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His expression softened. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I told you I was.”
“Yeah, but I mean…”
“I’ll be fine.” That was as good an answer as he was getting because I wasn’t sure I was going to be okay, not after what I’d let happen. And even as sick as I felt, I already wanted TJ again.
15
TJ
I’d finished breakfast and was feeling mostly human when my phone started ringing again. I’d forgotten to see who’d called me earlier. When I glanced at the screen, I realized it had been my father. He wasn’t calling again, though; this time it was Aunt Van.
I moved toward the back door as I answered the call. I wanted privacy for this conversation. “Hello, Van.”
“Your father is worried about you.”
That seemed unlikely. “I was busy when he called earlier. I was going to get back to him.”
“Really?”
“Maybe.”
“That’s what I thought. You need to call him.”
“Van, I—”
“Listen to me and listen well. I’m about to tell you something I swore not to.”
Shit. What was she going to say? Was this when she was going to tell me my father was officially denouncing me?
“What’s going on?”
“Franco isn’t trying to get into your father’s good graces. He’s challenging your father. He believes his father would be alive if yours had done more to protect him, and he’s determined to take complete control. That’s why your father sent you away. He truly is protecting you.”
My head spun. I couldn’t believe it. “I wouldn’t have thought he cared.”
“He cares so much more than you know, but he doesn’t know how to show it. All he knows how to do is be as hard on you as his father was on him.”
“So you’re on his side now?”
“TJ, you know I love my brother, even though I hate what he’s done to you, and I think he’s gone astray in a lot of ways.”
I almost laughed because the idea of worrying about whether a mob boss had gone astray seemed ridiculous at best, but I knew what she meant. My family had always lived by a code, and for the most part, my father kept to it, but he had made some damn big mistakes.
“You don’t want your cousin taking over, no matter how much you hate your father.”
I didn’t hate my father. Not exactly. Honestly, things would have been so much simpler if I did. “You’re right. I may not like the way my father handles things, but I know damn well how much worse it would be with my cousin and his fucking minions in charge.”
“Then the stubborn son of a bitch is going to need your help.”
“You want me to come back?” I should be thinking about how much I dreaded the confrontation I was ultimately going to have with my father or about the hell of working around all the interfamily politics when all I wanted to do was mow down Franco and his allies. Instead, all I could think about was that I wouldn’t see Rhys again if I snuck away from the ranch.
“No,” Van said. “You shouldn’t leave yet.” I let out the breath I’d been holding. At least I had a little more time. “My brother would go ballistic. I’m trying to encourage him to see things my way. I want him to ask you directly.”
I nearly choked. “Ask me for my help? That would be a miracle.”
“It would. It’s far more likely he’ll demand you return and do your family duty.”
