Wicked and True (Wicked & Devoted 4)

“‘Dealing with it’ doesn’t mean just erasing those posts or groups. It means obliterating their accounts and banning these people for life.”

“I can’t take steps like that without careful consideration and investigation. I—”

“Don’t start this bullshit. Why can’t you ever, just once, do what’s right?”

“Stay out of my business and I’ll stay out of yours.”

“I’d love to, but—”

“What the fuck makes you think you’re better than me? You’ve done plenty of questionable things, like blowing up a perfectly good building that would have helped a whole bunch of poor people in a war-torn region.”

“Because I consciously choose to do the right things for the right reasons. I kept that building from destroying more lives than it could ever have helped. I don’t shove my nose up a bunch of globalist tycoons’ asses for a buck. And I would never fuck my friend’s underage daughter for a thrill.”

“It was consensual.”

“Kendra was a minor. Legally, she couldn’t consent, and you goddamn know it. And it’s also possible that you not stopping the cartel from planning their illegal shit on your platform directly resulted in her being kidnapped once upon a time. How’s that for fucked up?”

“I’m a grown man—and your father. I don’t need you telling me what’s right and what’s wrong.”

“I think you do. You’ve gotten it wrong for as long as I’ve been aware you’re a shit. We can sit here and exchange insults all night or you can promise you’ll look into this and expunge these assholes from your platform.”

“You realize they’ll just communicate in some other way you won’t be able to track?”

Maybe. “But we won’t be making it easy for them, and it won’t be your liability.”

His father sighed. “Where are you? Months ago, Dr. Waxman said he spoke with you at Kendra’s wedding in Louisiana.”

“I’m not far from there.” And not for anything would he tell his father that he was planning to propose to the most amazing woman, buy a house here, raise her daughter and the other kids they would share, and have a goddamn happy life. Phillip Garrett would only laugh before he tried to shit on all that.

“Making what? A lot less than the two million a year plus bonuses and perks I offered you before you left the Middle East.”

Zy sneered. “I tried working for Daddy. It didn’t end well. I don’t need the money, and I’m not coming back to Cali. Anything else before I hang up?”

“I don’t like having this enmity between us.”

Wow. That was his dad’s form of an apology. Talk about way too little way too late. “We’ve all made our choices, and I sleep just fine at night with mine.”

“Your mother would probably appreciate hearing your voice. She’s rented a house in Sonoma. I’m sure she loves it there since it’s so close to all the wine she uses to self-medicate.”

And who do you think drove her to that? “I’m in a crisis right now, but I’ll reach out to her as soon as I can.”

“You don’t have to keep risking your life for people who can barely pay you.”

“You just never fucking understand. Not everything is about money. You’ve said before that you can’t figure out what makes me tick? There you go. Once you get that, maybe we’ll see eye to eye. Until then, I don’t have time for this insult-fest. Congratulations on your divorce.”

“Chase, don’t you—”

Zy hung up before his father could finish the sentence. What else could they possibly have to say?

Shoving the unpleasant conversation aside, he gulped down his now lukewarm coffee, killed the lights, and headed out to run errands. A few phone calls and a few stops later, he managed to get everything set up in the temporary safe house, and Kane promised that he’d text when he, Valeria, and the baby got settled. Tomorrow, they’d figure out their next steps with the late drug kingpin’s estranged wife and how the hell to keep her safe until the bosses could return and resume the mission.

When he finished everything, it was nearly one thirty in the morning. Zy would have loved to return to Tessa’s place, undress, crawl into bed with her, then slip inside her body until she wrapped her legs around him and came for him. But she deserved her rest, and he suspected she needed more time and space to consider his proposition.

But tomorrow…he’d begin the first official phase of Operation Mrs. Garrett. Hopefully by then, he’d have a ring in his pocket and he’d be finding all kinds of creative ways to persuade her to say yes.

Tessa rolled over as her alarm clock played a vaguely familiar ballad. The electronic digits told her it was time to start the day. Damn it, she’d been sleeping so well…but she would have slept better beside Zy.

Well, if he’d let her sleep at all.