Heath shook his head in disgust. "Marty Brown has been after me since I told him to go eat shit when he tried to interview me at Ultimate Warrior last year. He had somethin' to do with the JAG coming there and throwing my ass in jail as soon as I got dressed."
Connor nodded. "Yes. And he's also got a huge part in this. I don't know what can be done legally yet, but I promise, I won't let him get away with this." He paused awkwardly. "Er, there's more."
Heath frowned at him again.
"Carter fired you, and he spoke to his lawyer to get your business partnership dissolved. Says you signed a contract allowing him to retain the rights of the business should you leave for any reason." Connor reached out and gripped his brother's shoulder briefly. "I—you're out of a job, Heath. I'm sorry."
Heath sighed heavily and shook his head. He rubbed the scruff of beard on his lower face, raking his index finger back and forth over his bottom lip for a long moment until he shrugged. "Probably for the best. He was always a dirty bastard anyway." He glanced up at Connor and a small, self-mocking smile tugged at his mouth. "Guess I'll have to come off my high horse and do those fucking endorsement deals after all."
"The mighty have fallen," Connor teased back lightly. Their faces both grew serious then. "Heath, you'll be okay, though," he added reassuringly. "You've got options, you've got savings. You're fine."
"I'll be fine, yeah," Heath said. He shrugged. "I'm just thinking about Aida and the kids."
"I will pitch in whatever is needed," Connor said firmly. "Seriously."
Heath shook his head. "No, man," he said firmly. "They're my responsibility. Not yours. I'll figure something out." He shook his head again and looked off. "Fucking bastard, Carter Steele. Son of a bitch."
"Hey!"
The loud, gruff shout pierced the stillness on the patio and Connor's head snapped around in its direction, Heath's doing the same. Connor was startled to see a tall, stocky older man stomping across the patio toward them.
"Fucking hell," he heard Heath mutter under his breath.
"Dad?" Drew called at the same time, sounding shocked, and Connor suppressed a groan.
"Baby, you okay?" her father demanded, cupping her face in his hands before glaring angrily at Heath. "You!"
Heath had stepped forward toward the man. "Sir –"
"What's going on?" John demanded, rising to his feet.
"Don't 'sir' me!" Drew's father bellowed back. "Don't give me any of that shit! I told you—keep my daughter safe from this bullshit and what happens? I get the news that her identity has been shared with the general fuckin' public two days before she testifies. How in the fuck does that happen?"
"Sir, I take the blame," Heath said quietly. "I should have –"
"You should have, but you didn't!" Drew's father pulled Drew to her feet by her arm, her eyes going wide.
"Dad, what –"
"You're coming with me and your mother, now," he said. "I'm not leaving you with this man for one more second."
"Sir, what happened yesterday was a mistake," John interjected, lifting both of his hands. "Heath had nothing to do with that—it was a freelance journalist who's had it out for him since day one –"
Drew's father seemed to notice John for the first time. "I don't care what business your son has with journalists—I do care when my little girl gets caught in the crosshairs!" He pulled Drew along as she protested, completely confused and upset. "Don't you ever come around my daughter again! Not in New York and damn sure not in Pittsburgh. You're done!"
"Dad, I want him there!" Drew cried shrilly. "You can't do this!"
"Baby, this is for your own good," her father said roughly. "He can't keep you safe. I refuse to allow anything bad to happen to you –" His voice choked and for a moment he said nothing, just blinking rapidly into his daughter's face. Connor felt a sudden surge of empathy for the man; Heath didn't deserve at all the dressing down he was receiving, but Connor knew what it was to have a father's love for his daughter, his little girl.
Heath stood silently, knowing that to say anything else would be to say too much. He just watched them, and Connor felt awful at the look on his face, watching Drew being taken away from him.
"Let's go," her father said finally, and he tugged Drew into the hotel. "Get your things. We're leaving for the city right now."
Drew's eyes had filled with tears as she looked back at Heath. Her mouth opened to speak but she didn't say anything. They shared a long look before Heath nodded silently at her, telling her to go. Drew uttered a choked sob and let her father pull her into the hotel, the glass patio door shutting behind them.