Got that right. “But she does. And that’s what matters to me.”
Alex looked him square in the eyes and nodded. “So this is serious with the two of you?”
“I take my relationship with your sister very seriously.” He doesn’t need to know it’s a business relationship. He wished it was only that. But Bennett was already struggling to keep it only professional. If he allowed himself to spend any more time alone with her, kiss her, have her in his arms again, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep them separate any longer. One thing about Zoey: she was irresistible. But why is she still single? Does she want it that way?
“When I told you not to hurt her, it was because she’s been through hell and back again, Bennett.”
“You mean from your father?”
Alex nodded. “That and more. Life hasn’t been... kind to her. I won’t stand by and let you or anyone else hurt her.”
Bennett knew that feeling all too well. Although, he knew he held the power to rip her world wide open. Damn it. I wish I never took this job. There are a few people who’d be able to pull off what I can. It would’ve been better if the information stayed buried with their father. But no, I have to do what I’m hired to do, and not only will it open her wounds, I will most likely pour salt on them. And there’s not a fucking thing I can do to stop it.
“How can I help her?”
“I wish I knew that answer myself. Zoey holds everything so tight within herself. She’s never spoken a bad word against our father. Fuck, I’ve never said a nice word, so I guess that evens us out.”
“Sounds like you have your own unresolved issues with him.”
“Yeah, but the asshole had to die before I got any answers. Doesn’t mean I’m ever going to stop looking for them.”
So different from Shaun. What are you looking for Alex? Where have you looked? “Sometimes knowing doesn’t make it better.”
“It’s like a story that doesn’t have an ending. I need to know. Until I do...”
He can’t move on. I’m going to have what he’s looking for, but I can’t be the one to give him the closure he wants. “Have you ever spoken to your brothers about it?”
“I’ve tried. Brice knows something. What that is, he won’t say. He’s like my father and will take it to his grave. But I know if I look hard enough, I’ll find what I’m looking for. The answer isn’t going to change, and all I’ve got is time.”
Damn, I could use this guy on my payroll. Bennett didn’t want to leave Alex with any more hope than he already had, but he also didn’t want to discourage him either. Every person had the right to what they searched for, answers for their closure. He had no doubt Alex would one day find his too. I just hope he keeps what he finds to himself.
When he left the bar, he bagged the beer bottle, and tagged it number five. His day was productive in more ways than he’d anticipated. He sent a text to his courier to meet him to grab the DNA samples for delivery to Jon. All he could do was wait another week for Jon to deliver the answers regarding the potential birth origin of the Hendersons. What I’m going to do when I find all six mothers is another story. They might not even want to be found. They may have willingly given up their children. Not wanting anything to do with them at all. What if their mothers don’t want a relationship with their children? It had been two years since James Henderson died. The children were fairly high-profile people both in the US and internationally. If someone was afraid of James, they could’ve—should’ve—made contact once he was dead. Or had they been paid not to?
All he did was come up with more questions on top of the ones he already had. He knew he wasn’t going to stop until he had answers. Bennett could only do so much. There was only one mother he’d been hired to locate. If he found her, would the brothers know she wasn’t their mother too? As long as she was willing to answer Zoey’s questions, his job was done. That’s a lot of ifs. I don’t like how this is playing out. Not one bit. But that’s what you get with a Henderson.