Page 101 of Havoc

“Yeah.”

“Have you spoken to her since you’ve been back? How’s she holding up?”

“Dad, are we going to start this meeting?” I ignored Mom’s probing.

“She seemed fine at her date last night.” Knox snickered. Just for once, I wished he’d grow up.

“With who?” Mom homed in on Knox.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tuned out their mindless chatter. I had no patience to deal with it.

“I know we have a lot to deal with right now,” Dad cut them off, “but we’ve had a win, and I want to share it. I got news from Deborah, and we won the bid for the property across from the Encore.”

“That’s wonderful news.” Mom smiled, but her exhaustion showed through.

“It’s a positive thing,” I muttered, attempting to make an effort, but my pain took over. “I wonder what shit storm will follow that purchase?”

“I know things are bleak right now, son, but the world doesn’t stop because we hurt. Leo would have loved this.” Mom’s voice held a warning.

I reached down and stroked Zhar’s ear. “Leo wanted a lot of things, and one of them was not to be six feet under.”

“Oh, too soon,” Knox breathed.

I pushed my palms against the table and glared at my brother. “You weren’t there, like always.” I felt my temper rise to a dangerous point. “You’ve no idea what it was like,” I snarled. “You only know what cheap perfume and the inside of an empty bottle is like.”

“Boys,” Mom pleaded, “we don’t need this right?—”

“If I’d been there,” Knox interrupted loudly, “I would’ve made sure our security walked with them to their room. After all, we’re the Gates family.”

I lunged at him and knocked over my chair. Zhar jumped up as my fist met Knox’s cheek. Before I could get in another swing, Dad grabbed my arm.

“Enough!” he bellowed. “Knox, get out, go get some ice. I’ll deal with you later.” Dad turned to me. “Grim, sit down. We need to talk.”

I rubbed my hand and fed off the pain that pulsed through my knuckles. Dad went over to the bar and rattled about as I settled back in my chair and glanced in the direction the little shit went.

He handed me a scotch. “Grim, how are things going with Secrets?”

I eyed the glass; it was, after all, only mid-morning. “Good. We’re on time for the opening.”

“Excellent.” Dad hesitated. “Son, I need to tell you something, and you won’t be happy with me.” That pulled my entire attention. “When I went to visit you in Mexico, I led you to believe my cancer was back, but it’s not.”

I glanced at him in shock, and then at Mom. She nodded at Dad to continue.

Relief was quickly replaced by confusion as I looked from Dad to Mom. I thought about all the times I’d seen him act sick.What the hell?My anger flared.

“Before you blow, listen to me, please.” Dad held up a hand. “Your mother and I suspect several people who are embedded in our lives are trying to undermine us. There’ve been several things that I know have been off. Your mother and I came up with a plan. I needed to seem vulnerable and hoped that would make them bold enough to show themselves. I began to realize if I wanted it to look real, you’d have to come home. I needed you here. I needed the whole family around me, to present a united front, if you will. It worked.”

That was a lot to unpack. I had been certain Dad was sick; he’d played his part well. My mind went over some of the times I’d been concerned about him. Certain people had been around. Then my brother pushed through my thoughts, and I remembered our conversation on the plane.

“Leo suspected there was something going on. Did he know the truth?”

“He never said anything to me.” Dad screwed up his face. “We’d planned to tell you both what was going on when you got back from New Orleans. I’m just so sorry I never got to tell him I wasn’t ill.”

Jesus. I couldn’t believe he went to the grave not knowing. My stomach burned.

“Tell me it’s Cameron!” My fingers curled into fists, needing a reason to kill that conniving bastard.

Dad’s expression said it all, and I jumped to my feet, but he raised a hand. “Stop! I’m not sure about Cameron. I’m really not. Every time I think it’s him, something happens that makes me question it. We have to tread carefully here, Grim. Until we have absolute confirmation, we can’t show our hand.” Dad tugged his tie in frustration.

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