12
“What the fuck?” Gareth couldn’t believe what he was seeing on the television. That was his face and not a great picture of him either. It was from when he was in the hospital.
REPORTS STATE THAT BILLIONAIRE GARETH LAWSON, WHILE ON A ROMANTIC GETAWAY IN TABIQ WITH BROOKE CORTES, THE DAUGHTER OF BILLIONAIRE TONY CORTES, HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING AN ALTERCATION AFTER MS. CORTES THREW HER DRINK IN ANOTHER MAN’S FACE. MR. LAWSON WAS IN A COMA AND HAD TO BE LIFEFLIGHTED BACK TO THE STATES WHERE HE CONTINUES TO RECOVER. MS. CORTES AND HER FAMILY, FEARING RETALIATION, HAVE RELOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. NEITHER PARTY WERE AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.
“Gareth, normally I’d remind you to watch your language around Penelope, but actually, those would be my words as well. What is that all about?” Rosslyn asked as she poured him another cup of coffee.
“I’m not sure,” he growled. “It’s not based on any facts.”
“Not from what you told us,” Charles said. “But then again, you did leave out the fact you were with the daughter of Tony Cortes.”
“Because I didn’t fu—I didn’t know. Hell, Charles, I’m not sure that’s any more real than the rest of the bull they just stated. Why would she be working as a waitress in Tabiq?”
“Like I said, the daughter of Tony Cortes. He’s been known to plant people in order to take down a business. He’s your average guy in person, but he’s ruthless in business. If Brooke is his daughter, she had to be sent there to fu—mess with the Hendersons.”
His mind was racing. There was no way sweet Brooke was there to take down anyone. But it was simple enough to know who she was. Gareth pulled out his cell phone and searched Tony Cortes, photos. Sure enough there was one with his wife and daughter. I can’t believe it.
Everything she said about traveling, wanting to see the world, experience new cultures, was a lie. Brooke really was a spy for her father? That was almost inconceivable. He’d have defended her honor to anyone, even his brothers, because she seemed so genuine. How the hell was he so blind? And not just him, but the Hendersons too. They hired her. Fuck. I brought her into Alex’s home. He was pissed. Not just at Brooke, but at himself as well.
“Charles, we have to let them know,” Gareth said.
“No, we don’t. We agreed the best thing we can do as a family, is not to work or be close with anything Henderson,” Charles stated.
“That was before we learned everything.” Before he spent time with Alex and Ziva. “I can’t sit back and let them get blindsided.”
“I’m sure someone out there will have seen this stupid gossip show that my wife likes to watch in the morning. They’ll figure it out. And if the rumors are correct, the Cortes family is in hiding. Which by the way, if they did just fu—mess with the Hendersons, was a wise thing to do.”
Gareth wanted to protect his cousins, but he also needed to see Brooke. He wanted to look her in the face and ask her what the fuck was the truth. Had she only been using him to get closer to the Hendersons? Was that why, after the accident, she was gone? Since she never reached out to him afterward, it was the only thing that made sense.
The Hendersons can deal with Tony. I’m going to handle Brooke myself.
“Charles, whether you like it or not, I’m going to Tabiq. We can either join forces and become a stronger family despite the past, or we can hold on to it and let it drive all our future endeavors. Personally, I think both families have a lot to offer each other, professionally and personally. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pack. And by the way, I’m taking the Lawson jet this time.”
Because when I’m done in Tabiq, I’m going to find Brooke.
“Gareth, remember what I said, you don’t have to do this alone.”
He turned back to Charles. “You’re right, I don’t have to, but I choose to. Besides, they weren’t talking about you on the TV. It was my name linked to the Cortes family. This has gotten personal.”
“And if you’re not careful, the next accident might not be an accident. A man like Cortes won’t stand by quietly and let you fuck with his daughter,” Charles said. Rosslyn shot him a look and shook her head. “Sweetheart, I’m trying to make a point.”
Rosslyn said, “Then may I help? Maybe I can be a voice of reason here.”
Both men stopped and knew it was wise to at least hear her out. There would be hell to pay if they didn’t.
“Gareth, you’re basing everything on what the TV just said, am I correct?”
“She’s Tony’s daughter. That is fact.”
“Okay. Did she avoid talking to you about her family or her life?” Rosslyn asked.
“No. But then again she didn’t tell me she was his daughter either.”
“Is it possible that Brooke could’ve been in Tabiq doing exactly what she said she was doing there? Because if she wasn’t, why would she have been the one to call Dylan and tell him about you being in the hospital? Why wouldn’t she have let the doctor or some staff member call him? To me, that sounds more like a woman who cared deeply for you, and because of that, she opened herself up to whatever tongue lashing Dylan gave her. And from what I understand, it wasn’t very nice. Don’t worry, I gave him a piece of my mind about it too.”
That just confused shit even more. Rosslyn was right, Brooke could’ve taken the easy way out. But if she did care about him, that didn’t mean she wasn’t in Tabiq at her father’s request. “You’re right, Rosslyn, I need to talk to her. Ask some questions. And let her explain. There’s more to the story, and I need to know what it is.”
“Gareth, before you go on the attack, you should also take a minute and think about why you never called her,” Rosslyn added.