The Billionaire’s Charade, page 8
“Dad, I don’t know what I’m going to do with this information yet, but I think it’s something the others need to know.” Dylan was speaking out of his own feelings on the topic. He already knew Gareth would agree. The others, well he wasn’t sure. Charles probably was too much in a happy zone to want to hear this shit. That was a good thing. It’d give Dylan time to do more fact finding.
“Do as you wish with it. Just please, don’t tell me what you learn.”
“We won’t Dad. And I promise, this won’t go anywhere it doesn’t need to.” That meant the fewer people who knew, the better. But he was going to have a long talk with Gareth tomorrow. It might be time for them to take a trip to Boston. Sitting down with Brice Henderson will determine the next course of action.
Damn. Figures we have to be related to people with a reputation for always getting what they want. Must be in the genes.
He couldn’t let their time together end on such a heavy note, so when they were finished with their deep conversation, Dylan decided to accompany his father back to visit with Penelope. Unfortunately, that took longer than he anticipated, and they weren’t the only company there either.
“I don’t have long, but I wanted to check on my little niece,” Dylan said.
“And favorite sister-in-law,” Rosslyn teased.
“Of course. But I really only have a few minutes,” Dylan replied.
“Sounds like you have a hot date or something. Could it be that waitress from Mama’s Place?” Gareth joked.
Rosslyn’s eyes lit up. “Oh that would be wonderful. I’d love it if Penelope had someone close in age to grow up with.”
What the fuck! How did it get from a date to a baby? Oh that would be a woman’s way of thinking. Very dangerous. Many men had fallen into that trap, his brother Charles was one of them. She might be one, but that was enough to take down a room of men, especially with her newly acquired cohort, Penelope. Dylan knew it was time to get his ass out of there before Rosslyn was planning a wedding that wasn’t ever going to happen.
Ignoring Rosslyn’s comment he turned back to Gareth. “Sorry to disappoint you, but not everything revolves around women, Gareth.” Dylan wasn’t about to tell any of them that Gareth was right. Gareth already had a big enough ego and Rosslyn needed to focus on the baby, not on his love life. “But I do need to talk to you in the morning. My office at eight?”
“Damn. What happened to a nine-to-five job?”
Dylan laughed. “Then I suggest you get to bed early, because we have work to do.” He walked over, kissed Rosslyn on the forehead and said, “She’s beautiful just like her mother.”
Charles said, “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
Rosslyn smiled, holding Penelope just a tad closer. “Come back any time, Dylan. You’re always welcome.”
Dylan knew that, but it was nice hearing it anyway. When he got into his car, he knew he was cutting it close to pick up Sofia on time. After his meeting with his father, his appetite was gone, but he couldn’t cancel on her, not on their first date. Sofia was already resistant to being with him. That would be just enough to make her question this. So, he opted to send her a quick text letting her know he was on his way, then increased his speed. He might not be hungry, but he was looking forward to her company.
She must have been watching for him, because as soon as his Austin Healy pulled up, she came out. “I guess you’re hungry,” he said.
“I didn’t want you to have to come up to the fourth floor for no reason.”
“Fourth floor?”
She smiled. “You get used to it.”
“I take it that means no elevator,” he stated.
“Keeps me in shape. But really, it’s not that bad. Unless it was laundry day, or I went food shopping. Then it sucks, and that is putting it lightly. You know, if you were busy, we didn’t have to go out tonight.”
“Are you trying to get out of it?” he asked.
“No. But I understand if something came up and plans needed to change,” she said.
“That’s good to know for the future, but I was just tied up with my new niece. She’s something else. I guess Sal lost track of time too when visiting earlier.”
“I heard all about it from my mother. Boy, was she pissed at him. I don’t think he’ll shut his phone off for a month.” Sofia chuckled. “At least that lets me off the hook for a while.”
Dylan reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. “Does that mean we don’t have to worry about any interruptions tonight?”
Sofia laughed. “We’re not that lucky, but one could only hope. So where are you stealing me off to?”
“That’s a secret. Why don’t you sit back and relax? We have a drive ahead of us. But trust me, it’ll be worth it.”
“I’m sure it will,” Sofia said as she settled back into the seat.
He wasn’t sure what tonight was going to bring, but he knew one thing it wouldn’t: anything more than a kiss goodnight. He was already playing with fire; it wouldn’t take much more before he didn’t give a fuck who didn’t want them together. But since he wasn’t looking for anything long term, it was his job to make sure he didn’t cross any line that either of them would regret.
6
He had been right: the drive, although nice, was more than an hour. But the food was definitely worth it.
“How did you find this place?” Sofia asked.
“When I first got my license, I used to play this game. I’d drive to see if I could get lost, then see if I could find my way back.”
“Sounds like fun. And you found this back then?”
He shook his head. “Don’t laugh, but as I got older, the game changed. What can I say? I like a Sunday drive to nowhere.”
“That’s funny, since the name of the restaurant is ‘In The Middle Of Nowhere’.”
“I wasn’t sure if you liked the ride or not. You got awful quiet for a bit,” Dylan added.
She laughed. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but I was questioning where you were taking me. For a while there, this ride got a bit…scary. All the twists and turns, then the lack of streetlights kind of had the…horror-movie feel. Those dates never ended well.”
Dylan choked on his drink and said, “I’ve been out on some bad dates, but nothing that extreme. I promise, no one is going to jump out of the woods with a chainsaw.”
“That’s always what you think right before it happens,” she teased. “How will you explain that to Sal?”
Dylan shrugged. “It’s not Sal that scares me. Or the guy with the chainsaw. Your mother, on the other hand, I think she’d skin me alive.”
Sofia winked. “A wise man, I see. Don’t you dare tell her I told you this, but her bark is much worse than her bite.”
“If you don’t mind, I’m not going to test that. I have a feeling you’re bluffing.”
Sofia laughed. “It’s possible. So you’d better make sure I make it home safe and sound.”
Dylan looked at her, no joking, and said, “I’d never let anyone hurt you Sofia.”
The light, playful mood had changed. She missed it slightly, but it felt nice knowing that Dylan would protect her if needed. Sofia had been out on a few dates recently that were all about the guy and left her feeling like she’d probably have to fend for herself in a crisis. Guess this is what it’s like to be with a real man.
Giving him a small, gracious smile, she said, “Thank you Dylan. Hopefully your services won’t ever be required.”
The waitress came over and asked, “Is there anything else you need? We’ll be closing in a few minutes.”
Sofia shook her head then looked at the clock. It was almost eleven. “We’ve been sitting here for hours.”
“Guess my company doesn’t suck,” Dylan teased.
Sofia shrugged. “On a scale of one to ten, I’d give you a…strong eight.”
“Eight?” he asked as they walked to the car.
“I hate to bring it up, but when you suggested we split a piece of death-by-chocolate cake, I believe you ate more than half.” His tone was so serious that it sounded believable.
As he opened the car door for her, he asked, “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
He was standing so close that she couldn’t slip into the passenger’s seat. Playfully she asked, “What are you offering?”
Dylan leaned over so he was only inches from her. She licked her lips in anticipation of his. But he didn’t move any closer. Her chest heaved, as though she couldn’t breathe. Damn it. Getting up on her tippy toes, Sofia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. The kiss wasn’t like the first. This one was hot and fierce. Lips clashing and tongues seeking. She felt his arms around her waist, pulling her up high against him. Her feet no longer on the ground, she was already soaring high on desire.
Sofia had never felt such a strong want building with just a kiss. If it hadn’t been for a horn blaring, and a teenager shouting ‘go for it,’ they probably wouldn’t have stopped.
Stammering, she said, “I think…you’re a…strong nine…now.”
Dylan laughed as he let her go. “I’ll have to work harder tomorrow.”
Slipping into the seat, she wasn’t sure she could actually handle being around if it got any better. The raw passion that threatened to explode was stronger than anything she’d experienced. It excited and scared her. But no matter what, she looked forward to what tomorrow was going to bring.
* * *
Dylan didn’t want the night to end, but she had been right, morning was coming quick and she needed to work. That didn’t mean he was going to get any sleep. Between his meeting with his father and then being out with Sofia, he was fucking wound up. Since Gareth wasn’t in the mood for meeting bright and early, it only made sense to do it now.
Looking across the table, Dylan questioned that decision. Gareth was up, but he was more interested in the beer he was drinking than anything Dylan had to say.
“This was a waste of time,” Dylan snarled.
Gareth said, “Not totally.”
“Please tell me how it wasn’t?”
Gareth raised his glass and said, “We’re not in the office discussing this.”
“We’re not discussing anything. I thought you wanted to be involved in this.” It was the impression he’d gotten several days ago. Things seemed to have changed.
“I do. And from what you said, you have your answer. Audrey Lawson married Clint Henderson. None of this is going to change how we do business going forward. Hell, if anything, it should make things easier. We no longer need to worry about why Granddad forbade us from doing business with them. So what? They’re our cousins. Doesn’t change anything as far as I’m concerned.”
“That’s because you weren’t there when Dad was talking. This wasn’t just Aunt Audrey running away and getting hitched. There’s a lot more to it. And really, Granddad might have been an abusive asshole to Dad, but I think he was dealing with a lot of shit himself. Shit Gareth, it seems like violence was how our family handled everything.” Dylan ran his hand through his hair. Right now, being a Lawson almost made him sick. “Think about it, Gareth. Our great-granddad got rid of his child and never looked back.”
“I’m trying not to think about it, Dylan. When I do, I get pissed off. You hear about shit like this happening in other families, but I never expected it to be ours,” Gareth said, before guzzling down the rest of his beer.
“I can’t help but think about Maxwell Grayson,” Dylan said.
“What the hell does he have to do with anything?”
Dylan shrugged. “We went after him for all the horrendous things he’d done, several illegal. Who are we to have done that? Hell Gareth, we’re just as bad, if not worse.”
Gareth slammed down his empty glass on the table. “Don’t you ever put us in the same category as Maxwell or our grandparents. We’re none of those things.”
“Maybe not. But that’s our gene pool. Our legacy. How the hell do we hold our heads up and proudly say we are Lawsons now?”
“I guess we don’t look back, and keep moving forward like we’ve been doing? But that doesn’t seem to be what you want to do.”
Dylan shook his head. “I’m going to reach out to Brice Henderson.”
“I want to tell you what a huge mistake you’re making, but I’ve thought about doing that myself.”
“What’s stopping you?” Dylan asked.
“I guess I’m afraid I’ll find out more than I want to know. This already sucks Dylan. Are you sure you’re ready for the rest?”
Dylan wasn’t sure how much worse it could get. Things were pretty fucked up already. “What’s worse? Us finding out, or the Hendersons using it against us?”
Gareth nodded. “They’re not our competitor, but if they ever became one, it would be leverage not in our favor.”
“Exactly. I think it’d be good to know if they would stand by us or against us too if the truth ever got out. We might be family, but one thing I’ve learned, blood isn’t as thick as the dollar sign.” If it had been, Rosslyn’s parents wouldn’t have been put through hell. Of course, if Rosslyn had been around Maxwell, it was possible she might not be the sweet person she was today. “Gareth, do you think Aunt Audrey straightened out after what our great-granddad did to her?”
“You mean did she stop her sadistic ways?” Gareth asked. Dylan nodded. “Guess that’s something only a Henderson could answer. If they’re anything like us, they’re good about keeping their dirt hidden. But I can’t see how what our great-granddad did to her would’ve made things any better. If anything, I’d think it amplified it.”
“Meaning their grandmother might have been abusive to their father as well?”
“It’s tough. We can only speculate,” Gareth said.
“And that’s why I need to meet with Brice. He had our family looked into for a reason. I need to know why.” What was he looking for?
“Then I guess we’d better get home and get some sleep, because I’m not letting you go meet with them on your own.”
“What do you think they’ll do?” Dylan asked.
“I’m not sure. Not sure about a lot of things anymore.”
Dylan felt the exact same way. For years he’d wanted to run Lawson Steel. Now even the name left a bitter taste in his mouth. Would the others feel the same way once they learned the truth?
Should we even tell them? He knew the answer. It was just a matter of when and how. Hopefully it wasn’t going to cause a ripple effect throughout them. I guess what we learn from Brice will determine that.
“I’ll pick you up at eight and we can head to Boston,” Dylan said.
“Make it ten. We don’t have an appointment with him anyway. And it’s probably best to keep it that way.”
“And you think he’ll see us why?” Dylan asked.
“Because we’re Lawsons.”
And Brice probably has questions too.
7
There was nothing wrong with Dylan having to cancel the dinner date. It wasn’t like they were really dating, anyway. After the morning she was having at the restaurant and little sleep, she really was looking forward to going back to her apartment and crashing. Besides, she needed to look over the script. Rehearsals started next week, and she was far from ready.
Sofia thought about asking Charlene to read through the lines with her, but she’d just pester for details Sofia wasn’t ready to share. She was still trying to figure out what was with that kiss.
It wasn’t like her to be so…forward. If Dylan wanted to kiss her, then fine. If he didn’t, so what? But actually pulling him down to her and taking what she wanted was out of character. Maybe Charlene was rubbing off on her. Whatever it was, she hoped it didn’t give Dylan the wrong impression. Yes, she liked him. But she wasn’t the ‘take me home, hop in bed’ type. And she wasn’t even looking for a relationship now, either. Where would she squeeze in dating? Between work and the show, she’d be lucky if she could find any time for herself, never mind another person.
That didn’t mean she could brush away the thoughts of last night. That kiss had to be what kicked off her steamy dreams last night. She woke up in a dead sweat, panting so hard, that she’d have sworn that orgasm was real. That he was real.
But a wet dream was only a sign that she was sexually frustrated, and nothing more. Her intense reaction to his kiss and touch was because of the same. Now, if she were Charlene, she’d have her head in the clouds, thinking of how they were destined to find each other, and the sexual chemistry was their souls connecting, causing a spark.
It was funny, because she never would’ve thought Charlene would fall for all that mushy stuff. If anything, Charlene was the wild one who used to think that if you want something, you go for it, and Sofia used to be the hopeless romantic. Over the years, something had changed that. Maybe it was being overworked or seeing so many relationships fall apart that had crushed it for her. But romance was for fairytales and dreamers. She was chasing something bigger than both.
Pouring herself a glass of pink lemonade, she settled down to start reading. Most of the lines had nothing to do with her, but the director said everyone should know it. You never know when something might happen and you’ll be asked to fill in. But her character didn’t even have a name, just ‘beggar number three.’ There was a long way to go before she had to worry, or hope, to get some larger role. At least she had some lines to say and was in the chorus for a few songs. More like humming, but she was still on the stage. And I’m being paid too.
Of course, her wage didn’t even equate to what she made in a day at the restaurant. But this wasn’t about money. At least, not right now it wasn’t. She needed to be noticed, get her name out there. And not as beggar number three, either.
Closing her eyes, she laid back on the couch for a minute and could almost see her name, Sofia Marciano, lit up in lights with gold stars on both ends. Hordes of people would be waiting in long lines to get in to see her. But they were all strangers. No one looked familiar. Was that the price she was going to pay for fame and fortune? It was her dream, in a way. But before, it hadn’t mattered to her who was there. She wanted away from this mundane life. Things were changing and she…kind of liked her life right now.
