could shove into his back. Louis had been around long enough to have learned that lesson, too.
Was this how he wanted his son or daughter to grow up? He pictured a little Sylvie in his head. Any daughter of hers would be smart and ambitious, and she would be vulnerable. Would he toss her into the ocean like his father had done to him?
You have to learn how to swim and fast, Rene. You can’t trust any of them.
Would he say the same thing to his kids one day?
Would Sylvie nail his hide to the floor if she caught him doing it?
“I want to get a clear picture of what’s going on before I say anything.” The person he might be talking to would be Louis. His mother was still fragile. If he found out Louis was doing anything he shouldn’t, he would take care of the situation.
The question was what shouldn’t the man do. It would be easy if he found out Louis didn’t have as much loyalty to the son as he’d had to the father. If Louis was in league with Charles, he would eviscerate the man.
If Louis wasn’t and he was still trying to get close to his mother? He wasn’t sure what he would do.
“I’ll get back to you in a few days,” Remy promised before he hung up.
Rene sat back, his gut in knots.
He wished Andre was here. Dre would advise him.
Dre might kick his ass.
There was a brief knock on his door and then it was opening and Louis walked through. He had changed into a suit, his silver hair slicked back.
Rene couldn’t forget the way his mother had looked at Louis. It made him wonder what had been going on between the two of them, and why his mother hadn’t mentioned it. She talked to him all the time. They’d gotten closer during the long hours he’d sat beside her as the chemo treatments had been administered. He’d been there when she couldn’t talk, when she’d been far too sick to do anything more than lie around and look like she was going to die.
Of course, Louis had been there, too. He’d been there for both of them.
God, he wished he could believe without needing the receipts.
“I wanted to make sure you’re really all right,” Louis said, concern in his eyes as he took the seat in front of his desk. “It felt like you were holding back something this morning. I was worried something happened that you didn’t want your mother to know about. Are you and Sylvie all right?”
The fact that Louis knew he’d held something back didn’t make him feel any better. “Sylvie and I are fine. We’re better than fine. We had a good afternoon, though we promise next time we’ll listen to you about the weather.”
“I didn’t think it would be as bad as it was or I would have argued harder,” Louis replied. “Your mother was very upset when you didn’t come home. She had no idea you were out with Sylvie. You have to tell her when you’re not going to keep a schedule. She worries. You can’t do that to her.”
The fact that Louis was lecturing him rankled. “I didn’t intend to not be home. I don’t typically call my mother to tell her what I’m doing all day. I certainly didn’t mean to worry her. The cell service is terrible out there, but after a couple of hours my battery died, so it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“The storm didn’t hit until almost five,” Louis pointed out. “Even if it hadn’t hit, you would have been late for dinner. You have to let her know these things. She’s lost a lot in the last couple of years.”
“I know exactly what she’s lost. I was there.” Rene felt the chill in his own tone, but he couldn’t force himself to warm up.
“Then you should know how fragile her life feels right now.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I had a long night. I was worried about you, too.”
“I didn’t mean to worry anyone.” And the truth was Louis was right about one thing. “I did lose track of time, but I tend to do that around Sylvie.”
Louis’s gaze softened. “You’ve been sweet on her since you were kids. There’s something special about having history with a woman.”
“Like you have with my mother.”
“Yes,” Louis agreed. “It feels different when you’re older. I don’t see my family anymore. Haven’t for years. Your mother is a touchstone for me. We