Shock held him rooted to the spot for long seconds after she spat the words at him. His father had been killed in a car accident when he’d been eight, leaving him and his mother shattered. Gary had been his father’s business partner, a man his mother had trusted and relied on. When she fell in love with him, and then married the man just two years later, the entire community had been overjoyed for her. As for him, being a ten-year-old boy, he’d only wanted a father figure and he’d know Gary for a long time, he’d been like an uncle. However, Gary was the farthest thing from what he’d deem a father, or maybe he hadn’t wanted to be a stepfather. Gary had hidden his dislike of Scott from everyone, until after the wedding, and then he made sure Scott knew how things were going to work. He’d been a child and hopeful he and Gary could...he didn’t really have a clue what he’d thought, but he’d been young and missed his dad something fierce. What he hadn’t known was he’d been the one who ultimately held all the power within Haven Corp, which in turn made his stepdad hate him even more. However, it did make the other man have to be nice to him, or at least, he had to pretend when they were in public. He'd always wondered if the other man wished him dead, but again, his father had protected him through his will, leaving the company to him, and if in the event of Scott’s death, the company went to trustees, not the widow. Smart man, his father. Haven Corp was built by his grandfather, then made into more by his dad. Scott decided he wasn’t making it more, though. Gary could continue working for him and the company while he went out and did good for his country.
Angel though, she was throwing a curveball into his life.
How the hell could he not have known they’d adopted Talena, his beloved sister? Gary, his stepdad loved Talena like she was his own, yet he’d treated him as if he was a second-class citizen at best. It made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Surely, his mother would’ve told him? They were close, always had been. Hell, they all three looked alike, from the light blond hair to their blue eyes. Sure, he and his mother’s eyes were lighter, but they’d been told their entire lives how much they resembled their mom.
“You don’t believe me?” Angela asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks, tears she could turn on or off just as quickly.
“We look alike,” he blurted. Fuck, that sounded stupid even to his own ears. Many people resembled others without being related.
Her mirthless laugh had him clenching his jaw. “Listen, I’m sorry about—your situation. Hell, it feels awful calling a baby a situation. You should be overjoyed. I’ll support you as a friend and a brother. You know as good as anyone I’m not a good catch.” No more fuck buddies for them, that was a given.
She sliced her hand through the air, a scream escaping her. “You’ll support me? You don’t have a clue what’s going to happen to me. Oh god. I’ve got to get out of here.”
Scott stepped in front of her when she moved toward the door. Her wild outburst different than any he’d witnessed. “What are you going to do? You need to calm the fuck down.”
“It’s none of your business. I needed you to help me, but you clearly won’t. I’ll handle it.” She shoved at his chest.
“What do you mean, you’ll handle it?” Shit, was she going to get rid of her baby? He raked a hand over his head. His hair was in need of a good cut, but when they went out on missions, they needed to blend in. Fuck, he didn’t have time for this bullshit. When he came home, he wanted to see his family, rest a bit, then go back in with a clear head after fucking a woman or three.
“Listen, Hollywood, you worry about yourself like you always do, and I’ll worry about myself, like I’ve always done. As for our little sis, remember what I said. She’s no more blood than I am, and daddy dearest will have his sights set on her next,” she sneered.
While he was trying to come to terms with what she was saying, she managed to push past him, using his confusion to her advantage. In those few moments, Angela was down the hall and entering the elevator.
“Angela, hold up, let me help you.” He rushed into the hall, his bare feet slapping against the concrete floor.
She met his eyes seconds before the doors closed, resolution in her own, confusion in his. Scott thought about running down the stairs and demanding she tell him what she was going to do, but he really had no say. She wasn’t his anything except stepsister he slept with when he was on leave occasionally. Sure, he loved her, but he wasn’t in love with her, and she didn’t love him like that either. “Fuck,” he muttered, walking back into his apartment, slamming the door behind him. There’s one thing that was drilled into him to remember to do when he was in combat. No matter what the situation, no matter whose life was at stake, or how high the risks, always stay in control, never panic. Right now, he was doing his best to remember that.
“It's never as good as it seems, and it's never as bad as it seems, but keep your head and there's always a way out,” he murmured, wishing he’d said that to Angela.
The day after tomorrow he was due to go back to North Carolina before his next assignment sent him out for God knew how long. Shit, for all he knew, he’d be gone when Angela had her baby. Shit, he needed to call her and then call his mom. Although he wasn’t going to claim the child, he needed to make sure she was okay. Angela’s bombshell about Talena’s paternity had sent him reeling. There was one thing he was certain of, and that was if you wanted to know the truth, you go to the source.
He padded to the kitchen island, swiping up his cell and hit speed dial for his mom, Tara Haven-Dupont. Although she’d married Gary Dupont, she’d never dropped his dad’s name. Strangely enough, she’d also given his sister Talena the hyphenated name as well. The ringing on the other end seemed to go on and on. Scott was sure it had probably only rung a few times, but he was about to hang up, so he didn’t go into her voicemail. He jerked the phone back to his ear at the sound of his mom’s sweet voice coming across the line.
“Hey, Scotty, what’s the matter?” she asked, concern lacing her words.
She’d always worried about him and his sister growing up, that concern included Angela when she’d been in their home. “Hi, mom. Are you at home?” For some reason he didn’t want to ask her such an important thing over the phone.
“Yes, I’m watching Talena and a couple of her friends swim. Why, is everything okay? Do you need me to come over there?” Panic had her tone getting sharper.
“No, nothing like that. I was going to come over and see you before I fly out,” he told her.
“I really wish you would consider getting out at the end of your term.”
He was used to her request; she’d been saying the same thing since he’d reenlisted a year ago. He still had three years to go, unless he was injured, which he hoped like hell didn’t happen. “We’ll see, mom. If it’s okay with you, I’m gonna come on over.” He wouldn’t tell her it was called End of Active Service, or EAS, many called it term or enlistment. Tara was his mom, and she didn’t care what they called it. She wanted him to quit and come home, end of story.
“That sounds serious. Are you sure everything is okay? Oh, no, are you sick or hurt? Did you get shot again?”