“You might be comfortable treating people like shit, Rex. I’m not going to,” Connor said.
“You’re going to treat them like whores instead.”
“I’m not going to do that either.” He’d spend time with Jack, answer any questions he had. Get to know him. He might never get attention from his father, but he would from the rest of the family.
“By the way,” Connor broached another nightmare topic. “Another couple invites arrived for you. Organisations wanting you to speak at their conferences. I’ve already turned them down.”
“What? Why would you do that?”
“Because I’m not going to let you bring Summerhill down with your over-priced ego-trips anymore. You’re not feeding any one else your inflated, idiotic ideas. It’s over Rex. Go retire in obscurity.”
It took another twenty minutes of arguing before Rex got totally angry and ended the call. But Connor didn’t regret it—it was beyond time he called the old man out for his behaviour.
But his father’s words echoed Savannah’s. Had Connor paid off Cynthia? He hadn’t meant to—certainly didn’t want to make her feel bad.
Twenty minutes later he knocked on the door of her apartment.
She looked surprised and wary when she answered and saw him standing there. “I am moving away from Summerhill,” she said defensively before he could even say hi. “It’s just taking a while to—”
“That’s not why I’m here,” he reassured. “You shouldn’t feel like you have to leave. I shouldn’t have made you feel that way.”
She colored slightly. “I have to leave Connor. It’s a small town.”
“Look,” he shoved his fist into his pocket. “Offering you that last paypack… I was trying to do the right thing. But... I’m sorry if it made you unhappy.”
“Connor, I chose to take the money. And I don’t want your pity.” She looked down. “But the truth is I really fell for him. He could be so… charismatic.”
“I know. But it’s a facade.” Connor knew his father was ruthless, callous. Heartless.
“I know that now.” Her awkward expression deepened. “You must hate me.”
“No. You were hurt and none of us helped.” Maybe he should have warned her. Maybe they’d all been too silent, too long.
Enabling.
But he’d just wanted her gone. Wanted all reminders of that rotten core to be cleaned out. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Well,” she looked awkward. “Thanks for stopping by today. You’re a better man than he is.”
He’d always thought that, but maybe he hadn’t been. But he could do better from now on.
“Jack.” Connor walked up to the railing where he’d arranged to meet the newcomer. “I’m glad you came back to meet me.”
“Sorry to disappoint, but you didn’t succeed in scaring me off.” Jack answered, not looking away from the Lodge’s impressive facade.
“That wasn’t my intention. I’m the one who’s sorry. Really sorry. You’re family.” Connor said. “I should have handled yesterday better. It’s no excuse, but I had other things on my mind.”
“So you believe me?” Jack turned to look at him face on. “You don’t want me to do some kind of blood test?”
“I only need to look at you.” Connor admitted. “So how can I help you, really?”
His first instinct was to offer him a share in the company. It wasn’t anything more than he was entitled to. But he was conscious of Savannah’s words—would it be misconstrued as paying him off?
Jack was looking at him, as if assessing how honest he could be.
“Ask me anything,” Connor half smiled.
“I want you to understand this isn’t about money for me,” Jack said. “I don’t want that from you. Or him.”
Good thing he hadn’t gone straight in with an offer then. “Okay,” Connor nodded. And it was okay, for now. But too many had lost what they were entitled to because of Rex. And Connor wasn’t having any half-brother of his starving on the streets.
Jack pointed up to the massive building. “I just want to understand where I come from. That’s my right. I want to get to know my family.”
No. He didn’t. Because that was only going to lead to disappointment. “I’m afraid your new found family is totally dysfunctional.” Connor rubbed his hand over his face. “I spoke to him earlier.”
“Rex?” Jack’s eyes narrowed. “He said no to meeting with me.”
Maybe it wasn’t the first time Jack had tried to make contact. “He’s a difficult personality. You want to see him, you’re just gonna have to be persistent.” Connor advised.
But Connor couldn’t promise that their father would ever even say hello to Jack, just as he probably wouldn’t say hello to Savannah or her father.
Connor wanted to protect her from that. Wished he could protect this guy too. And yeah, maybe that was to make himself feel better.
“I’ll spend time with you,” Connor said. “Logan and Dani will too. You’re more than welcome to move into a room here at the Lodge and stay as long as you like.”
Jack was silent for a long while. “I’d like to talk. But I can stay where I am.”
“You know we own that hotel anyway.”
“And I’m going to keep paying my own bill.”
“I’m sure you will.” Connor sighed. “I have to go away for a couple days. You’ll still be here when I get back?”
“Sure.”
Connor went straight from meeting Jack, to the helipad. In minutes the helicopter was ascending. He hovered it for a moment, looking at the beauty of his home. On paper, he had it all. But in reality?
Right now he had nothing that mattered. Not even honor.
But he’d get that back.
His father was never going to care for him, no matter what he did. She cared though. She’d cared even on that first night, in the brisk-but-gentle touch as she’d stuck a Band-aid on his hand.
She’d challenged him in a way no one else ever had. She wasn’t afraid of him. Didn’t leap to do his beck and call. She wasn’t a ‘yes’ woman. She was brutally honest. Yet he knew those prickles protected a warm, soft heart. A brave heart.
But she’d run from him. That wasn’t her. Savannah Nash faced a fight head on. Proudly. Hell, she’d been poisoned, only to return to the scene of the crime the next night and own the place. So to run from him? Meant she was really hurt.
And to be hurt, meant she had to care.
And that was as far as he could think.
Because Connor Hughes, master of his mountain, had no fucking idea what he was going to say to her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Savannah checked out of the hotel, walked through the lobby one last time and then stepped out onto the street. She adjusted her bag and turned left, heading towards the central bus station.
“Need a ride?”
She froze on the footpath then slowly swivelled to look at just who was driving the car that had pulled into the kerb.
Connor Hughes was at the wheel, looking at her through the wound down window. He had a half smile, stubble, and serious eyes. “You want to get in? Or you want me to get out and talk to you on the street?”
There was no point in a smart answer, he was too determined. And she’d lost the power of speech anyway. She opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
He pulled out into the traffic, but said nothing. She watched his hands on the wheel. He was gripping it tightly but seemed damn sure of where he was going.
Her heart thudded and her stupid body was burning already. Had it only been a day since she’d last seen him?
It felt like forever.
“What are you doing here?” Finally she got her words together. Totally a lame opening, but it was a start.
“What do you think I’m doing here?”
Well that wasn’t fair—it was his question to answer. “You’re a long way from your mountain.”
“It’s not my mountain,” he shrugged, t
urning the car down a side street.
“Yes it is. You’ve worked all your life for it.”
“For what? Money? Pride? A sense of achievement?” He puffed out a sharp breath. “I need more than that.”
“You care about the mountain.”
“I do. A lot. But I care about other things too. Even more.”