Just a Bit Twisted (9 page)

“Mr. Wyatt,” Joseph Rutledge said at last when Shawn refused to drop his gaze. “For how long have you been in this unnatural relationship with my son?”

Shawn had to remind himself that Joseph Rutledge was very ill. He shouldn’t be getting into arguments with a dying man. “Less than a month, sir.”

“That makes it easier.” Joseph Rutledge picked up a pen and wrote something on a piece of paper before sliding it across the desk to Shawn. “I believe this would be a fair compensation for ending your association with my son.”

Shawn glanced at the paper and then stared at it.

“Wow, I’m flattered you value me so highly,” he said and stood up. “Thanks but no thanks.”

“You’re a fool, boy,” said the old man with a disdainful look. “He will throw you away in a few weeks at most. He always does.”

“How do you know that? You hadn’t seen him in fifteen years.”

Joseph sneered. “He might not live here anymore, but it changes nothing. I know everything about him. Every toy he had and threw away. Granted, there were a few persistent ones, but everybody has a price.”

When his meaning registered, Shawn felt sick to his stomach. “You’re sick,” he whispered. “Does he know you paid his lovers off?”

Joseph raised an eyebrow. “Of course he does. He’s my son. He’s no fool—except for his foolish insistence that he is homosexual.”

Shaking his head, Shawn stood up and headed to the door. There was no reasoning with this man.

When he opened the door, Joseph’s voice stopped him,

“Name your price, Mr. Wyatt. Everything has a price.”

“Some things don’t.” Shawn walked out.

Everybody has a price
.

So this was what Joseph Rutledge had taught his son.

Shawn wasn’t sure who he pitied more at this moment: Rutledge, his father or himself.

Chapter 12

He finally found Rutledge on the terrace half an hour later.

“I’m going home,” Shawn said.

Rutledge’s back stiffened. He turned around, a cigarette in his hand.

Strange. Until yesterday, Shawn had thought he didn’t smoke at all.

Rutledge took a long drag, studying him with an unreadable expression. “Why? We’re supposed to leave tomorrow.”

“I talked to your father.”

For a moment, Rutledge went very still before a sardonic smile appeared on his face. “How much did he offer you?”

“A lot. Only an idiot would refuse.”

Rutledge turned away. “Congratulations. The easiest money you’ve ever made.”

Shawn eyed his straight back. “Well, we’ve already established I’m dumb, didn’t we?”

A pause.

Rutledge let out a laugh. “You should have taken the money, Wyatt.”

“I don’t like him.”

Rutledge turned around again and ground out his cigarette with his shoe. “No one likes him. It’s not a good enough reason not to accept the money. We know it would have made no difference.”

“We know it, but he doesn’t.” Shawn cocked his head. “Are you really okay with me accepting his money? He thinks I’m your boyfriend.”

Rutledge’s lips twisted. “My father has been paying my boyfriends off ever since I was fifteen. You wouldn’t have been the first. The old man’s stubborn enough to think I’ll marry a nice little girl if he puts an end to every relationship I try to have. Though I’m a bit surprised this time. Usually he bothers only if the guy lasts more than a month—which doesn’t happen that often.”

Shawn stared at him. “You can’t mean all of them accepted his money.”

“No. Not all of them. But most.”

There was a bland mask of indifference on Rutledge’s face, and Shawn had to curl his hands into fists and look away, trying to shake off the urge to touch him.

“You said he reminded you of me,” Rutledge said. “But he takes it to a whole new level. He doesn’t know when to stop.”

“Yeah,” Shawn murmured. “He’s a narrow-minded, self-absorbed, high-handed asshole, and he fucked you up. But it doesn’t excuse you when you act like a dick. And if you keep being so insensitive and keep treating people like pawns, you’ll turn into him. Do you want that?”

“I didn’t bring you along so you could psychoanalyze me.”

“No, you didn’t bring me along for that,” Shawn said, his voice quiet. “But I’m done.”

Rutledge’s gaze sharpened. “What?”

“I’m a bit sick of being treated like a cheap whore by your family.”

“I wouldn’t call you cheap,” Rutledge said, his voice clipped.

Shawn laughed softly. “Okay, maybe I deserve it. I needed money and wasn’t proud enough to say no, but I’m kinda sick of it now. That’s it, Professor.”

He turned to leave, but Rutledge crossed the distance between them in a few strides and grabbed his arm. “You can’t leave. We have a deal.”

Shawn looked at him, ignoring Rutledge’s painful grip on his arm. “We had a deal. I’m ending it now. I think I more than earned the money you paid me for this trip. You can keep the money for last night’s sex. On the house.”

He tried to yank his hand free, but Rutledge’s grip only tightened. “You can’t just decide to leave.”

“Why not? Why do you even mind?” His smiled brightly. “Didn’t you say you get bored of straight guys after you fuck them? Lucky for you, then.”

Rutledge’s lips pressed into a thin line. His grasp loosened.

Yanking his arm free, Shawn strode away.

* * *

By the time Shawn managed to dress the girls and get them out of the house, Rutledge’s car was waiting for them.

Shawn stared out the window for most of the drive, feigning interest in the scenery passing by. The twins were doing all the talking. He didn’t look at Rutledge, but the tension in the air between them was palpable, and the sheer amount of anger and frustration was overwhelming. Shawn wasn’t even sure why. It wasn’t like Rutledge was his ex or something; it wasn’t like they had been dating; there was no reason this should affect him. He had sucked his professor’s dick for a few weeks(granted, not something he was proud of), had been dragged along to annoy Joseph Rutledge and got paid handsomely for it. He was finally done whoring himself out, and now he had a few months to find a better job without worrying about the bills every day. So everything was fine. Great. Fantastic, actually.

Yet it was such a relief when the car finally stopped in front of his building.

It took Shawn a few minutes to get the girls out of the car. Rutledge already had Shawn’s suitcase out.

“Thanks, I’ll take it now,” Shawn said, without looking at him.

“Don’t be silly,” Rutledge said, walking toward the building. “You don’t have three hands.”

“The girls don’t need me to carry them. They’re old enough to walk.”

Rutledge ignored him, of course. Of course.

“We can walk,” Emily confirmed.

“But I wanna be carried,” Bee said.

Shawn glared at Rutledge’s back and picked up the girls. “You don’t even know where you’re going.”

“I know your address. I’m capable of figuring out where your apartment is.”

Scowling, Shawn could only follow him, albeit reluctantly.

When they reached his apartment, Shawn hesitated. He didn’t want Rutledge to see it. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed of it—fine, maybe he was embarrassed of it.

He opened the door and ushered the girls inside before closing it and turning to Rutledge.

Rutledge set the suitcase down, his expression stony.

“I…” Shawn said, shifting slightly on his feet. “I’ll see you around, I guess.”

Rutledge nodded curtly. But he didn’t move.

Shawn cleared his throat, hooking his thumbs in his hip pockets and rocking back on his heels. “Thanks, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For helping me figure out I’m not straight.”

“What?” Rutledge said, almost without inflection.

“Yeah. In case you couldn’t tell, I liked having sex with a man.” Shawn smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect it, but I did. A lot. So… I have more options now. I guess I should thank you for that.”

“Options,” Rutledge said.

“Yep.” Shawn rubbed the back of his neck. “I can date guys too now.”

Something changed in Rutledge’s expression, but it was gone before Shawn could figure out what it was.

“You can,” Rutledge agreed, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

Damn. Why was it so weird, and awkward—and whatever the hell it was?

Shawn was sure he wasn’t imagining the tension, the frustration in the air, yet Rutledge’s face betrayed nothing. And it pissed Shawn off. He wanted to shake him. He wanted to shock him.

So he said, “You know, I actually can’t wait to find out if sex with other guys will be different. It’s all new and very exciting.”

Rutledge looked aside for a moment before a smile formed on his face. “Are you trying to make me jealous, Wyatt? I don’t do jealousy. Jealousy is for insecure men with small dicks and low self-esteem. And you have to care to be jealous. I don’t.”

Shawn bristled at the implications. “Why would I want to make you jealous? I don’t like you. Your family is horrible, you’re an ass, you’re beyond fucked up, and you’re a commitment-phobe. And you don’t like children—which is obviously a big deal for me. You’re everything I don’t want.”

“Good.” Rutledge glared at him.

Their gazes clashed and a rush of carnal hunger slammed into Shawn with a force that stole his breath.

His fingers trembling, Shawn found the doorknob behind him and stumbled into the apartment.

Shutting the door, Shawn leaned against it, breathing hard.

Fuck.

Chapter 13

“I don’t get it,” Christian said a week later, looking at him from across the table at the campus cafeteria. “Why is he such an asshole to you? I mean, he’s always an asshole, but lately he’s been a super asshole when it comes to you.”

Shawn suppressed a sigh. Christian was right, of course. Rutledge had been treating him like shit the entire week. Not that it came as a complete surprise.

“Seriously, did you kill his cat? Or—or leave a bloody chicken on his doorstep or something?” Christian shook his head. “There has to be some explanation. It’s getting ridiculous. People are starting to talk.”

Shawn’s coffee cup paused halfway to his mouth. “Talk?”

“Never mind.” Christian grimaced, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Just some stupid rumors.”

“What rumors, Chris?”

Christian took a sip from his coffee. “Some think it’s suspicious that Rutledge didn’t give you a failing midterm grade.”

Shawn stopped breathing. “What?”

“Some say you blackmailed him into giving you a passing grade. I told you it’s stupid.”

Shawn relaxed, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah. Stupid.”

“Actually, it is a bit strange, don’t you think? I thought he’d fail you for sure. But he didn’t, and now he’s a total asshole to you. The whole thing is weird.” Christian gave him a probing look. “You sure you aren’t hiding something from me?”

Shawn felt a pang of guilt. He took a gulp of his coffee and looked at his cup. “Maybe.”

“All right, spill,” Christian said, training his eyes on him.

Shawn began tracing the rim of the cup with his finger, following its shape. “I… remember the advice you gave me? On Rutledge?”

Christian chuckled. “You mean flirting?”

“Rutledge didn’t give me a passing grade because he took pity on me, Chris.”

Christian’s eyebrows furrowed; then his jaw dropped. “No way. You actually followed my advice?”

Shawn grimaced. “Not exactly.” He looked down at the sandwich on his plate and pulled at the cheese sticking out at the edges. “I did more than flirting.”

A clang made him look up. Christian had dropped his fork and was now looking at him with wide eyes. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish.”

Christian glanced around and then moved his chair closer. “So what did he make you do?”

“What do you think? Not a hand-job for sure.”

“Holy shit. You sucked him off?”

Shawn nodded curtly.

Christian let out a short laugh. “Wow, I never thought you’d actually flirt with him, much less... So, what was it like? I mean, were you grossed out?” He sipped his coffee.

Shawn was tempted to say yes. It would have made everything simpler. But he couldn’t bring himself to lie.

“No,” Shawn said. “It was okay. Even the first time.”

Christian choked on his coffee and started coughing.

“The first time?” he said when the coughing finally subsided. “You mean you did it more than once? Is he still forcing you to do it for a grade?”