The Havoc We Wreak - Becca Steele Page 0,50

discussion. However, in the interests of transparency between us, I will tell you this. I have reason to believe that she may be involved with someone else. She’s…she’s been acting strangely. There’s a strain on our relationship that was never there before.” He picked up a fountain pen from his desk and started spinning it in his hands, an internal debate playing across his face. “I can’t deny…the way she speaks to you boys, particularly you… I should never have allowed things to get so bad.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t have any answers for you, Caiden. All I can say is that I’m re-evaluating things.” He placed the pen back on the desk, and it rolled towards me. I grabbed it before it could roll off the edge of the table.

“Okay. That’s good, I guess.” Fuck, I wanted to tell him what was going on with Christine. He was so off track thinking she was having an affair. “I don’t think all is as it seems. I don’t trust her, Dad. I think she’s hiding something. Do you trust her with Alstone Holdings?”

I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I needed to warn him, somehow.

He frowned at me. “Let’s not talk business, now. Back to the reason we’re here. If you want to tell Weston, if it will help ease some of the unwarranted guilt you feel, then go ahead. I want you to consider it carefully, and to be prepared for the fallout. Weston…well, we’ve always tried to shield him from the worst aspects of life. He’s not like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re…” He paused. “Yes, you haven’t always handled things in the best way, but when I look at you, do you know what I see?”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.

“I see a man that will one day become a powerful leader. A man I’m proud to call my son.”

“Uh, thanks,” I managed to croak, shocked by his words. Was that really how he saw me?

“Now, I don’t know about you, but I need a whiskey after this conversation.” He stood, rounding his desk and looking expectantly at me.

Fuck, yes. “Bring the bottle.”

NINETEEN

Tray in hand, I scanned the cafeteria for my boys. Looked like I was the first to arrive. I stalked over to the table by the window that we always sat at. “Sorry, mate. You need to move,” I told the guy sitting there, and he jumped up, gathering his tray and slinking off to another table. Yeah, I was a dick sometimes, but if I didn’t assert my control, then others would try to take my place, and I wasn’t about to let that happen. “Thanks,” I belatedly threw out after him, hearing my girlfriend’s voice in my head, berating me, and he responded with an angry huff, sliding into his new seat.

I tried.

Eventually, Cassius walked in with Zayde and joined me at the table.

“This burger is fucking gross,” Cassius complained, pieces of said burger falling out of his mouth as he spoke.

“Do you mind? I don’t wanna see your half-chewed food, thanks.” I pulled a face at him, and just because he was Cassius, he opened his mouth even wider.

“C-Cassius? Zayde?” Cassius immediately closed his mouth, as a girl I’d never seen before stood at the edge of our table, swallowing nervously as she took us in. She held a pile of books in her arms, and…was that a pencil tucked behind her ear? Did people even do that in real life?

Shaking my head, I turned my attention to my phone as she mumbled something to them about an assignment they were partnered on or some shit, scrolling down to my text conversation with my girl.

Me: Where are you?

I saw the three dots appear straight away, and I smiled, waiting for her reply.

Snowflake: On my way. Waiting for Weston. Kinslee’s coming too. Is there space for her?

I looked around the table. Only two seats were available, since some fucker had taken the others.

Me: Yeah, but you’ll have to sit on me

Snowflake: I think I can deal with that *kissing emoji*

I threw my phone on the table and turned to my boys. The random girl had disappeared, and we fell into an easy discussion about football. I was so engrossed I didn’t even notice Weston sliding into the chair next to mine until he was already sitting.

“Alright, bro?” He cocked his head at me.

“Yeah, you? Where’s Winter?”

He nodded in the direction of the food counter. “There.”

I forgot about him as my girl appeared in