I sighed. “Just tell her the truth. There’s not much else you can do. At least she’ll know something so she can stop worrying about where he is.”
“It’s just so fucking unreal. How could I have lived with this man for the better part of my life and not know who he was? And my mother? How…”
“Look, I hear you. I just found out that my own father probably isn’t who I thought he was either. He’s dead, so I may never be able to figure it out. People hide things, Bryce. My family was great at it. They hid what happened to Talon. They hid the fact that my mom was related to Larry Wade. And now…” I couldn’t form the words. I had been about to spill the beans about Ryan’s possible parentage. No way could I do that until I had solid proof. And Ryan would have to be the first to hear it from my lips.
“Have you heard anything about Colin Morse?” Bryce asked. “How is he doing?”
Damn. I had all but forgotten about Jade’s ex-fiancé. So much else had been going on. “I haven’t checked in on him in a few days, but I will. I’ll let you know.”
“Did my father…rape him?”
“I can’t beat around the bush on this, Bryce. Yes. In all likelihood, your father raped him. I’m pretty sure Theodore Mathias did as well.”
“Who’s Theodore Mathias?”
“Boy, we do have a lot to catch up on.”
“You want to go for that drink now?” Bryce asked.
“I can’t. I was drugged, and it’s still in my system a little bit. I don’t want to add any alcohol.”
“Damn, Joe, what the hell is going on?”
“I told you. I was kidnapped.”
“By whom?”
“Wendy Madigan.”
“The newswoman?”
“Yes. The newswoman. And apparently my father’s mistress.”
“No way. Your father would never—”
“Stop right there. That’s what you told me about your father. Remember?”
“You’re right. Maybe neither of our fathers were who we thought they were.” He cleared his throat. “Joe, I’m scared. I mean, I’ve got his psychopathic DNA in my genes.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Look, my mother was mentally ill, and God knows who my father was at this point. DNA has nothing to do with who we are.”
“How can you say that?”
I stayed silent. How could I say that? For all I knew, one day I would snap like my mother had. And Bryce? But I would appease him. At least until I knew what I was talking about. “Look, your dad was involved in this shit when he was way younger than you are now. You’re a good man, Bryce. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“If it’ll make you feel better, go have a psychological evaluation.”
I’d be doing that myself. Luckily I had my own live-in psychotherapist standing right next to me.
“Look, man, I need to run. Are you going to be okay?”
“It’s just so much to handle,” Bryce said.