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Chapter Thirty-Four
Eric
Two weeks later
“Mr. Dawson, your sister’s here to visit,” Lucy, my receptionist, dialed in. I sighed. Whenever my sister visited unannounced, it was never a good thing. I’d returned to Chicago the moment shit went down with Cassidy. I needed a distraction and throwing myself back into work was the perfect excuse. And so since then, I’d purposefully ignored all of my family’s calls—especially Lori’s—for this exact reason.
Shadow yawned beside me in his “office bed” as Lori had once called it. Chicago was a bustling stream behind me as I sat at my desk, staring at and struggling with the documents that only I could look over and approve. I’d barely been able to make sense of much of the documents I’d read over since getting back. My mind completely elsewhere, thinking of the very person I wanted to never think about again.
But it was hard when you’d been given literal wounds as a reminder of a different time. Most of them had healed, leaving nothing but blemishes that would most likely scar.
Lori pushed in through the two wooden doors and I grimaced. Yep, she was definitely in a mood and I’d be fucked if I knew why. Then again, I had ignored her phone calls and any means of trying to reach me. And yet I wasn’t surprised that she’d flown from LA just to bust my ass in typical Lori fashion.
“Don’t you have a business to run?” I asked dryly, feigning interest in the documents I’d been studying for the last hour.
“Don’t you have any balls?” she retorted. A tick ran through my jaw.
“I’d told Lucy not to let anyone in,” I said casually, trying to keep my composure.
She snorted and threw down a paper. I glanced briefly at it. In the section of paper visible was a photo of Frederick and Cassidy, her hand glistening with a ring. I didn’t even need to attempt to read the paper for its context. I pushed it away, feeling bile rise up my throat.
“You’re okay with this?” She folded her arms over her chest.
“You flew all the way to Chicago to throw a newspaper at me?” I growled.
“You’re a bigger idiot than I thought.”
“Stop sticking your nose into shit you don’t understand,” I warned.
She mock-chuckled. “Don’t understand? You do realize our mother’s beside herself after Cassidy abruptly leaves and then you shortly after with no explanation other than “she’s engaged.” I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see she’s miserable even with a fake smile plastered on her face in that photo.”
“She looks plenty happy to me,” I begrudged.
“No, she was happy when she was with you!” When I said nothing, she slammed her hand down on the table. “Damn it, Eric! Shake that shell of yours for once. You were fucking happy!”
“It was a few weeks. Do you know how many other women I’ve fucked in the past and yet you’re not throwing their engagement papers in my face? Why does everyone think they can have an opinion about my life, I’m happy as I am!” I could feel my red hot temperament rising. Had it been one of my brothers, this discussion may have gone very differently. I almost wished it were one of them instead so I could flex some of this pent-up… discontentment.
“You guys were right for each other. And if you’re not willing to fight for your happiness then I’ll do it for you.”
“She lied to me! She’s no better than the con woman that took everything from our family!” Lori flinched under my words as I stood. “Or did you forget about that? Because I haven’t. I let my guard down again. And this is what happened. I got carried away with a pretty little blonde and I got burnt. And I’m not letting that near the family again!”
A ripple of tension rolled through me, and yet saying it out loud made me feel lighter. I took a seat, pissed off with myself for standing over her like that. Sister or not.
“Eric, no one blames you for that. You need to let it go.”
I stared at her, disbelieving. “I have built all of this.” I swirled my finger around the room. “For you. For Mom and Dad. For Thomas and the twins. Isn’t that enough? Why do you always expect more from me?” My words caught in my throat.
She eyed me, her own bottom lip wobbling. Fuck, this is why I hated dealing with Lori out of all my siblings, because despite all her bravado and braveheart spirit, she empathized with others and could express herself freely. And I hated when she looked at me with such… pity.
“And what happens when we all start our own families? When Mom and Dad aren’t around anymore and Shadow’s on his last years. And you’re all alone. In this big office with a puddle of cash at your feet.” Her voice wavered and she took a breath. “You could have anything you want, brother. So why not be honest with yourself and actually fight for something that’s out of your control. Why not take a chance now? You’ve built plenty security to fall back on. Just please honor yourself for once. I’d never seen you so damn happy until those few weeks. And I know you know deep down, that you were too.”
The silence was palpable.
She raised her hands in the air. “You know what, Eric? One day you’ll end up despising yourself and your stubbornness. It doesn’t make you a smart man or a brave man to avoid your emotions. It just makes you a fool that I pity. I love you but you’re still such a child sometimes.”
I tightened my jaw, letting her words sink in. She nodded at nothing in particular, biting her bottom lip and almost laughing. “Fine.” She threw her hands in the air again. “That’s all I flew to Chicago to say to you, brother. Enjoy wallowing in your misery.”
She slapped her hands on her thighs and left. The door slammed behind her. I stared at the door for a moment before slipping my gaze to the newspaper she’d left on my desk. My heart dropped and the apple in my throat bobbled at the sight of Cassidy. The memory of her crying on the floor as she clung to Shadow, provoking everything I’d been trying to shove down.
