Next to Always: Shattered Innocence Trilogy Book Two (17 page)

“Stupid idiot,” the pedestrian said as he flipped the driver off.

“God, I didn’t even see him,” Dylan said, trying to get her nerves back in check.

“He came out of nowhere,” the helpful pedestrian said.

“Thanks for your help,” Dylan said appreciatively.

“Not a problem,” he began, “Be careful,” he continued before he crossed the street.

Dylan waited on the edge of the curb for the next traffic light to change. She was still recovering from her near miss. Once the signal to cross flashed, she made her way across the street, only this time she waited until the cars on the block were all at a complete stop. She wasn’t about to take any chances.

Reaching the small café in one piece, Dylan found that Garrett Matheson was already seated in a booth by the front window. Opening the door, she headed towards him. She wasn’t able to get a good look at him when they bumped into him the other day, but she had no problem picking him out. The resemblance between him and Rade was remarkable. Just by looking at him, she knew exactly where Rade got his looks. She also had an idea of what Rade would look like when he got older. His dad had the same dark hair and hazel eyes. He was also in very good shape for his age. He didn’t look to be any older than in his early to mid fifties.

As Dylan approached the table, Garrett slid from his seat and waited for Dylan. Greeting her with his piercing eyes, he said, “Ms. Adams, I’m so glad you came. Please sit.”

Taking her seat, Dylan said, “Mr. Matheson, I’m not sure what this is about, but whatever it is that you want from me, I’m sure you are wasting your time.”

“I think what I have to say, you’ll want to hear,” he replied.

“Well, I’m here, so say what you have to say,” Dylan reiterated, none too happy.

“I’m sure Rade has told you about our relationship and the hate he has for me. I never intended for things between us to end this way. Sending him away was the worst thing I could have done to him. I was so ashamed for the pain I caused. It was my fault. I took his mother and brother away from him and I’m going to have to live with that the rest of my life. I sent him away as punishment to myself, only now I see that I was punishing him as well.”

“You should talk to Rade and tell him. I’m not the one you should be telling this to,” Dylan explained.

“There’s more,” Garrett began. “While his mother was spending all her time taking care of Rade’s brother Isaac, I had an affair with another woman. It’s not one of my prouder moments. I felt alone even though I loved my wife deeply. I tried everything I could to spark that excitement between us, But nothing I did mattered. Liza was only dedicated to Isaac and his care. I became angry with my own son. That was when the affair started. I met a woman who showed me compassion, the one thing I couldn’t get from my own wife. She ended up dying. Breast cancer. The affair lasted only a short while. My point is, recently I found out she had a son. Our son. That’s why I came to New York. To find him. Rade has a half brother. I thought that If I could find him, I could give him back what I took.”

Dylan couldn’t believe what she was hearing. All this time Rade had a brother he didn’t even know about. Looking up at Garrett she asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to tell him. He will believe it more coming from you than from me,” he stated.

Dylan didn’t agree with what he was saying. Rade needed to hear it from his father. No matter what differences they had, he needed to tell him. “I can’t, Mr. Matheson. He needs to hear it from you. We are going to have dinner tonight at seven o’clock at his penthouse. Join us. You can tell him then,” Dylan said, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake.

“What makes you think he will even allow me in?” Garrett questioned.

“Because you are going to be with me and we’ll enter together. Pick me up at six-thirty,” Dylan advised.

Walking back to work, Dylan thought about her plan. She also thought about getting Richard involved. Richard was the one person who knew both of them and would like to see the two men settle their differences more than anyone. Pulling her cell from her purse, she contacted Richard. Once he answered, she began telling him of her plan. She decided it would be best for him to meet them at the penthouse rather than picking her up. Once the plan was ironed out, she hung up and placed her phone back in her purse. She never thought she would be asking Richard for help. She was glad he agreed to help her once she told him of her plan and the reason behind it. He too was shocked to hear that Rade had a brother. He knew about the affair from Rade, but had no knowledge that a child was conceived from it.

*****

It was almost seven when Dylan and Garrett pulled into the parking garage at Rade’s. Richard was already waiting there for their arrival. He was the key to them being able to enter the building without going through security. Dylan no longer had her key card to the penthouse, so she had to rely on Richard. Driving his car into a visitor parking space, Garrett put the car in park and exited. Dylan was close behind. Richard walked up to him holding his hand out to Garrett. “Good to see you again, sir,” Richard said.

“You too, Richard. Thanks for your help,” Garrett replied.

“I hope everything works out. Don’t be surprised if you don’t receive a warm welcome,” Richard warned.

The three of them entered the elevator as it rose to the top floor. Dylan was beginning to feel her nerves take hold as the passing floors were displayed on the panel. When the elevator stopped at the top floor and the doors opened, Dylan looked at the men on either side of her. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Here we go.”

Lifting her hand, she gently knocked on the door. Seconds seemed like hours as Rade opened the door. The look on his face told Dylan exactly what he was thinking as he looked at Richard, then at his dad and finally at Dylan. “What the fuck,” he said, looking straight at Dylan.

“Rade, I know this is a surprise, but your dad has some information I’m sure you want to hear,” Dylan said confidently.

“Anything he has to say, he can shove it,” Rade spat out as he grabbed for Dylan.

“Rade, It’s really important. Please just listen,” Dylan pleaded.

“You have one minute, then I never want to see you again,” Rade barked as he moved to the side of the door allowing them to enter.

Dylan was the last one to enter, Before she passed him, she went to her tiptoes and kissed Rade on the lips before saying, “Thank you.”

“You owe me in a big way, Sweetness,” he said as he pulled her close.

Rade and Dylan walked into the living room where Richard and Garrett were seated. Taking his own seat in the chair to the right of where Garrett was, he pulled Dylan to him so that she was positioned on his lap. He needed her close in case he lost it.

“Say what you have to say so you can get the fuck out of here,” Rade said between gritted teeth.

“Rade,” Dylan said, appalled at his rudeness.

“I knew this was a mistake,” Garrett said as he rose from his seat.

“Mr. Matheson, please stay. It’s important that you talk to Rade. He has to know the truth,” Dylan pleaded.

Garrett took his seat, rubbing his hands together in front of him. Dylan could tell he was nervous about revealing what he needed his son to know. Taking in a deep breath, he began.

“The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I have made so many mistakes in my life that I’m never going to be able to take back. I never should have driven that night. I never should have sent you away. I didn’t want you near me, not because I didn’t love you, but because I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. I couldn’t take the chance of losing you. I had already taken three lives, I couldn’t risk losing you too. So I sent you away. I’d rather you hate me than...”

“So you knew that Mom was pregnant?” Rade asked.

“I didn’t know until later,” Garrett said with remorse. “There’s something else you need to know. Your mom and I were having problems. It was hard on us, what was going on with Isaac. She spent all her time with him. I felt alone. Most of my time was spent in bars and clubs. I knew there’s no excuse for what I did, but it was the only way I knew how to cope. That’s when I met Lauren. The woman I had the affair with. She made me feel special. I felt alive again.”

“I listen to this,” Rade said, lifting Dylan from his lap.

“You have a brother, Rade,” Garrett spoke in a low voice.

“What did you say?” Rade said, closing in on his dad.

“You have a brother. I only recently found out myself. Lauren got pregnant while I was seeing her. That’s why I’m in New York. I’m asking you to help me find him,” Garrett confessed.

“Get the fuck out,” Rade said as he grabbed his father by the shirt.

Dylan was right behind Rade trying to pull him off of Garrett. “Rade, let him go,” Dylan pleaded.

Releasing him, Rade stepped back “You need to leave,” he said in a calm voice.

Garrett adjusted his shirt standing a few feet from Rade. “I’m telling you the truth, Rade. You can believe me or not. Whatever you decide, I’m going to find him, with or without your help.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Nothing could have prepared Rade for the news he received. He didn’t know whether to actually believe his father or ignore his father’s confession and sum it up as another lie just like the rest of the lies his father told him. When Dylan appeared at his door with his father, he felt like he was being ambushed. The more he thought about it, the more upset he got. Needing to find answers, he looked towards Dylan, who was sitting in the chair he abandoned.

“Would you like to explain to me how you and my father ended up at my place together?” Rade asked.

Dylan knew this would be coming. “He contacted me at work. He said that he wanted to meet with me and that it concerned information that I needed to hear, so I agreed to meet him. When he told me, he wanted me to confront you with this information. I told him he needed to tell you himself. That it was between the two of you to work out,” Dylan began. “I suggested he come with me this evening and he agreed. Richard helped us get in the building without having to go through security. I knew if you found out that I was with your father, you wouldn’t have let him in. I’m sorry I pulled a fast one on you, Rade, but this is the only way I could think of to let him tell you want he needed.”

“Even after I told you how I felt about him?” Rade said feeling betrayed.

“I know what you must think, but after listening to him, he seemed really sorry for what happened and the pain he has caused you,” Dylan said sincerely.

“I don’t believe this. He’s got to you. Don’t you get it, Dylan? My father has never felt sorry for anything in his life. He’s a master manipulator. He knows exactly how to play people,” Rade said with such force that his eyes were filled with anger.

“Why would he lie about you having a brother? What would he have to gain by it?” Dylan questioned.

“I don’t know. But I’m not going to help him find him. If I do have a brother out there, then I will use my own resources to find him. He can’t know about this, Dylan. Do you understand?” Rade looked back towards Dylan.

“But… I,” Dylan began before she was cut off.

“No, Dylan, I need you to keep this between us,” Rade said sternly.

“Okay, okay. I get it. I won’t say anything to him,” Dylan said defeated.

Dylan wasn’t sure that keeping information from his dad was the best plan, but she wasn’t about to go against Rade’s wishes. Realizing all this talking was making her hungry; she needed to lighten the tension. “So how about that dinner you promised me?”

“I’m still not pleased with you, Sweetness,” Rade informed her as he walked to the stove to turn it off.

Maria had prepared the most amazing meal Dylan had ever tasted. It was lasagna, Mexican style. The taste was out of this world. Maria also prepared a garden salad and corn bread to go with the meal. By the time they finished their meal, Dylan was stuffed. She had no more space in her stomach to put another bite as she pushed her plate away. When Rade offered her dessert, she had to refuse. Even though it was
Mocha Tres Leches Cake
, Dylan couldn’t take another bite of anything. She suggested to Rade that they have a piece of the decadent dessert later.

Taking their place on the couch once the dishes were cleared from the table and deposited into the dishwasher, Rade pulled Dylan to his chest as he stretched his body on the couch. Grabbing the remote from the table, he pushed a button, waiting for the TV to appear from the credenza. While he placed the remote back on the table and grabbed another, the TV came to life. Rade began surfing the channels before being stopped by Dylan as a news report about Spectrum flashed on the screen.

“Go back, Rade,” Dylan urged.

Rade knew he had been caught before he had the chance to explain the power play on Spectrum. “Dylan, there’s something you need to know before you hear this on the news.” Looking down at her, he could see her confusion. “RIM Global purchased Spectrum,” he admitted

“I don’t understand, Rade. What are you saying?” Dylan asked.