Page 19 of The Sound of Secrets

“You’re awfully sure of someone you didn’t even acknowledge until six or seven months ago.”

“He’s my brother.” It was the first time I admitted the blood tie aloud. It was the first time I didn’t tack on the obligatory ‘half’ to his identity. I couldn’t pinpoint when my view of the younger man shifted to include him as part of my family, but there was no denying that his position as my younger brother was solidified, not only in the company, but within me.

Bellamy remained silent until the meeting started. I let her lead and was basically nothing more than a seat filler until Alistair entered the room. I left them to their own devices and was headed back to my office when a frowning Rocco intercepted me.

“Paul Harvey is here and demanding to see you.”

Rocco had been busy digging up everything he could on Channing’s past. He was trying to find anyone from the hospital the day her baby was stolen. He was looking for the lawyer my mother hired to facilitate the adoption. He already located her ex, but the guy was a junkie and currently locked up for drug-related offenses. He was also doing a deep dive into the man waiting downstairs, and none of the information that crossed my desk was good.

“Let him up. Might as well let the games begin. We knew he was going to engage once he started the ball rolling at the birthday party. Better he comes at me than going after Channing.”

A few moments later, I was back behind my desk, staring at the smug face of the man who had a hand in Channing’s worst memories. Maybe I instantly distrusted him because I was also to blame for taking major life decisions away from her, and I didn’t want to be painted with the same brush as her old man.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Harvey?”

Channing’s father was dressed like a dockworker. I was certain no one had ever been in this office while wearing stained overalls and dirty boots. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world, but his gaze was razor-sharp and cunning.

“Sorry, I didn’t come bearing gifts. I wasn’t aware my daughter married one of the richest men in the universe.” His eyebrow lifted condescendingly. “Or should I say, I wasn’t aware that another one of my daughters married into the Halliday family. Hopefully you’ll take better care of my daughter than your brother did.”

“If Channing wanted you to know she was getting married, she would’ve told you.”

The older man cackled. “Channing’s always been hard-headed and independent. She never liked anyone to question what she was doing.” He gave me a pointed look. “I know she recognized that boy at the party. He’s a dead ringer for her ex-husband. She’s gotta be asking the same questions I asked when I stumbled upon him by accident. It’s too much of a coincidence, don’t you think?”

“She wasn’t hard-headed and independent. She was abandoned and left to care for her ill mother. She had no choice in the matter. I think that you take me for a fool. All it takes is one DNA test to prove that the boy isn’t related to Channing in the slightest. She’s not as sentimental or foolish as you think. She won’t believe whatever truth you’re trying to sell her simply because she wants to know what happened to her child. Not after a lifetime of abandonment and abuse.” I cracked my knuckles and met the man’s amused gaze with an icy one of my own. “If you want to get to her, you have to go through me first.”

The older man leaned back in the chair across from my desk and smirked at me. “Sure, a DNA test is fail-proof. But while you wait for the results, imagine the damage that will be done when the news gets out that Winchester Halliday’s wife had a baby, and then gave it away when she was a teenager because she was strung out and psychotic. Do your peers and business associates even know you’re married? What will Channing’s history do to your stock market value? I can already picture the way the press will drag out the bloody history between the two families for click-bait. And how much will that kid resent being in the spotlight once the news breaks if he is her son? It’s all so messy.”

I chuckled and fought an eye roll. “It’s almost cute how you think any news involving the Halliday name goes to press without my approval. And I don’t give a shit about stock market value. I resigned. Halliday Inc. isn’t the most important thing to me any longer. Your daughter is. And I will doanythingto protect her.”

Channing’s father frowned. “What do you mean, you resigned?” He glanced around my office, a million questions flashing across his face.

“I stepped down from my position as CEO the same day I buried my mother. My replacement is in training. You figured you’d waltz in here with your thinly veiled threats and I would throw a ridiculous stack of money your way to get you gone. I’m sure that tactic has worked in the past, but I squash bugs like you daily. I don’t need money to keep you away from your daughter. I can manage the task with my bare hands.”

The other man looked at my scarred fingers. “Are you sure you can do anything with those mangled mitts?” He scoffed, “You may be all high and mighty, Halliday. But I know Channing, and she’s as soft as they come. Any pressure, any hint of discord, the smallest idea that she harmed her own child, and she’ll break. I was there the night she gave birth. She reminded me so much of her mother. What type of liability would Channing be to you in such a state? I don’t think you know how fragile the Harvey women are. All it takes is a little push and they go over the edge. You haven’t seen just how out of control they can get. And I doubt you know how easy it is to turn a teenager against someone they feel wronged by. I’m not only talking about the boy. Winnie is my granddaughter. She deserves to know she might have a cousin her beloved aunt abandoned.”

“You allowed a predator to abuse your daughter right under your nose. Instead of protecting her, you hurt her further when she couldn’t fight for herself. What kind of father — what kind of man — threatens toharm his child’s wellbeing for his own gain? Anything you have to say about my wife is irrelevant. You have no clue how resilient and perseverant she is. And if you harass Winnie, I’ll have you locked up. I already told you, I’m her guardian. No one is allowed in her life without my approval. I get the impression you’re used to picking fights with much smaller dogs, Mr. Harvey. Fair warning, I’m a wolf. I won’t hesitate to rip your throat out if you come for one of mine.”

Channing’s father chuckled and slapped his thigh. A small cloud of dust lifted from the fabric of his worn pants. I fought the automatic nose crinkle of disgust as we watched each other without blinking.

“You talk a good game, Halliday. Only time will tell how much you take after your mother. I admired the way she handled her business. She never took her eye off the bottom line.”

“My mother did her best to murder both of your children. She’s not who I would look to for inspirational parenting.” I grunted as I sent Rocco a text to come get the intruder out of my office. I didn’t bid him farewell or send him off with insincere platitudes. Dealing with Channing’s father proved to be trickier than I imagined.

The entire room was going to need a deep clean to get rid of the destructive energy and the faint scent of ocean the man carried with him. I didn’t look down on anyone with a blue-collar job who worked long hours and had rough hands and strong backs from providing for their families. However, I had no patience for someone like Paul Harvey, who was dissatisfied with his lot in life, and instead of working to change it, he colluded andmanipulated into getting more. I knew he often asked Channing for money, so there was no reason for him to show up at my office looking and smelling like he just left a dock, unless he was trying to make a silent statement.

When Rocco reentered my office, he had a pensive look on his face. “That guy is slippery. Dealing with him isn’t going to be cut and dry.”

I nodded my agreement. “We need to pick up the pace on figuring out exactly what happened the night Channing gave birth. And we need to figure out if the boy is really her son.” I sighed and rubbed my forehead in frustration. “She’s been through so much. I cannot let her father break apart everything she’s rebuilt.”

I promised myself I would protect her, even if it meant being more like my mother than I ever allowed myself to be.

Channing

“You want to start a family despite everything you’ve been through.”

Win’s voice blasted through the post-orgasm haze engulfing my mind. He looked down at me from where he was standing at the side of the enormous bed. He held my ankle braced against the center of his chest and used his other hand to draw a warm washcloth over my flushed skin. He carefully cleaned up my body after a particularly heated round of lovemaking. It was a novel feeling to be cared for by a man who was used to having his every whim and need catered to. I never would’ve guessed Win was as skilled at giving as he was at taking. I was on the verge of becoming addicted to spending time in bed with him. Not only because of the sex. It was world class, but so were the conversations we had. I learned more about him and his life in the aftermath than I did in years of being combatants. We were no longer enemies with benefits. At least I thought so, until his statement about family felt like he dropped a bucket of cold water overme. He tightened his hold when I tried to pull away. His silver eyes were eerily calm when he continued.

“I admire you for that. You’ve always been fearless, Channing.”

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