Lie to Me (10 page)

“Sam, he’s right,” Michael said, in a calm voice. “Miles has always wanted to know Damian. You can’t get in the way of that.”

“Dad, he’s—”

“Trying to accept responsibility for what he’s done. I believe Damian has changed and you need to respect that.” As he spoke to Sam, he kept looking at Damian.

Damian backed up a few steps, glancing over his shoulder at Casey, who looked as confused as he felt.

“Dad, he’s unfit,” Sam said, in a harsh voice. “You know that.”

“No, he isn’t drinking now.” Michael appraised him again.

Damian finally exploded. “Why the hell do you keep staring at me? I know you wished I’d stayed in Alabama—”

“I thought you were going to die. From what Alex said, it was a close call.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.” Damian automatically responded with sarcasm, but he could tell that it hadn’t been warranted.

Michael shook his head. “Don’t be an idiot, Damian. I would have been with you, if Alex had told me where you were.” Then, before Damian had a chance to think, his father, whom he had just confronted and pissed off, stepped forward and gripped him in a solid hug as he thumped him on the back.

Damian stood there, stunned, at first, and then finally responded by hugging him back, not sure why. He guessed it was because, in spite of all the ugliness between them, he loved the old man and always had. He glanced over his father’s shoulder at Casey, certain he looked flabbergasted, and she smiled at him. She knew this meant a lot to him, even if he wished it didn’t. When was the last time his father had given him a hug? When he’d been three?

Abruptly, Michael shoved him back and turned away from him. “Where are you staying?”

“The Weipeka Hotel.”

“You can pack up and stay with me,” he said. “Big house. Nobody there but me and the help.”

“I’ll visit you,” he said. He’d need time to think everything over. “I’d rather stay at the hotel for now.”

“I understand. But I’d like to start seeing you again. If you’ll allow it, I’d like to have a normal father/son relationship with you, like we once did.”

Damian could feel his throat constricting as he swept his eyes toward Casey again. She wiped away a tear. Damian swallowed hard and looked at Michael, who seemed to be waiting patiently for an answer. Damian couldn’t speak at first. Finally he managed a half shrug, and then said, “I guess so.” If Miles could give him another chance, he could give Michael a chance. He had a lot he wanted to talk to his father about anyways. Not all of it would endear him to his father, but…

Damian shook his head to clear it. “So I’m not disowned anymore?”

“I’m writing you back in my will.” Michael didn’t flinch or miss a beat.

“I don’t care about the—”

“Then donate it all to charity. In spite of all the crap, you’re my son and I—” He couldn’t say it, but Damian knew what he meant and was touched in a way he couldn’t explain, and certainly couldn’t show.

“Me too,” he heard himself saying.

“That doesn’t mean I approve of everything you’ve done or may do.”

Damian’s face hardened. “Same here. There’s a lot of stuff you do that ticks me off.”

Michael flashed him a rueful grin. “Miles is a difficult kid. Reminds me of you.”

Damian tried to hold in a smile, but didn’t completely succeed. Quickly, he sobered. “You still can’t hit him. Casey and I will talk to you about how we want him disciplined, and we’ll go from there.”

The corner of Michael’s lip curved upwards for a moment. “Fine. Frankly, I’m so—relieved,” he cleared his throat and let his eyes wander, “relieved to see you here, without any outward serious injuries, I’d probably agree to anything. It surprises you that I worried, doesn’t it?”

“Waste of your time to worry about him, Dad. You’re going to be sorry.” Sam’s words rushed out, but Michael shot him a dark look and he lowered his head.

Damian dismissed Sam and refused to overreact to his father, but had he been aware that Casey, Miles and even his father had known he’d been hurt, and were desperately hoping he’d recover, he would have fought harder to live. If not for Reese’s encouragement, he wouldn’t have put forth the effort.

He was glad he’d come to the mill.

“Dad?” Damian felt annoyingly choked up.

Michael once again cleared his throat. “Yes?”

“It was, um, good to see you.” He wanted to say more, but never in front of Sam.

“Get out of here!” Michael was back to sounding gruff as he waved him toward the door. “I still have a mill to run.”

Damian understood his embarrassment. It wasn’t like his father to open up the way he just had. “I have to get going anyways.” He didn’t, but he did. If he stayed longer, he ran the risk of losing control and then making a fool out of himself. He put a hand on Casey’s shoulder and led her out the door. The last thing he heard was a loud slam, which he attributed to Sam who certainly wouldn’t be happy about how things had transpired.

He was though. As they walked past a confused looking Flora, Damian finally regained his wits. He pulled Casey against him as they stepped into the corridor. “I’m shocked.”

“But pleased.” She tickled his ribs a little.

“Yes, I’m pleased. Silly that a thirty-year-old man is so happy to learn that his old man cares about him.”

She squeezed him. “Not silly. Normal.”

“Maybe.” He slid his gaze down at her, feeling a mischievous smile overtaking him. “I feel like celebrating.”

She tilted her head in such a sexy way, and batted her eyes at him. “Any suggestions how?”

Damian stretched his smile.

Casey smiled back, a grin crossing her face. “Let’s go back to my place.”

Chapter Six

Casey hadn’t gotten to work until two o’clock and was trying hard to catch up. As she stood in the semi-dark in a room at the back of the store, she tried to concentrate on her calculator and log. It proved difficult. She felt strange, as though her employees and the customers at the music shop could tell that she’d just had mind-blowing sex. Casey let out a sigh.

It was a miracle she could stand up; her knees wobbled. The scent of Damian clung to her skin and, although he’d left to go back to his hotel, she could still feel him. His hard, calloused hands had caressed her so skillfully and in all the right places, driving her to the brink of madness. His tongue…his damn tongue…she could still feel him licking her dampness and sucking on her…

“Casey?”

Casey looked up, quickly. “Yes?”

Claire, her twenty-two-year-old assistant manager, preppie-looking, auburn-haired and sparkling with liveliness, peeked around the corner. “Sam’s here to see you.”

“He is? Shit.” Leave it to Sam to ruin her good mood. He often stopped in to bug her. What is it this time?

“He looks like somebody beat him up,” Claire said, shaking her head.

Casey brushed past the girl to the main part of the store. Sam still wore his brown suit from work. He stood at the cash register, one hand on the counter. His royal blue gaze met hers and he flashed her a smile that scared her. With his distorted features, he looked menacing. Not looking forward to this, she went up to him and quietly asked, “To what do I owe this honor?”

“Do I need a reason to visit Wepeika’s hottest single woman?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Casey felt her own icy grin. “What is it, Sam?” Usually he wanted to flirt with her, although he wasn’t very good at it. With Damian back in town, she hadn’t expected him here. She’d never deceived Sam about her feelings for both him and his brother, and she’d been naïve enough to expect him to at least stop his flirtations until Damian went back home.

“I want you to meet somebody.” Sam tilted his head and stared at her chest and she crossed her arms to block his view.

“Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry, in fact, his eyes gleamed in a predatory way. “Can we go outside?” he asked, after a pause.

“I don’t want to meet anyone or go outside—” She saw his stubborn look and knew he wouldn’t leave until she did. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Claire.

Claire motioned toward the door. “Go on. I’ll take over.”

Casey turned back toward Sam. She didn’t like the smirk on his face and only reluctantly followed him out of the store. When they stepped into a brisk, autumn breeze, another man in a striped brown suit also stood there, probably in his thirties, but not as well kept as the Ballantine brothers. He was stout, had a receding hairline and deep-set brown eyes. She’d never seen him before and waited for an introduction, an unpleasant churning in her stomach.

“This is my friend, George Fly,” Sam said.

Casey felt further discomfort as George Fly watched her with an impassive gaze.

“All right,” she said, aware she hadn’t exactly exuded warmth.

George stepped forward and extended a chubby hand.

Casey glared at the man and didn’t shake it

He shrugged and glanced over at Sam.

“Why did you bring him here, Sam?” Casey leveled her stare on his. “What’s going on?”

“He heads the Department of Children and Family Services in this county,” Sam said, his voice easy-going, but sharp at the same time.

Casey’s heart pounded. “Sam, your father said—”

“You know, Dad always had a blind spot regarding Damian. Until he couldn’t deny that Damian was useless, he wanted him to take over half the mill. Seems he’s rekindled his misplaced faith in him, but I don’t share it.”

“You must be pissed that he’s back in your father’s will,” she said, wanting to spit on him.

Sam shook his head. “There’s enough to go around three ways, and Dad will live for a long time. I don’t want Damian here for other reasons, and I’m going to make sure this visit is short.”

Casey felt her insides chilling. “Bastard,” she muttered. In a louder voice she said, “If you’re going to threaten Damian, why come here? Why not go to him? Scared of him because he beat the crap out of you?”

“I forgot where he’s staying.”

“Liar.” Her gaze moved to Fly. “What the hell can you do to Damian? My boy was depressed over his father, so I brought him home. Damian just arrived and he hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, he worked magic with Miles last night!”

“Alex and I were always Miles’ father figures,” Sam said, his voice cold. “We don’t drink around him, and we stuck around.”

Casey felt a swelling of renewed anger. “Yeah, and you made him do push-ups as a punishment. Look, Damian knows he was wrong, and he won’t just leave Miles again.” To Fly she asked, harshly, “Are the push-ups a form of abuse?”

Fly laughed. “No. A lot of parents do that.”

She wanted to slap Fly and wipe the arrogance off his chubby face.

She looked at Sam again, expecting to feel intense anger, but she saw something on his face that stemmed it. Sam was a tough man to read, but something about his expression told her that his concern for Miles was real, and she needed to reassure him. From the core of her bones, she didn’t believe that Damian would ever just walk out on Miles again, and Sam needed to believe it too.

“Damian won’t hurt him this time.”

Sam stared at her, stoically, and then suddenly grabbed her hand. She didn’t like it and tried to pull it away, but he held on tight, and spoke in a low, even voice. “Don’t do this dance again, Casey. Marry me. I love you and Miles enough for both of us, and I think you can learn to love me too. That way I can protect you both from Damian.”

A vicious yank freed her hand while her heart raced. “Samson! I’ve told you a hundred times, no. I won’t marry you, and I’ll never love you. The only man I’ve ever loved is Damian.”

“And when he self-destructs again—”

“I don’t think he will.” Her good will toward Sam fled.

Sam smirked. Fly glanced at him with a sober expression.

“Will you two stop this?” she exploded, and both men stared at her. She directed her wrath at George Fly this time. “Why are you even here? Damian hasn’t done anything wrong!”

Fly cleared his throat, and then scratched his chin. “Damian’s escapades in this town are legendary. Being from a prominent family, I think everyone knew about his drinking. Didn’t he get a few DUI’s?”

Casey swallowed hard. “Yes, but he doesn’t—”

“Was Miles ever in the car when he was drunk?”

“No!” That infuriated her. Damian had never once endangered their son. Or her, for that matter.

“As far as you know he didn’t.”

“He never did!”

“As far as you know.” George Fly’s flat voice sounded like a scream to her. “Look, nobody’s in trouble now, but I’ll be watching him like a hawk.”

“And I’ll report any mishaps,” Sam said.

“Why don’t you leave him alone?” Casey knew Damian would hate how she was protecting him, but she had no choice. This was vicious and insane.

“I’ll leave him alone when he’s gone, not until.” Sam’s gaze didn’t waver.

Casey stared at him for a moment, and then let out an ugly laugh. “Your jealousy is pathetic.
You’re
pathetic!”

“The sooner Damian goes back to Alabama, the better it will be,” Sam said, his voice rising. “Miles can spend a few weeks satisfying his curiosity, and then my little brother can pack his bags and go home again. Miles will have his good memories, maybe see him once in a blue moon, but life will continue.”

“This is none of your business! Why are you being such an ass? Well, a bigger ass than usual—”

“Because that asswipe needs to get the hell out of town!” Sam’s loud voice caused a few passersby to glance in his direction. He lowered his voice. “He’ll hurt you and Miles all over again!”

“I told you, he won’t! He feels guilty about his behavior—”

“Plus, watch, he’ll try to get Dad to screw me out of running the mill when he retires. He’s going to want a piece of the pie.”

Casey drew in a quick breath. “That’s your main concern, isn’t it?”

“I’ve worked my ass off for the right to run that mill!”

“I doubt he wants anything to do with the damn mill anymore.” Casey shuddered as a chilly breeze swept over her, blowing her hair back.

“I’ll feel better about that when he’s back in Alabama, far, far away. I’ll also feel better about your safety and Miles’. If he slips once, he’ll lose his rights to seeing Miles without supervision, the same shit he wanted to slap
me
with.”