Your Fierce Love (The Bennett Family #7)(70)

"It's me," Blake's voice states, sounding surprisingly down.

"Come on in."

I wasn't expecting him for another hour or so. He said he's on family duty today, but he didn't give me details-and I'll admit being a little jealous for not being part of whatever he was up to.

The second he steps inside, I know something must have gone south. Defeat and disappointment are written all over him, from his battered expression to his hunched shoulders. Wordlessly, he slumps on the couch, tilting his head on the headrest, closing his eyes and pressing the heels of his palms against them.

"What's wrong?" I ask, scrambling to put together a plan to cheer him up. It'll have to be a great one. My usual shenanigans will not suffice. Tentatively, I sit on the couch, trying to assess how to best help him, to understand what he needs so I can give him just that. I wish he would look at me, but he's still in the time-out position, eyes closed. Finally, he looks at me.

"Read any news today?" 

"No, was too lost in my illustrations. What happened?"

Blake pulls out his smartphone, taps it twice, then hands it to me.

Bennett Enterprises: Will greed disintegrate the empire?

I read the entire article, which claims to have insider info that Sebastian is trying to take control over all shares. By the time I finish it, I feel cold.

"I don't understand."

"Remember I told you a lot of people are like Quentin and that idiot from We See You? Well, these are some of those people."

"But this article is a lie," I exclaim.

"Yeah, the press has a way of inventing dirt when they don't find any. That's what Shepperd was going to do on We See You."

I wince. "What?"

"Did some digging after you quit because I suspected he wouldn't give up just because he didn't have a story. He was planning to make up one."

"Was?"

He smiles a little. "Let's just say he and Quentin are no longer a threat. Actually, they no longer have a job, but that's another story."

"What did you do?"

"I've got my secrets."

Clearly, because I would never have pegged Blake for one to employ mafioso tactics, but then Quentin and Shepperd deserve whatever they got.

"This is what you meant when you said you fight your family's fights," I say in amazement. I find the family dynamics fascinating. The older ones protect the young ones, but the reverse is also true, so it all comes full circle.

"Yeah, but I didn't do that for them. I did it for you."

A knot lodges in my throat. "For me?"

He nods, and I suddenly become a bit misty-eyed. Pointing to the phone, I ask, "What about this?"

"I met with Sebastian and Logan last week to give them heads-up about Shepperd, and Sebastian said he'd caught wind that this would come out." He points to his phone. "I pulled all the strings to keep it from being published, but I couldn't stop it, damn it."

"I'm so sorry. How is Sebastian taking this?"

"He doesn't care at all what is being written about him. Says as long as the people he cares about know the truth, nothing else matters."

"That's a great approach."

I inspect Blake, trying to gauge exactly what's upsetting him, especially since Sebastian himself isn't bothered.

My people-reading skills aren't worth jack shit, but he has something on his mind. Since I can't guess, I'm gonna need words. Tucking my feet underneath me, I inch closer to him, then stand higher on my knees, facing him.

"Talk to me, Blake. What is eating away at you? Don't keep me out." The five-o'clock shadow grazes my lips as I kiss down his jaw, then back up on his cheek. I want to be helpful to him, but I can't do it if he doesn't open up. I want him to know that it's safe to show me his vulnerable side too, that he doesn't have to always be in his fun or strong or seductive mode for me. I nibble at his earlobe, then trace a straight line down his neck. A low grunt reverberates in his throat. I pull away, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Tell me, Blake," I beckon.

"I don't like letting my family down."

Ah, so this is the crux of the issue.

"You didn't," I say gently. "You gave your best, but sometimes even our best can't change the course of things." And then the real crux of the issue hits me. "You let yourself down, am I right?"

Surprise flickers in his eyes, but he nods. I place one hand on his chest without saying anything. I need to choose my words carefully.



       
         
       
        

"You're a good man, Blake. You're a great man. But some failure is inevitable, even when you have the best intentions."