Page 36 of Back in the Texan's Bed
But in the week since Rusty had disinherited Ross, he hadn’t heard much from his brother and sister. Most of that distance could be placed on his own shoulders. He’d been so busy finding a home for Charlotte, Ben and himself as well as shoring up his own financial resources that he hadn’t prioritized sitting down and talking with them. Also, a part of him had subconsciously put off this meeting. Because that part feared where they stood in this face-off between him and Rusty. Gina and Asher had always been his allies, but at the risk of incurring Rusty’s wrath?
He didn’t know. And he dreaded finding out.
The door to the room opened, and Gina and Asher walked in. Ross stood at the end of the table, tension drawing him tight, unfamiliar indecision humming through him. He studied their faces, searching for...what? Anger? Sadness? Resignation? Did they resent him for making them choose a side...
“Dammit, Ross,” Gina snapped, striding forward and not stopping until she threw her arms around him and held on. Relief poured out of him like a geyser, almost sapping his strength. He wrapped his sister in an embrace that was probably too tight, but he couldn’t ease up. Not when he’d never been so grateful for a hug. “Where the hell have you been?” A smile curved his mouth at her muffled scolding. “We’ve been worried sick about how you’ve been doing, and all we can get out of you is a ‘fine’ or an ‘I’ll call you back.’ Which you don’t do, by the way.”
Gina tilted her head back, glaring at him. “Good thing you arranged this meeting because I was ready to storm The Bellamy.” She lightly punched him in the arm. “And thank goodness for the Royal gossip hotline or I wouldn’t even have known where you were staying.”
“She was actually ready to barge in five days ago,” Asher added, voice dry but holding an unmistakable affection for their sister. “I convinced her to wait since you had a lot going on—you know, new family and being disinherited—but we didn’t intend on waiting too much longer.”
Asher clapped Ross on the shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze. His tone might have been amused, but concern darkened his brown eyes. Ross gave him a small nod, which his brother returned before picking up a cup and pouring coffee into it.
“Gina, quit making like a clingy octopus and release Ross. Here.” He passed her the cup and fixed another for himself, a brief grin flashing across his face as she switched the glare from Ross to him. “Okay, Ross. Tell us what the hell is going on. We’ve heard Dad’s rant about your ungratefulness, stupidity, disloyalty to family and being led around by your dick.” He sipped the fragrant brew. “Now, what’s the truth?”
Ross arched an eyebrow, that vise around his chest loosening at his brother’s sardonic words. “How do you know that’s not the truth?”
Asher snorted. “When Rusty starts trying to curry favor with me instead of treating me like the unwanted, redheaded stepchild, then I know he’s full of shit. And he wants something. That something being getting me on his side to pressure you into caving and falling back into line. Which, even if you weren’t my brother, would’ve put me firmly in your camp.”
“Same here. Since you’ve been banned from the office, he’s acting like he actually cares about my input on business decisions. When we both know he doesn’t respect my opinions—never has. He’s in full-on bribe mode.” Gina shook her head, disgust curling her mouth. “As if we’re so stupid we can’t see right through his manipulations.”
Or desperate enough for his attention and his approval that they would turn on him. That was how Rusty Edmond operated in business and with his children.
“So give,” Gina prodded. “And start from why we’re just finding out we’re an aunt and uncle.”
Ross did as they requested. And with the two people he trusted most in the world, he confessed everything that had happened since that moment he and Billy had spotted Charlotte in Sheen. By the time he finished with discovering he’d been locked out of the ranch, his credit canceled and then being swiftly tossed out of the family business, they’d all sunk onto the couch in the meeting room’s small sitting area.
“If I doubted Dad’s seriousness, the package he had delivered to The Bellamy would’ve confirmed it. It included a letter stating I was not welcome at Elegance Ranch and fired from The Edmond Organization, along with the newest copy of his will with me cut out of it. Congratulations, by the way.” He shifted his gaze from the empty coffee cup to shoot his sister a wry smile. “You’re now the recipient of the majority shares of the company and his estate.”
“Awesome,” she drawled. But no humor lightened her troubled gaze. “A son, Ross. You have a little boy,” she whispered. “How are you handling that?”
He inhaled a breath, then slowly released it, leaning back against the chair. “Gina, Ben is...” He shook his head, his first real smile of the day curving his mouth. “He’s beautiful. And amazing. At two, he’s so smart and funny. I didn’t think I could love someone so quick and so much. But...” He swallowed. “I do. Crazy, I know.”
“No, not crazy.” Gina covered his hand with hers, eyes gleaming. “You just sound like a father. And I’m so happy for you.”
“I am, too,” Asher said, leaning forward in his chair and perching his forearms on his thighs. “And what about Charlotte? How do you feel about her?”
Ross didn’t reply; instead, he stood and crossed the room back to the table and the serving set. Yes, he freely admitted to stalling a reply to his brother’s question. Because while his love for his son was uncomplicated and easy, his feelings toward Charlotte weren’t nearly as cut and dried. Did he love her? No, because in order to love someone, to make a commitment to them, you had to trust them. And as much as his dick hardened for her, he didn’t trust her.
But the need for her, the lust that hadn’t abated just because he’d been inside her again... That muddied what should’ve been a simple co-parenting arrangement. Instead of satisfying his craving for her, that night at The Bellamy had only intensified it. And though he could list a thousand reasons why he should maintain a platonic relationship with Charlotte, he hadn’t heeded them. Neither of them had. They hadn’t discussed the ramifications of continuing a co-parenting-with-benefits arrangement, but each night that he stayed at the house with her and Ben or they came to him at the resort, they gave in to the need.
If he was a better man, he wouldn’t take advantage. If he was a prouder man, he would demand more of himself. But when it came to Charlotte Jarrett, he was neither.
“She’s Ben’s mother,” he finally said, staring at the dark stream of brew as it flowed into his cup. “We’ve come to an arrangement that works for both of us. For the next year, we’re going to give living together a try. After that, we’ll see.”
“Now you know that’s not what he was asking.” Gina snorted. “But that nonanswer was answer enough.” Moments later, she appeared at his elbow, cupping it. “What about Dad? Do you plan on trying to approach him again? In case we haven’t made it clear, Asher and I are on your side. Just tell us what you need from us.”
Ross encircled his sister’s shoulder, giving her a small hug of gratitude. “Thank you for that. Both of you,” he added, glancing over his shoulder at Asher, who rose from his chair. “But I don’t want you to get involved. This is between me and Dad. I don’t want you to be casualties in the fallout.”
“How are you doing moneywise?” Asher interjected when Gina frowned and parted her lips, prepared to object to Ross’s request. He joined them at the table and shot their sister a look, gently shaking his head. “Can we help you there?”
“No, I’m good,” Ross said, grateful for his brother’s intervention. He meant it; he didn’t want his brother and sister’s lives affected by his decisions. Rusty could be vindictive, and though Asher was older than Ross, he had to protect him and Gina from their father’s possible retaliation. “I have investments in several companies, stock and connections that aren’t tangled up in The Edmond Organization. And I still have Soiree on the Bay. The contracts have been signed. Dad can’t kick me out of that like he did from the company.”
If anything, being fired had forced Ross to rely only on himself. Thank God, he’d diversified his own funds years ago, not living completely off the family business. He wasn’t a pauper by any stretch of the imagination. Hell, according to his financial portfolio, he was still a millionaire in his own right. But... Unease coiled inside his chest. But he might not have enough on-hand cash to pay Charlotte the five hundred thousand he’d promised her.
“I hate that you’re going through this,” Gina hissed, crossing her arms over her chest. “While I’m pissed at Dad, I can’t say I’m surprised. Just look how he treated Mom when she dared to defy him.”
Ross stiffened, an old but very familiar anger kindling in his veins. “This situation is completely different from that.”
