Chapter 29
After going on a wild goose chase looking for Ursula Evans—apparently, she’d quit her job at the shop to work in a chemical company’s R he knew his way around things. Besides, Leo would have taken the fall, uncaring if he lost the company and all this newly acquired wealth. Alone, he had no use for it. But now…
He dropped his head into his hands. I’m going to lose all this. Johnny is right, there is no way I can protect you now.
They’ll have to get the cops involved with this. Molly read through the page again. Embezzlement takes ages to work through. Besides, the cops will find nothing.
But of course, this was his platinum-spoon brother who cared more about reputation than legalities. He’ll want to settle out of court. And if I go to the cops, Johnny likely has them in his pockets.
Molly shuffled in her seat, her head shaking. No, no. I have a… well, I had a cop… acquaintance. My old friend’s lover I told you about? I could ask her.
Leo raised his brows. To do what, Molly?
She reached out and touched his hand. My expertise and your resources can squash this.
But she didn’t understand it. I don’t have any resources, Molly. A charge like this means I lose everything. I can’t access any of Buchanan Security’s assets. I can’t seek help from the company. I can’t protect you from Johnny anymore.
Unable to sit next to her with their legs brushing each other, Leo stood up. He wanted to punch something, preferably something that looked like Knox. That bastard had pulled the rug out from under him, just like waves on the beach when you stood still on the shore for too long.
Leo didn’t like the man like a brother ought to, but he had trusted him. They might have been raised in different income classes, but they had gone through something similar. In retrospect, those visits to Leo’s office, the meeting they’d shared in confidence about Barker, had all been a setup.
Would he have caught Newtar and Knox’s clandestine work if he’d been attentive from the start?
I don’t need you to protect me. You promised to fight with me. This isn’t you.
Leo whirled around. This is who I am; this is what I do.
I can’t protect the people I care most about.
He swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand.
Then he clutched his neck. Molly, I couldn’t protect my mother.
I knew when I asked you to stay that I was putting you in danger.
I am selfish. I couldn’t live with the thought of not seeing you or Rose again.
So I begged you to stay in this stupid hell-hole of a situation.
You could’ve run away, but now here you are, without a shield from Johnny’s attacks.
To her credit, Molly didn’t retort or try to tell him he was exaggerating.
So you knew Johnny would pull something like this?
That was the worst thing ever. Fucking selfish. He dropped his gaze to the floor. I should have been prepared. Bad luck just follows me around.
Fuck! He hated himself, this whole situation. History was repeating itself, and Leo had done nothing to change the outcome from last time.
Molly crossed her arms. What happened to your mother?
Leo clenched his jaw hard, his breathing harsh. This wasn’t the time to talk about his past. Molly had to take Rose and run. But he knew her well enough. If he told her to go, she wouldn’t. Maybe if he shocked her with the truth about his mother’s death, she would run.
Taking a huge breath, he launched into the worst nightmare of his life.
My mother worked so much, she never had a second to rest. She put me through school, allowed me to join training classes for football.
It was expensive, but I wanted to play, and I never asked if it was too much of a strain on our finances.
I worked part time, but I could have picked up extra shifts, perhaps not played football and lessened the financial burden.
He continued, gaze transfixed to the floor, unable to fight against the memories that flooded back to him.
One day, she came home and said she was feeling sick.
Stomach ache. We thought it was a bug, so she decided to sleep it off.
That’s how she did things. No days off or going to the GP.
The ache worsened, so we went to A and E.
Turns out it was cancer. She was gone a few days later.
A silence fell in the room now. His heart a bit too silent, as if standing back and reminding him of his failures as a son.
If she hadn’t been working so hard, we’d have found it sooner.
And she would have lived. If David had shared this wealth with us earlier, she wouldn’t have had to work so hard.
Leo shut his eyes. I should have noticed something was off with her.
I didn’t. And now, here I am with my head buried in the sand again.
I am not capable of protecting you or Rose.
Molly’s feet were light on the floor as she came to stand beside him. So now you plan to step back, and what? Leave us out for Johnny to pluck?
He didn’t know what the hell he could do. But him being in the picture would just make it worse.
Molly wasn’t done. “I don’t believe a teenaged Leo was selfish to play football.
And you did work, you just told me. If it were too much, your mother should have told you that it was.
Look, I didn’t know her, but I know you.
You’re not a selfish man, Leo. Fuck, you prioritised two people you are not legally or blood-bound to over and over. You’ve never let us down.
I’m sure it was the same with your mother.
I’m sure you loved her, did everything for her.
But guess what, life can be a bitch sometimes.
It gets you when and where you least expect it.
Doesn’t mean you blame yourself for something that frankly wasn’t in your control.
Your mother would hate it. No, let me rephrase that.
If you were Rose, and she had regrets like you do about me, I’d be pissed at her. I want my child to be free and happy.
Leo shook his head. They all told me. And they were right.
Molly placed her fists on her hips. Who all told you? Whoever those bastards are, they weren’t correct. You aren’t a doctor. And you aren’t an all-seeing God. So stay and fight alongside me. If you tell me you want to fight my battles, I’ll gut you myself.
I can’t, Molly. I-I need to think. Leo dropped his hands to his sides, helplessly. I need time. Please. I’m sorry.
With those abstract yet ominous words, the wee shite headed to the door and walked away.