The Rivals - Dylan Allen Page 0,380

been listed as who’s who.”

My mother nods, in agreement. “That’s all wonderful and you can continue to grow in your role. But until I know you’re ready, Erin is my choice. And the board will agree.”

“I am ready. Right now.” He slaps a hand on the table, again, and gives her a look of pure stupefaction.

“No, you’re not. I’m not sure you’ll ever be,” my mother says calmly, before she pops a scone into her mouth and moans in pleasure. “Regan, these are sinful. I think we should start selling these at Eat!”

Tyson’s handsome face goes hard as flint. My brothers are both so easily wounded by her. But their reactions couldn’t be more different. Remi clams up when he’s upset. Tyson is like a wounded animal and lashes out. I want to stop this Battle Royale before it escalates.

I place a hand over one of his, in a gesture of empathy, and as a sign that he needs to cool down.

He shakes my hand off and snatches up his phone and keys from the table, before he fixes my mother with a spiteful glare. “If you’re hoping Lucas Wilde is going to get his memory back, realize he made a huge mistake leaving us, and come back to you, it’s never going to happen.”

“Tyson,” I gasp, my voice full of sharp rebuke.

My mother doesn’t even flinch. “Don’t be silly, Tyson.”

He bristles. “It’s not silly. You’re disloyal. You’ve always punished Remi and I for looking like him. But this is too much. Are you really going to hire this outsider because you hate our father?” He snarls and then blinks, as if he’s shocked by his own words.

“Ty—” I gape in horror. My mother shakes her head at me, a signal to stay out of it.

She pops the last bite of scone into her mouth and chews it slowly. Then, she folds her hands in front of her on the table and regards Tyson with complete aplomb. He starts to squirm, and I have a flash of sympathy for him, because she’s about to ether him, without even raising her voice.

She quirks an eyebrow when he scoffs and looks away from her in answer. “I know you’re overwrought by the latest turn of events and not yourself. So, I will ignore your callous question,” her voice is as cold as ice. “This isn’t about loyalty, son. And outbursts like that prove your lack of readiness to lead. Learn to take no for an answer. If you want it, work until it turns into a yes. As talented and smart as you are, no one wants to work for you because you think you know everything. And you don’t even know a little bit.” Her smile is full of pity.

Tyson is visibly shaken.

“Mom, come on,” I chide her and reach for his hand. He yanks it back.

“I don’t need you to take up for me, Reggie. That is a lie, and she knows it. I’m leaving.” He stands.

“Please stay, I really want to talk about this idea,” I implore him, and he turns to me, his handsome face is so pained, I immediately retract my plea. “I’ll call you later.”

He nods gratefully. “I’m too upset with your mother to think straight.”

“Take a number and get in line,” she says dryly.

He storms out.

She shakes her head after him. “That boy has always been so dramatic. He’ll understand one day. Like you did once you had Eva,” she sighs. I want to tell her that’s wishful thinking but keep that to myself.

“You could have been kinder,” I chide her.

“I could have been born in Japan. But I wasn’t.” She looks at her watch. “You said you wanted to talk, and I’m here, and I have forty minutes before I need to be downtown, so…”

“Mama?” My son sticks his head into the kitchen.

“Yes?” My mother and I respond at the same time.

She smiles sheepishly. “Some habits die hard,” she says, and holds her arms out to my son. My heart swells with affection, as I watch him crawl into her lap.

“What is it, Darling?” I ask him, when he settles into his grandmother’s lap.

“Eva said Hanna is having Papa’s baby. Is that true?”

By the time I press a kiss to my sleeping son’s brow, it’s 8pm. He’s the last one to fall asleep tonight, and I creep stealthily out of his bedroom. I feel the need for a workout and a good stiff drink. The pandemonium that ensued after Henri asked about Hanna lasted