Page 174 of The Bet
“Nice.”
“And,” Tobias’s face darkened. “I’m sorry for coming down on you like a ton of bricks, about that whole Matthias situation, about him being a partner in that company with Hennessy. I didn’t tell you about what happened between us, and it was wrong of me to take it out on you.”
“I’ve pulled out of the contract.”
“You did what?”
“I pulled out.”
“But you needed it. You said he had contacts and the infrastructure you needed in China.”
“I can find someone else.” It would take a while, and it would set back production, but it made sense. He felt it had been the right decision.
“But you’d already signed contracts.”
“Doesn’t matter. I told Hennessy that it wasn’t the right fit for me.” That was the meeting he’d come from, and he had given some vague but believable reasons for backing out of the deal.
Tobias looked surprised. “Why did you back out?”
“Because of you. Something had obviously gone down between you both, and it didn’t feel right for me to proceed.” He needed the investment, but did he need a pissed off brother to deal with at every turn? This had to have been big, the fall out with Matthias.
“You don’t even know what happened,” Tobias said.
“I didn’t see the point of going into business with someone when you clearly had a problem with the guy’s company. I know it had to be something serious, because you still haven’t been able to tell me.”
“I’ll tell you,” said Tobias, “I’ll tell you when I’m ready to talk about it.”
“For the record, I want you to know that I haven’t seen Matthias for months, and he wasn’t a party to any of the meetings I had with Chad.”
“See that,” said Tobias, pointing his finger at him, “that’s what I mean. I was so wrapped up in the emotion of it all, I didn’t even care to see how it affected you. I used to be better at detaching myself from emotions, that’s how I built all of this.” He gestured around the room. “But things are different now, with Savannah, and Jacob, and the pregnancy. I’m losing my ruthlessness.”
Xavier smiled, unable to hold back. “You’re becoming more human, bro.”
“I think of my family, and it makes me want to tear up with joy. You ever felt that way about someone? That you would give your life for them? And if they hurt, it kills you?”
Hell, yes. He’d come the closest to feeling that depth of emotion about someone, and he’d lost her along with his heart.
“I know how he thinks,” said Tobias. “And it wouldn’t surprise me if Rust thought that doing a deal with you might be a way to get back in with me.”
His thoughts were still wrapped up in Izzy, and Tobias had switched into business mode so fast, he had to force himself to listen. “Yeah?”
“I know how that brain of his works.”
Xavier wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He had believed Hennessy had invested inhim.It made him feel small again, to think that Hennessy and his company would invest in him purely so that Matthias could indirectly find a lifeline to Tobias. “Do you always have to make it about you?”
“How do you mean?”
“Maybe Hennessy wanted to invest in my company,” Xavier countered. “It’s no corporation, but maybe he wanted to try something risky.”
“Stone Enterprises does risky. Why have you never come to me for investment?”
A sharp shock ran through him. He held his brother’s gaze. “Because you usually take the piss out of my business ideas.”
“I get offers to fund the craziest ventures. You would be surprised.”
“You would invest in me?”
“I could do worse.”
