Fallen Hearts: Fallen Book 2 (a Boys of Porn novella)

CH 12

Derek.

Patrick felt sick—how did his dad know about Derek? And what did he know?

"He... he's just someone I met briefly at Pride."

"Briefly?" his dad repeated skeptically. "You went on a date with him, that's hardly a brief encounter."

He knows about the date? Patrick had told only one other person...

"How... how do you know about that?" Patrick frowned. "How do you know about Derek?"

"That isn't important. What matters—"

"Brian told you."

"Yes."

"Why?" Patrick swallowed. "Why would he do that?"

"Because he's your friend and he cares about you," his dad said. "He's concerned about the path you're taking."

"What path? I haven't done anything wrong. I went on one date with Derek and all we did was have a soda and talk. I haven't seen him since and I don't plan to."

"Is that why you continued to put off changing your number? Or why you called him after you changed your number?"

Brian told him everything?

"I needed to apologize for something," Patrick said. "That's why I called him. But he wasn't there, so I didn't even talk to him. I don't understand why Brian felt the need to tell my private matters to you. Nothing is going on between us. I barely know him."

"Why don't we discuss what you do know about him."

"What're you talking about?"

"Just this..." Alan Weber slid something from beneath his Bible and laid it on the table before Patrick. "Even Brian didn't know about this. You deliberately hid it from him. When people hide things... it's usually because they don't want to give it up."

Patrick sat in shocked silence as he stared at the pamphlet lying in front of him—the provocative images condemning him.

His dad opened the pamphlet, revealing Derek's photo and name.

"Will you try to tell me that it's mere coincidence that this person's name is also Derek?"

Patrick grew more nauseous.

"Did you know he was a porn star when you went out with him?" his father demanded.

How had he found the pamphlet? Had he searched his room? When?

"Did you go through my room?"

"I asked you a question. Did you know he was a porn star?"

Patrick trembled; what was happening? He felt betrayed by Brian—his best friend. The one person who had always been on his side, had his back. Or so he'd thought.

"Patrick."

"Yes, I knew," he returned much sharper than intended.

Alan Weber stared at him, a flurry of emotions smoldering in his eyes. "And you find that decadent lifestyle acceptable, is that it?"

"No. I..." Patrick was having a hard time collecting his thoughts.

"Then why did you go on the date?"

"I don't know. He... he's a nice guy. We didn't do anything."

His dad looked at him the way one would look upon a naïve child. "People who embrace worldly lusts are pawns of the devil—and he uses them to corrupt the godly. I know you're smart enough to understand this, so why are you allowing yourself to be blinded?"