Bound for Me (Be for Me #4)(66)

Less than a minute later, Connor swiped the screen of his phone again. No point in delaying it.

“Rex.” He spoke as soon as his father answered.

“Connor. What’s happening?” His father sounded slightly groggy. Connor had no idea where in the Mediterranean his father was, or what time it was over there. And he didn’t care.

“A guy named Jack Gibbs turned up yesterday claiming to be one of your illegitimate sons,” he said. “His mother is a woman called Mary-Jo Gibbs.”

“And?”

Annnnnd that was all he was going to get.

Connor closed his eyes. Despite knowing his father—knowing the reaction he’d been going to get. It still disappointed him.

“I know he’s telling the truth. I’m going to offer him what he deserves.”

“What do you think that is?” Rex snapped.

“His birthright.”

“You’re going to pay him off? Like you paid off that little minx.”

The little ‘minx’ was Cynthia, the woman Rex had had an affair with for eighteen months. The intelligent but misguided woman he’d made so many promises to. None of them fulfilled.

“You might be comfortable treating people like shit, Rex. I’m not going to,” Connor said.

“You’re going to treat them like whores instead.”

“I’m not going to do that either.” He’d spend time with Jack, answer any questions he had. Get to know him. He might never get attention from his father, but he would from the rest of the family.

“By the way,” Connor broached another nightmare topic. “Another couple invites arrived for you. Organisations wanting you to speak at their conferences. I’ve already turned them down.”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m not going to let you bring Summerhill down with your over-priced ego-trips anymore. You’re not feeding any one else your inflated, idiotic ideas. It’s over Rex. Go retire in obscurity.”

It took another twenty minutes of arguing before Rex got totally angry and ended the call. But Connor didn’t regret it—it was beyond time he called the old man out for his behaviour.

But his father’s words echoed Savannah’s. Had Connor paid off Cynthia? He hadn’t meant to—certainly didn’t want to make her feel bad.

Twenty minutes later he knocked on the door of her apartment.

She looked surprised and wary when she answered and saw him standing there. “I am moving away from Summerhill,” she said defensively before he could even say hi. “It’s just taking a while to—”

“That’s not why I’m here,” he reassured. “You shouldn’t feel like you have to leave. I shouldn’t have made you feel that way.”

She colored slightly. “I have to leave Connor. It’s a small town.”

“Look,” he shoved his fist into his pocket. “Offering you that last paypack… I was trying to do the right thing. But... I’m sorry if it made you unhappy.”

“Connor, I chose to take the money. And I don’t want your pity.” She looked down. “But the truth is I really fell for him. He could be so… charismatic.”

“I know. But it’s a facade.” Connor knew his father was ruthless, callous. Heartless.

“I know that now.” Her awkward expression deepened. “You must hate me.”

“No. You were hurt and none of us helped.” Maybe he should have warned her. Maybe they’d all been too silent, too long.

Enabling.

But he’d just wanted her gone. Wanted all reminders of that rotten core to be cleaned out. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Well,” she looked awkward. “Thanks for stopping by today. You’re a better man than he is.”

He’d always thought that, but maybe he hadn’t been. But he could do better from now on.



“Jack.” Connor walked up to the railing where he’d arranged to meet the newcomer. “I’m glad you came back to meet me.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but you didn’t succeed in scaring me off.” Jack answered, not looking away from the Lodge’s impressive facade.

“That wasn’t my intention. I’m the one who’s sorry. Really sorry. You’re family.” Connor said. “I should have handled yesterday better. It’s no excuse, but I had other things on my mind.”

“So you believe me?” Jack turned to look at him face on. “You don’t want me to do some kind of blood test?”

“I only need to look at you.” Connor admitted. “So how can I help you, really?”

His first instinct was to offer him a share in the company. It wasn’t anything more than he was entitled to. But he was conscious of Savannah’s words—would it be misconstrued as paying him off?

Jack was looking at him, as if assessing how honest he could be.

“Ask me anything,” Connor half smiled.

“I want you to understand this isn’t about money for me,” Jack said. “I don’t want that from you. Or him.”

Good thing he hadn’t gone straight in with an offer then. “Okay,” Connor nodded. And it was okay, for now. But too many had lost what they were entitled to because of Rex. And Connor wasn’t having any half-brother of his starving on the streets.