’t been invited to the photo opportunities. Now the evening news was his glaring reminder of their continued indifference.
He and Key sometimes watched the nightly news together. His mister never acknowledged Alec’s absence when his family’s campaigning made the news—
“Is this some sort of ploy to increase your allowance?”
“You’ve never given me an allowance,” he informed his father, letting his tone turn incensed.
“Of course I have.”
Alec remained silent at that reply. New parts of their family dynamic came to life like the sun rising over a ridge. Shocked he’d never considered it before, the excluded hurt little boy in him now wondered how much money his parents gave his worthless siblings while giving none to him.
Not the point, Pierce. You take care of you.
“You can’t do this. It would be political suicide. Goddammit, Alec. You always pull this shit. You’re about as dependable as tits on a boar hog.”
What the hell? Alec stared down at the phone in his hand. His father sure took on a solid Texan twang during election season. There were no boar hog tits anywhere near his father.
“Your brother’s decided to run for office. Your selfishness hurts all our chances. The answer’s no. You will continue like we planned,” his father commanded.
“I wasn’t asking, and honestly, you don’t want me in office. I’ll work cases in such a way I’ll embarrass you even further.”
His father went silent. All Alec could hear were the deep breaths of fury blasting through the phone’s microphone.
“Okay…” No, don’t say it. Why did Alec take on everyone else’s problems? His father was nothing more than a more civilized version of Key’s father. Don’t say it, Alec. End the call. End. The. Call. “I’ll concede this. I’ll give you through the election before I formally pull my name.” His disappointment in himself was immediate.
“After all I’ve done for you. I put my neck out for you. You’re an ungrateful little—”
“Father, don’t say something you’ll regret.” Alec quickly cut off whatever insult was planned. “That may certainly be the case, and you’re right, I shouldn’t have ever gotten involved in any of this with you—”
The phone went dead. His father’s sign that he was truly angry. Alec tossed the phone on his desk, and his shoulders slumped as he let out his own heavy exhale. That had been harder than he’d thought. His head was pounding and his heart was still racing as fast as Key’s sexy black crotch rocket.
Alec’s eyes were drawn down to the cell phone rattling on his desk. It stopped, only to start again then again. Hesitantly, he reached for the phone, worried his father had taken to texting. Those were always brutal messages to read. He should have blocked his father’s number when the call ended. Alec swiped a finger over the screen and opened the messages icon. His grin was instantaneous at seeing the alerts were from Key.