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It shouldn’t be about me at all. But somehow I care about her. And that makes this about me too. “I don’t have to remind you that what I’m about to tell you can never leave this room.”
“I know the drill.”
“I’ve got this job, which has become very complicated.”
“The job or the situation with the employer?”
Bennett laughed. Damn it. I hate that he knows me so fucking well. But then again, that’s exactly why I need him here. My emotions are involved, and if I fuck this up, it could be detrimental to not only Zoey but the entire Henderson family. “I think we’re going to need a drink to get through this conversation.”
“Since I haven’t had a chance to eat, add a steak dinner to the offer and you’re on.”
Bennett grabbed his cell phone, put it in his pocket, and they headed out the door. It was going to be a long night. He wasn’t sure if he’d made the right call last night, reaching out to Doug, but after what Jon had just told him, he knew he needed Doug’s help. Doug might not know how to find the information, but he was excellent when it came to deciphering what it all meant.
The conversation over dinner was kept light and casual, with no mention of the Hendersons, so it didn’t matter if anyone overheard. The Hendersons were a family everyone knew. He wasn’t about to risk it.
When they returned to the hotel, they spent the remainder of the night looking at all the files Bennett had accumulated on the family. At one time, he believed he had everything he needed. Now it was evident there were some major missing pieces.
“Bennett, this family has seen a lot of invisible pain; from what I see, the abuse started at a very young age. The boys were driven extremely hard for success; perfection was all that was allowed. No one could live up to that.”
“Explains why they are who they are in business. Not people you want to cross.”
“There’s no mention of physical abuse, but I would bet any failure or pushback from them ended with severe punishment.”
“You know this how?”
“Unfortunately, I’ve seen enough cases like this. These men put up a defensive, protective armor around themselves. Since their father died two years ago, they’ve begun to slowly let down their guard.”
“So you’re saying time heals all wounds?”
“No. You just adjust and find a way to cope.”
I can relate to that. Mine sometimes seem as fresh as the day they happened. I deal by not thinking about it. He wasn’t going to remind Doug about that, because he needed the focus to stay on Zoey and her family.
“What about Zoey? She’s so different from her brothers. She grew up in the same house. When I asked her, she said her father never hurt her physically. I pushed the subject, but she clammed up and sent me packing.”
“Of course she did. You’re asking someone, who probably has never spoken about her experiences before, to tell you what she isn’t ready to face herself. The fact that she told you anything speaks volumes about how she feels about you. It’s crucial that you don’t overstep your boundaries. I understand you’re pretending to be lovers. But that’s a very dangerous game to play with a woman like her. From what I see, there was no love in that house. All the Hendersons yearn for it, but none of them feel worthy of it. Being a woman, that must’ve been more difficult for her. Remember she had no female to confide in.”
“Fuck. What am I supposed to do to help her?” Bennett stopped caring about finding her mother. Right now he just wanted to ease her pain in any way he could.
“She’s vulnerable. If you cross the line and—”
“I did.”
“Did what?”
“Cross the line. I kissed her.”
Doug ran his hands through his hair. “You’ve just made this more difficult on both of you. She’s built a certain level of trust for you, but if she finds out you’re hiding things from her, you’ll never get it back.”
“So I tell her what I found so far?”
“No. You’re in a tough spot, my friend. Until you have all the facts, you can’t say a word. And once you do, you best think long and hard before revealing the information.”
“In the meantime, what do I do?” Sitting and waiting is not something I do well.
“She has no clue what is coming her way. Now you need to carry the burden of whatever Jon tells you. It’ll be a start, but I agree with you on one major factor. The answer lies with the deceased father.”
Dead men don’t tell lies. Right now that truth scares the shit out of me. I’m not sure I want to know how fucked up this family truly is. “He was one evil bastard.”
