“Okay?”
He wasn’t exactly alone in feeling that way. Kendrick and Ainsley didn’t make it a secret they hadn’t wanted me there either. While those thoughts popped in my head, Ronan continued.
“But now, after everything that’s happened, I realize I was wrong about you. I should have known better than to second-guess Dorian. It seems like whenever I question him, he always proves me wrong.”
He stopped and smiled at me. “Maybe someday I’ll get that through my thick fucking skull.”
I couldn’t help but smile back at him. “It sounds like you’ve known him for a long time.”
He nodded. “Oh yeah, going on fifteen years now, ever since basic training. We both wanted to be Navy SEALs but…”
Ronan was every bit as fit and strong as Dorian. That little tidbit didn’t surprise me but the fact they hadn’t stayed in the military kind of did. What I knew about Dorian and what I’d come to witness with Ronan… They seemed like they’d be perfect soldiers.
“You wanted to? What happened?”
Ronan exhaled. “For me? I’ll just say family obligations. I enlisted with my father’s blessing, but when he died unexpectedly, I had no choice but to come home and take over the family business. No one else was capable of doing it, least of all Malcolm.”
“Oh. What about Dorian?”
“Strange coincidence, really.” Ronan said. “Right around the time I went home, Dorian got a chance to scoop up some oil and gas rights on a small claim down in Louisiana. Nobody wanted them, thought they weren’t worth much. I guess it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. That son of a bitch hit the mother lode right at the beginning of the last boom. The rest is history, as they say.”
It was a lot to take in all at once. The conversation stopped for a bit. Ronan shifted his weight in the chair and looked at me.
“I also owe you another apology. I’m very sorry for everything that happened with Malcolm. Sorry you got caught in the middle of all that, hell, I’m just sorry. I’m not making excuses for him, but obviously he wasn’t well. He hadn’t been for a long time.”
When he finished speaking, I turned towards him. Only Ronan wasn’t looking in my direction anymore. Instead, he was staring straight ahead, a vacant look in his eyes, almost like he was in a state of shock.
In spite of all the mayhem Malcolm had caused, Ronan was his brother. I didn’t have any siblings of my own, but the grief he must have felt tugged at my own heart. I reached towards him, touching him on the forearm.
“Thank you, but you don’t need to apologize to me.” I said, trying to keep him from being so hard on himself. “I’m so sorry for your loss. Without you and the bravery you showed, I might not even be here. So really, I’m the one who should be thankful.”
He looked at me with a sad smile on his face. “Thank you for saying that. Sick though he was, I did lose my brother. The worst part is it didn’t have to end that way.”
This whole thing was so insane. Destruction and death, and for what? I had to know… So much had happened because of it. I felt like he was being open with me. What better time than now to ask?
“What was in the case, Ronan?”
Without blinking, he didn’t hesitate. “A copy of my birth certificate.”
A what? If somebody put a gun to my head and told me to write a list of one hundred things it could’ve been, his birth certificate wouldn’t have even been the one hundred and first.
I frowned at him, baffled.
“Remember earlier when I said my father wanted to put me in charge of the family business?”
I nodded. “Well that decision drove a permanent wedge between Malcolm and me. From the instant it happened, his behavior grew more and more erratic. Eventually, I was left with no choice but to establish a trust for him. Even so, it wasn’t long before he’d spent all the money I’d set aside. He was desperate.”
I wasn’t following. “But I don’t understand… Why would a birth certificate matter?”
“My parents immigrated from Russia, bringing me over as a baby. My U.S. citizenship is fraudulent. It always has been. Only a handful of people, including Malcolm, my folks, and now I suppose you, know this. It’s a complicated situation, but if I were ever exposed, it can potentially lead to endless lawsuits, my bankruptcy, and deportation.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” Ronan replied, nodding his head. “Wow is right. Unfortunately, the certificate in the case wasn’t an original. It was only a copy.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, aren’t you worried that the original is still floating around out there somewhere? Don’t you think it could surface?”
Ronan shrugged and exhaled. “If and when it does, I’ll deal with it. But either way, that’s my problem to face – not yours. You’ve already been through enough because of me.”
The look in his eyes… He seemed sincere and obviously distraught. I wanted to say something to make him feel better. Before I could, he continued.
“Listen… Dorian doesn’t know any of this. Like I said, it’s a closely guarded secret. Hell, even I didn’t know about it until after my father died. Even though I’ve trusted you with this information, I’d still like to be the one to tell him, man-to-man, brother-to-brother.”
I nodded at him. “I understand. I promise not to say a word.”
Ronan smiled at me. “I really appreciate that. You know, if it weren’t for you…”
Just then, the sound of the door opening distracted Ronan, causing him to turn and look. Ainsley walked out onto the veranda.
“I’ve been looking all over for you two. I…”
Thinking something must have happened with Dorian, I cut her off. “What is it? Is he okay?”
Ainsley continued walking, looking at me with a casual nod. “Yes, he’s the same. There hasn’t been any change.”
I clutched my hand over my chest. “Don’t scare me like that.”
“I’m sorry,” Ainsley replied, stopping in front of the chairs where Ronan and I sat. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
Ronan stood and gestured towards his seat. Ainsley didn’t say anything. Instead, she walked up to him and extended her hand, reaching for the bandage on his head and lightly touching it with her fingertips.
“That still looks really painful still, swollen. It must really hurt.”
“Ow! Damn, woman!” Ronan yelled, jerking his head back.
Ainsley reached for her mouth, covering it with both hands. “Oh my God, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I…”
While she stammered to get her words out, a huge smile spread across Ronan’s face.
Ainsley punched him in the upper arm. “Jerk! That wasn’t nice!”
“Who said I was nice?”
I couldn’t help but smile. Hell, I tried not to laugh.
“I really hate you sometimes,” Ainsley grumbled.
“Oh, I’m well aware of that. Believe me.”
Ronan looked down at me. “It’s been nice getting to know you a little bit. Hopefully, I’ll get to see you again soon under better circumstances.”