Royal Heir (Westerly Billionaire #3)(20)
“You don’t scare me. Do your worst. I don’t fucking care.”
“It’d be a career ender.”
“You’d be doing me a favor.”
Magnus sat back on the corner of his desk again. He almost had Eric where he wanted him and wasn’t about to relent, but that didn’t mean he was indifferent to the man’s pain. “Finn is ten years old. Ten. The doctors don’t know if he’ll see eleven. He wants to grow up to be as strong and brave as Water Bear Man and wants to meet him. I promised him he would—both meet you and survive. So, regardless of what you think, this is me being nice. If I were you, I’d agree. You really don’t want to test how far I’ll go to make this happen.”
Eric groaned as if trying to wake up. When he looked up again, there was more life in him than Magnus had seen to date. “There’s a lot of superheroes out there. Find one who does appearances.”
Despite his bravado, it was easy to see that whatever Eric’s demons were, they were winning. If Magnus eased off now, he had a feeling the next time he saw Eric might be in an obituary. “This is how it will go down. We’ll fly to Vandorra today. You’ll act as if all of this is your idea and that you’re happy. Reassure Rachelle that everything is fine. Tomorrow you’ll visit the children’s hospital. We’ll stay one night in Vandorra. My father will likely wish to meet you. You will not say a word to him about any of this. The next day you’ll discreetly check into a clinic where I’ve reserved a suite for you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Eric ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m not going anywhere with you, and I don’t need rehab.”
Eric took a step toward the door, but Magnus moved to block him. “Yes, you do.”
“Excuse me?”
“You might as well agree, since I’m not offering you a choice.”
“Buddy, you’ve let your title go to your head. Now get out of my way.”
Magnus took a calming breath. “Listen, I wouldn’t normally give a shit about you, but there are two people I don’t want to see hurt by your stupidity—one idolizes you and the other loves you. You need help, Westerly. I can’t make you take it. But I’m here, right now, offering you a chance to get some without anyone needing to know about it. Your sister believes there’s something in you worth saving. It’d be nice if you proved her right. In fact, she’s here, so you can tell her your decision now.” Magnus nodded for the guard to open the door. “She’s in the library.”
Eric strode out of the office and into the foyer. Magnus followed.
As soon as she saw him, Rachelle flew to Eric and wrapped her arms around him. “Eric, are you okay?”
He stood awkwardly stiff in her embrace, but studied her face. “Of course. You?”
“Just worried. I’m sorry about last night, Eric. I don’t know what I was thinking. I wanted to be there for you, not embarrass you.”
Clearly uncomfortable, Eric stepped back and pocketed his hands. “You’ve never embarrassed me.”
Rachelle’s voice shook with emotion. “If you don’t want me to go to Vandorra with you, I’ll understand. I know you didn’t expect me to show up at your door or the premiere. Nicolette says I have trouble with boundaries. Sometimes I can’t help myself. I had a feeling that you needed me. I just want you to know that even though we were raised apart—you’re important to me. I love you. That’s all. I can go home now, because that’s what I should have said the first day, and it’s what I needed to say before I could leave.”
Westerly’s shoulders hunched slightly. The bold action hero from the big screen wasn’t visible in this man who seemed at a loss for what to say. Magnus felt more pity for him than he expected to, but he didn’t like that Westerly had yet to say he was going to Vandorra. Short of forcibly hauling the actor onto a helicopter, there wasn’t much more Magnus could do.
“I’m not going to Vandorra.”
Shit.
Rachelle’s eyes filled with confusion. “No? But Eric—”
“I never wanted to be Water Bear Man. He’s a ridiculous character with an implausible backstory in a spandex costume. I took the role as a favor for a friend. It was never supposed to be a career. I’m not a role model, I’m a fucking joke,” Westerly said.
Rachelle touched her brother’s arm. “You’re not a joke. You’re an inspiration. Do you know how many children I’ve taught who wanted to grow up to be strong and brave like Water Bear Man? Think about the little boy in Vandorra. Meeting you will give him courage.”
Westerly withdrew from her touch and rubbed his hands over his face. “It shouldn’t. I’m not a superhero. I’m a fucking mess. I don’t want to meet that kid. He’ll see right through me.”
Rachelle looked to Magnus as if he’d know what to say. Magnus didn’t. This was uncharted territory for him as well. Clasping her hands in front of her, Rachelle took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Maybe your career isn’t what you hoped it would be. So what? Everyone I know is still a work in progress. We’re all doing the best we can—hoping to God we get enough right to make up for everything we get wrong. You can’t focus on what you don’t have. Go to Vandorra. That little boy needs to know that you care.” When Eric didn’t immediately answer, she added, “If you go, that’s what he’ll see.”