How I Think Filthy Lucre COULD Have Ended

Alternate Chapter 64

  While Brendon slept peacefully tucked into Ryan's side, sleep eluded Ryan. His mind was abuzz with all the things involved with their current situation: Brendon's panic and fear over everyone finding out about his days as a whore, and his family's horrible, cruel reaction to their relationship going public; the entire country knowing about and dissecting their relationship; and last but certainly not least, the inevitable conversation they were going to have to have with his father regarding this whole mess.

  Ryan knew it was coming and couldn't be avoided: they were going to have to share some uncomfortable truths with George Ross. George genuinely liked Brendon and said he was a good guy. That had to count for something, right? There was no denying that Ryan was a different, better person since Brendon entered his life. He just hoped whatever they agreed on telling George, that it would be enough that he could at least have empathy for Brendon and not end up hating him. After all, Ryan himself had made some pretty terrible life decisions, and was now making a fresh start. Didn't Brendon deserve the same chance? All Ryan knew, was that they needed to tell George the truth themselves before it came out in the press and he found out that way.

  And how were they going to handle the press, once Brendon's past as a hustler became public knowledge? The public would have a field day with them both if they didn't handle this right. He knew there would be people talking shit about them no matter what, but he wanted to lessen the damage, especially with regard to Brendon. Brendon was truly a good person, but if you didn't know him, his past made him look like a piece of shit. Ryan wanted to insulate him from hurt and insult as much as possible.

  Ryan lay like that, lost in his thoughts and Brendon sleeping curled into his side, for a solid two hours. He had shut off his phone to keep it from continually buzzing and waking Brendon up. Eventually, however, Brendon stirred on his own, shuffling slightly in the sheets and stretching his limbs right up against Ryan. He blinked his eyes open slowly.

  "Hey," Ryan breathed quietly, running his hand through Brendon's hair and kissing his temple. "Sleep ok?"

Brendon nodded sleepily. "Yeah. I actually really needed that. Anything new while I was out?"

  "Honestly, I don't even know. I turned off my phone so it wouldn't disturb you. I've just been lying here thinking things through," Ryan admitted.

  "Okay...wanna tell me about it?" Brendon looked up at Ryan with curious, albeit sad eyes.

  "Well...we're gonna need to have a chat with George," Ryan said with a slight cringe. "We have to tell him the truth before something breaks online and he finds it out that way."

  "Fuck. I am so not looking forward to this," Brendon said uncertainly. "What if he hates me once he knows the truth?"

  "Truthfully, I don't think he will, baby. He knows I was in a bad place and got a second chance. He really likes you. I can't see why he'd hold you to a different standard than me. As long as he's clear that you got out of the game before we actually got together, I think he'll be ok."

  "If you think so. I mean...how much are we gonna tell him? I can almost deal more with telling him I was a hustler than I can about the whole Dallon thing." Brendon scowled, mentioning Dallon's name leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Hearing it was equally unpleasant for Ryan.

  "Well, baby, I won't force you into anything, but it's probably best we get all our cards on the table with him. Plus, he'll probably be useful in helping us figure out how to handle this with the press, because sooner rather than later, we're gonna have to do something with them. A statement, an interview...I don't know." Ryan watched Brendon for his reaction.

  Brendon sighed heavily. "Yeah...I guess you're right. Ryan...I'm so scared. It was hard enough having my parents wish me dead. Now everyone will know all my bad life choices and judge me for them."