Page 51 of The Billionaire's Virgin

“I did,” I admitted. “What about you? When did you feel the connection?”

“I suppose the first time it became so glaringly obvious that I couldn’t avoid it anymore was when you opened up to me about your past… and your stepfather.”

I sighed. “I still say it sucks that we have that in common.”

“They’re just bullies, you know,” Reed said. “And they bully because they’re weak and scared and they think that if they frighten everyone around them, then no one will notice just how weak and scared they really are.”

I nodded. “That’s true,” I said. “Did he ever stop… going after you?”

“Towards the end, but that was only because I decided to stand up to him one day. There were lots of little insignificant things that ticked my father off. His favorite threat was ‘get over here so I can iron your face out.’”

I felt my body react instantly. I froze in place, and a terrible gripping suspicion nagged at the back of my head. I wasn’t sure if Reed had noticed that, but even if he did he said nothing.

“He… said that to you?” I asked, feeling slightly sick.

“More times than I can count.” Reed nodded. “It wasn’t just a figure of speech with him either. He would actually go get the iron—”

“Oh my God,” I felt myself gasp.

“Then one day, I looked back at him and said, ‘You can try, but I’ll just take that iron and smash your face in.’ He was so shocked that he backed down immediately. But I was close to six feet and a teenager before I had the courage to say those things to him.”

“Your father, what was his name?” I asked, dreading asking the question but knowing I had to ask it.

“Brady Holloway,” Reed replied.

I tensed instantly, but I tried to keep my expression calm. My head was reeling, however. How was this even possible? I had never believed in fate before now, but this couldn’t be a mere coincidence… could it?

“Your last name is Davis though,” I pointed out, hoping that he wouldn’t find the question strange.

“My mother’s maiden name,” Reed explained. “I legally changed it once she’d gotten her divorce. I didn’t want any part of that man.”

I nodded. “I can understand that. Reed… can you excuse me for a second, I need to use the bathroom.”

“Of course.”

I got out of bed and headed straight for his bathroom. The moment I closed the door behind me, I turned towards the sink and gripped it hard with my hands to stop from falling. How on earth could this be happening? Even with Reed’s oblivious confirmation, it was hard for me to accept.

But given what Reed had just said, and given all the similarities in our pasts, the truth was staring me in the face. Brady Holloway: I knew that name well, and I despised the man who owned it. It was the name of Reed’s father. It was also the name of my stepfather.