5

Sean sipped coffee at Will and Laura’s kitchen table, but the piping hot brew did nothing to warm his insides. Across from him sat Laura, and next to him was his mother. Ava, whose eyes lit up whenever she saw one of her children, barely greeted him. Her regal posture was slumped, her eyes downcast. Silence descended as they waited for Bill Worthington to reappear after taking a call.

Then, as the quietness lay far too heavy, his sister’s cheerful ringtone sounded on his cell. Sarah had timing. He had to give her that.

“What on earth happened?” she blurted out.

“I have no idea,” Sean replied, “but I aim to find out. I’m at Will’s right now.”

“Right. Fill me in later then.” Then, in usual fashion, she abruptly ended the call.

Bill Worthington strode into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He set it on the counter and leaned his tall frame against the wall nearby. “Seems like William has a few things to think about.”

Their father was the only one in the family who called Will “William,” and his simple pronouncement rankled.

“He has a few things to think about,” Sean spouted, getting up from his chair and nearly toppling it. “What about me? I’m the one who has to clean up the mess. Return all the angry calls. He’ll just hide in the boardroom until things settle down.”

Bill Worthington’s dark eyes intensified. He straightened to an intimidating height. Within a second Sean felt the heat of his father’s glare—the one that immediately halted sibling bickering, as well as any corporate directions Bill didn’t agree with.

“Bill,” Ava begged.

“It’s all right, Ava. Let the boy speak,” he said in the same calm, steely tone Will had adopted.

“The boy,” Sean thought. Not “my son” or “our son.” Not even an adult. Just “the boy.” Suddenly he had nothing else to say. Why was he fooling himself, thinking he might get answers here that could help him understand? Thinking he might find empathy?

“Don’t be so hard on your brother,” his father continued. “William thinks things through before he acts. There must have been a reason. When he’s ready, he’ll tell us.”

“Hard on him? What about hard on me?” Sean seethed. “Will’s side, again. You never see mine.”

“Maybe there’s good reason for that.”

“Bill!” Ava looked up again. “Stop.” Tears streaked her cheeks.

“See—you’ve made your mother cry.” Bill exhaled in disgust. “Let’s get something straight. I love both you and William. But I can trust that William will do what’s right, even when he can’t tell us why. Eventually the truth will come out.”

Ava gasped and trembled. Laura reached a hand across the table and clasped her mother-in-law’s.

Sean stiffened. “So you can trust Will. But you can’t trust me. That’s what you’re saying, right?”

Bill tilted his head. “Let’s face it, Sean. You’ve always been a wild card, off doing your own thing. But yes, I think I can trust you.”

“You think, but you don’t know, do you? You’re not sure of that?” The ache in Sean’s throat threatened to push to the surface.

Laura got up from her chair. “Okay, you two. You’re worse than my kids. Enough duking it out for the day, or I’ll put you in separate corners. Neither of you are too old for a time-out.”

Sean lifted his chin, strengthening his resolve. “You won’t have to, because I’m leaving.”

“Son,” Ava pleaded.

“No, Mom, I need to go.”

The instant he said the words, he realized how true they were. He’d spent so many years feeling like an outsider in his own family—the middleborn who marched to the beat of a different drummer, the one his father said he could never understand. Sean hated it but put up with it because he truly loved his family. When push came to shove, he’d do anything for them. Traveling globally was a good excuse, though, to not have to show up often in the same locale as his father, who either grilled him or ignored him. There was no middle ground.

But that middle ground is what Sean longed for. The lack of it now—no understanding and compassion from his own father—crushed him. He had to flee before he broke down.

Without saying good-bye, he strode out of the kitchen, out the front door, and to the elevator. The penthouse suite door opened, and his mom rushed out, calling his name. But for the first time ever, he didn’t stop, turn, and embrace her. He stepped onto the elevator as soon as the doors opened.

Yes, he knew he would fulfill his duties as a Worthington son by remaining at the helm of the risky side of the business. That was his gift. But it was also time to make his own way in the universe . . . even if it meant cutting himself off for a while from those he loved most in the world.

Once in the lobby, he didn’t wait for the concierge. He stalked through the doors, grabbed a yellow cab outside, and barked, “Get me to One Madison fast.”

Sean was done with waiting. He’d done more than enough of it lately.

The yellow flag that had been waving in the back of Sarah’s mind morphed to a bright red as her cab pulled up in front of the Department of Justice building.

Sarah twirled her right index finger in a circle as the cabbie peered in the rearview mirror. “Go around the block a couple of times,” she directed.

He raised a brow but did as she asked. People in New York City did crazy things. It was probably the least crazy thing he’d been asked to do today, and there was more money in it for him, so what did it matter?

Sarah settled back against the seat and pinpointed what had been bothering her. Jason Carson, Sandstrom’s underhanded attorney, had been at Will’s Senate launch. In fact, Carson had lingered right by the side of the stage. What was he doing there?

Something’s up. Something dirty. Why else would Carson be there?

With the man’s reputation, his presence couldn’t be a good omen. Still, he’d managed to evade being caught on the wrong side of the law for years.

She closed her eyes and zeroed in on the scene, trying to recall every detail. It was a technique she’d learned from her older brother.

After Will had walked offstage, he’d paused for a few seconds at the side of the stage.

He stopped to say something to Carson, she realized.

Sarah focused, remembering seeing her brother lean in toward the attorney. When Will straightened, there was a stiffness in his march down the aisle that showed determination but also duress. Sarah recognized it now. And when he’d passed her, his expression was granite-like, as if he’d been forced to do something he wasn’t happy about. She’d seen it many times.

So, Sarah thought, it’s Carson. Or something to do with Carson.

But what could he have on her brother that would cause Will to change his path?

Will was a straight arrow. Yet even that wouldn’t stop Carson, who had been known to create dirt on good people out of thin air. With Sean’s support of ecological causes, Will voting for Worthington Shares to join the shareholder lawsuit against American Frontier, and Sarah’s role with the DOJ in the lawsuit, Carson had plenty of material to work with and probable cause.

So now he’s targeting the Worthington family. Sarah crossed her arms. Well, we’ll just see about that.