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.