An Unlocked Mind (Secrets #2)(95)

The waiter approached with their breakfasts, and Doug attacked his with enthusiasm. Rob, on the other hand, barely touched his.

“Not hungry?” Vic whispered.

“No, not really.”

“I’m not either, but we should try to eat something.” Vic pulled a face. “Unless you really want to eat on the train.” Relief filled him when Rob snorted.

“Okay, good point.” He tried his eggs and smiled. “This is good.”

Vic leaned in and whispered again. “Try the sausage. It might not be as thick as the one you’re used to, but….” He waggled his eyebrows.

Rob rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t believe you said that.” He glanced over at his dad. Doug was regarding them with amusement. Then he cleared his throat.

“So, Rob, tell me what’s been going on in your life. How did you and Vic meet? What’s London like? Just….” He sighed. “I didn’t mean to launch into a round of Twenty Questions, but I really want to know what’s been going on in your life.” He glanced at Vic and smiled. “Apart from the obvious, which I have to say floored me. I know I’ve not been the best of fathers, but I want to try to make it up to you. Can you let me in a little?”

Rob’s gaze shifted to Vic. He nodded, hoping to instill some confidence where right now there was obviously turmoil. Slowly, Rob began to tell the story about the depth of his hurt and guilt, how he’d met Vic, and how Vic was helping him to make changes in his life. Doug listened intently, nodding every now and then, and there were moments when pain was etched across his face. Vic could understand that. Doug was getting a crash course in what made Rob tick.

When Rob had finished, Doug regarded him steadily for a moment. “Forgive me for pointing out what seems really obvious to me, but… if you’re weighed down by all this guilt, why haven’t you reached out to Alex to talk to him about it?”

Rob’s chin dipped. “Why? He thinks I betrayed him. After everything with Leo and the police—”

Doug cocked his head to one side. “Wait a second. I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Alex knows that wasn’t you. He said as much to your mother. The stuff with the police? That was all on her. She did it for… well, whatever messed-up reasons she had. But Alex knows it wasn’t your fault.”

Rob jerked his head up. “He… knows?”

Doug nodded. “I was there when he said it. I’d never seen him in such a state. If Leo hadn’t been there, I don’t know what he would have done.”

Emotions flashed over Rob’s face. Disbelief, shock, followed by surprise that slowly morphed to anger.

Vic gently squeezed Rob’s thigh. “Rob? You okay?”

“I want to go home,” Rob growled.

Doug seemed dazed. “Rob? What’s wrong?”

Rob bounced to his feet and glared at his father. “He knew. He fucking knew. For years I suffered because I thought he blamed me and I let him. I figured it was better for him to blame me than face him and try to explain what happened.”

Vic had had enough. He gripped Rob’s wrist and pulled him back down into his chair. There were a few murmurs from the customers around them, but they weren’t Vic’s concern. Right now, the only thing that deserved his attention was Rob, who seemed to be on the brink of a meltdown.

“Let me out of here,” Rob ground out.

“You’re going to sit there and listen,” Vic insisted.

Rob sneered but he sat, his arms crossed over his chest. His body trembled, whether with rage or hurt, Vic wasn’t certain. Either way, it needed to stop.

“Is this what you were like all those years? Sulking, bratty, blaming everyone else for your problems?”

Rob set his jaw. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? Let me ask you a question, okay, and forgive me for being blunt. Why in the hell should Alex have reached out to you? What did you do to deserve one iota of forgiveness from him? Go on, think about it. You treated him like he was there for you to torture. Did you even once think of him as something more than your victim?”

Rob blanched. “He’s my brother.”

Vic was having none of it. “You say those words now. When his life was in turmoil and he needed you, what did you say then? Oh, yes, I remember. ‘Buy me a laptop or I’m going to expose you to our parents. I’m going to tell them all the facets of your life that you aren’t even ready to talk about yet.’ Yes, that’s very brotherly of you. I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t come looking for you.”

Rob swallowed and his breathing quickened. He gazed with eyes full of anguish at them. Vic’s heart ached to see the pain there, but this needed dealing with.

“I’m sorry,” Doug said. “I didn’t mean to—”

Vic’s gaze shifted to Doug, who’d paled. “I’m sorry you had to see this, but I think it’s been a long time coming. It’s nothing you did, believe me. This is all on Rob, and I think it’s just now sinking in how much of this is down to him. It was easy when he had his mum to blame, because then he still came out looking okay. Now? He knows the truth. Even after Alex found out that it was her fault, he still didn’t reach out to Rob.”

Rob’s lip trembled and his eyes shone, but he sat ramrod straight. Vic stood and turned to Doug. “It was good to meet you. I hope we have a chance to do this again sometime. Well, without the drama, of course.” He glanced at the now-pale Rob. “We’re going home.”