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“I don’t. I believe in facts and logic,” she said. Austin shook his head.
“I didn’t ask if you believe them. I just asked if you enjoyed them. I mean, you’d have to be strange if you believe the oceans were made from titan blood and the earth from his skin,” He replied.
“Why are you here, really? I know that your actions may seem spontaneous, but they usually aren’t,” she said.
“I am not obligated to give you answers anymore, so I think I can carefully ignore you,” He said.
“You can’t,”
“You are right. Alright, I am here to finish that business I told you was unfinished and the one with whom I intend in finishing it with will be here soon. Would you like to be my lawyer?” He asked.
“What have you done that would make you require a lawyer,” Nicole asked, suddenly worried. Austin shook his head.
“I just came into quite a handsome sum, and it is true that I have also made trouble but who best to get me out of it than my own trusty lawyer.
“I am not a financial lawyer, but there are some of my colleagues whom I can refer you to, should you need that kind of assistance and what is this other trouble that you are talking about!” she asked. Austin gestured with his head, and she followed his line of sight to see Hayden walking toward them, and He didn’t seem too happy.
“I thought that the two of you had patched things up,” she said, and he shook his head.
“Yes, I believe he did think the same thing as well, but life isn’t usually the way we see it. You, see? I had business to settle with him, and he thought that it would end with a slap on the wrist? Life isn’t that kind,” Austin said, and Nicole saw the brief darkness that flashed across his eyes; then she narrowed hers, trying to understand what exactly he was up to just as Hayden walked in
Nicole could see the anger that was coursing through the man, so strong that it was almost palpable, and he looked around silently, taking her presence with a quick glance and then settling his gaze on Austin. His eyes seemed like that of a man at the brink of his patience, and at that moment, Nicole wondered how Austin could be so totally calm, not even raising his head from the book he was reading.
“Ah, Hayden, you made it. That is a very nice thing. Please, sit down with us,” He said.
Nicole caught Hayden’s brief look at her then back at Austin who seemed, just then, to realize something.
“Oh, there are matters you won’t want to discuss in her presence? Of course, of course,” He said then turned towards Nicole.
“I am sorry about this, but there are matters that are best discussed in private,” He said. She stared long at him, trying to figure out just what game he was playing and having the inkling that he was probably playing a very dangerous one,” She turned away from him, saying nothing, then she stood and left.
“What have you done?” Hayden asked almost immediately after she left. Austin leaned back in his chair and placed his book face down beside him.
“I have no idea what you mean,” He said.
“What the hell have you done?” Hayden snapped.
“The first thing you should do, I believe, is refrain from raising your voice as this conversation continues. That was the very reason that we asked for privacy. The second thing that I want you to do is to realize that I would never have been able to do what I did without your father doing what he did in the first place, do you understand my drift? I wouldn’t have been able to dig anything up if there was nothing to dig. If you want to take this up with anyone then that person should be your father,” Austin said.
“After everything that…everything you said during the race? Everything you told me. You were looking me in the face and lying?’” Hayden asked. Austin frowned in puzzlement then he shook his head.
“Why would I be lying about those things? The truth is that I meant everything that I said to you. You are an amazing man; but then again, your family left my father out to dry and still expects me to keep your secrets. I don’t know, but that doesn’t seem quite right to me,” he said.
“I thought that was done with. I thought we had moved past that?” Hayden hissed.
“Ah, your father is in police custody, and you are this moved. Imagine, then, if he was dead. Something is telling me that you would do far more than I am doing right now,” Austin said.
“You have gone too far. You have broken a trust that has been held sacred for the longest time, and the worst thing is that you don’t even see anything wrong with it,” he said.
“Hayden. The trust that was broken first, was mine. Your family didn’t do right by mine, and I am returning the favor. There is no point being here, and there is no point in trying to convince me. I don’t think that I can change your mind and besides, I have already made the statement and given the evidence. I am guessing that they will be in the ranch soon and there will be some excavation and questioning at the end of which your father will be put away for a very, very long time,” Austin said.
“You are a hateful man,” Hayden growled at him. Austin started to speak then stopped and raised an eyebrow with a smile.
“You know what, maybe I am a hateful man. Maybe that is what I have turned into, and I hope, with everything that’s going on with your father, that you don’t have the misfortune of being the same as me. You understand?” he asked.
Hayden stared at him for a while, and Austin knew that there were other things he wanted to say, but they didn’t matter. Nothing would change his mind, and nothing would move him from the decision he had made. He sat there and watched quietly for a while then he smiled.
“This is the thing, that I don’t believe you understand yet. I have no loyalty to you or your father. He destroyed it the time he let my father die, a man who protected his secrets and his life,” he said and leaned back against his chair then picked his book back up and continued staring into it, his eyes seeing the words but his brain not recognizing them. He could feel Hayden’s gaze on him for a long time before he stood and left.
