“Then what were Max’s questions?”
His gaze lingered on her eyes. “Same ones he’s been asking you for near a decade.” He stood and walked toward the wall and hung the knife from the rack. Turned back to Aubrey. “Guess he got tired of getting the runaround, so he finally asked me.”
A deep breath filled Aubrey’s lungs but did little to clear her head or quell the heat that vibrated through her body. “This is my business, you don’t have the right—”
“It is your business, Aubrey Lynn, and I kept it your business. Never did say anything to you about it. Never said a word to Max. But when the boy comes knocking on my door, asking me questions, then it becomes my business. Mine and his.” Dad walked toward her and now stood just by her side. He was a half inch shorter than she, but she wore heels. He’d been such a big man in her childhood, but how he’d shrunk in his old age.
“Dad, you should have come to me—”
“You made a choice every time that boy asked you about his father. You made a choice to do what was easier for you and harder for him. Well, this time he decided to take the choice away from you. This time he came to me.”
“Telling Max about his father is much more complex than just my son asking his grandfather about a person who has no meaning in Max’s life.”
“No meaning? Aubrey, do I have no meaning to you? I think that fancy therapist you go see every week would say different. Wouldn’t she say that me and your mama left the biggest imprints on your soul? That we’re the ones molded whatever clay we got? I know what a parent can and can’t do for their child. So how in the hell can you possibly imagine that Justin Travati means nothing to your son?”
Aubrey stepped back. Dad’s words were a punch to her chest. Her breathing shortened and her lips opened and closed and she was unable to form words. “Oh my God.” She pressed her fingertips to her lips and shook her head. “Please, Dad, you didn’t tell Max his father’s name?”
“Every man’s got a right to know his own last name, Aubrey, whether it’s the same as his mama’s or not.”
Chapter 2
The beautiful people of Manhattan circled and mingled as evening turned to night and the music inside Prayer thumped out a cacophonous beat. Justin walked upstairs and around the corner to a balcony reserved for VIPs and the owners of Prayer, of which he was one. Devon entertained financiers still in their suits with their ties askew. Justin greeted each one, remembering tennis with two and golf with the third. Spotting potential female companionship, the three drifted downstairs to capture their quarry. Instead, Devon had what he wanted brought to him.
“Now that they’re gone for a while, where are you going?” Devon leaned back into the black leather banquette and wrapped one arm around the blonde on his left and his other arm around the brunette on his right.
“I’m going to Hudson, Kansas. I leave tomorrow.”
“What the hell is in bum-fuck Kansas?”
“Business,” Justin said. “Personal business. Anthony is in China, and Leo isn’t expected back from Dubai for at least another ten days, which puts you in charge.”
“Me?” A cat-that-caught-the-canary grin surfaced on Devon’s face. “Must be important business if you’re willing to leave me in charge of Travati Finance.”
The muscle in Justin’s jaw tightened. The business in Kansas might be the most important business he’d encountered in his career.
“What kind of business does Travati Finance have in Kansas?”
“It’s not the right time”—Justin’s gaze slipped over the women who accessorized his brother—“or the right place.”
“Gotcha.” Devon leaned back. He rubbed his hand over the brunette’s shoulder, and she curled closer like a kitten getting pet. He leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. A wicked smile crossed her face and her hand stroked Devon’s thigh. Yes, Justin’s little brother wouldn’t soon end his hard-partying ways. Therefore Devon had been the perfect brother to put in charge of the hospitality division at TF.
Devon’s gaze returned to Justin. “I can’t promise that I’ll be in the office by six a.m. like you, but I can promise that TF will be safe while all the big brothers are gone.”
Devon might seem to be the irresponsible younger brother, but his division at Travati Financial was one of the most profitable. He did a helluva job spotting businesses to buy.
“I’ll be reachable the entire time.” Justin stood. While his little brother seemed to exist on booze and sex, Justin still needed sleep to function. “Text me, or you can go through Liza. I don’t suspect this will take longer than a few days.”