Coldhearted Heir (The Heirs Book 1)

by Michelle Heard

  I’m not afraid to admit my father is stronger than me, and he’ll probably wipe the floor with me.

  “Yeah, come on, little Chargill,” Uncle Falcon taunts.

  “Oh, I see how it is,” I grin as I get up. I shrug out of my jacket and drop it on the vacated chair.

  Our parents only outnumber us with one person. The girls stand close to the net while the guys form a half-circle around them.

  “Remember the rules,” Uncle Julian calls out.

  “Yeah, there are no rules,” Jase chuckles as he sends the ball flying into the air towards his father.

  But Uncle Lake jumps high, blocking the ball before he smacks it so hard it flies right over our heads. “Scooooorrrre!!!!!” He jumps on Dad and Uncle Falcon, who gives my team smug grins.

  “Just a lucky shot,” Forest grumbles as he tosses the ball to Jase, who immediately serves before the other team is ready.

  I let out a bark of laughter as Aunty Lee starts shouting in Korean, “Omeo! Omeo!” She ducks just as my mom dives forward, managing to hit the ball.

  “Badass, Mom,” I call out. My little sister hits the ball back, and soon we might as well be watching a tennis match between Mom and Aria.

  “I’m hungry,” Uncle Lake complains, and then he walks toward the grill.

  “Yeah, me too,” Jase agrees, following right behind him.

  We all head back to the veranda, leaving Aria and Mom to battle it out.

  It’s only when I glance back that I notice Forest standing on the sidelines, his eyes not leaving Aria.

  “He keeps saying they’re just best friends,” Fallon suddenly talks from next to me.

  “Yeah?” Aria sneaks a look at Forest and her already flushed face, reddens more. “You think our siblings are more than friends?”

  “It would be awesome, don’t you think?” Fallon wraps her arm around my waist. “That way, we’ll be in-laws.”

  “Only time will tell,” I muse. My gaze goes back to Forest, and seeing the affectionate expression on his face makes me smile.

  I’d thank my lucky stars if I can get Forest for a brother-in-law. Then I won’t have to worry about my little sister and all the perverts out there when she starts at Trinity next year.

  Fallon turns to face me, then says, “I managed to talk to Colton. He said he’d be in town soon, then he’ll talk with Jade.”

  I tilt my head and give Fallon an apprehensive look. “I still don’t think that’s a good idea. Sometimes it’s best to leave sleeping dogs lie.”

  “This war between you and Jade is the furthest thing from a sleeping dog.”

  “What about a sleeping dog?” Uncle Lake suddenly asks.

  “Oh, nothing,” Fallon says quickly, then she grins at Uncle Lake. “Nice goal.”

  I go take my seat next to Dad, and while my family and friends make jokes and their laughter form a protective bubble around me, I can’t help but feel there’s a storm coming.

  JADE

  After the hectic weekend, I spend my Monday afternoon working on my assignments, so I don’t fall behind.

  I’ve decided to study toward an MBA, so I can join the family business and work alongside my dad. Hana’s the only one out of the four of us who’s studying law, just like her father did.

  There’s a soft knock at my door, and then Fallon peeks into the room. “Hey, are you busy?”

  Shaking my head, I smile at her. “Just working on an assignment. What’s up?”

  Entering, she shuts the door behind her, then takes a seat on the edge of my bed. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  I turn in my chair, so I can face her.

  “First, hear me out, okay.” She takes a deep breath and waits for me to nod before she continues, “I’ve contacted Colton, Brady’s older brother.”

  “Wh–” After Brady’s death, I tried to contact Colton and Mrs. Lawson, but their numbers must’ve changed, and after a while, I gave up.

  Holding up a hand, she stops my question. “Let me explain before you ask questions.” The serious expression on her face has worry niggling at my insides. “This thing between you and Hunter is starting to affect the whole group. It’s time to find out what really happened when Hunter took Brady home. I asked Preston, Uncle Mason’s brainy assistant, to find Colton. Colton has agreed to come and talk with you. I really think you should see him so you can get closure on what happened.”

  I stare at Fallon with wide eyes while her words shudder through me with both a sense of relief and apprehension. “Ahh…” I’m a little overwhelmed and first need to process all of this. Getting up, I go to sit next to Fallon.

  She must see the nervousness written all over my face because she reaches for my hand. “If you want, I’ll go with you to meet Colton.”

  “You’ve already done so much,” I whisper. I finally manage to work through the initial shock and try to smile at my friend. “Thank you for finding him. I tried to contact him but figured he changed his number. Did he say when we’ll be able to meet?”

  Fallon shakes her head. “He said he’d call when he gets into town, but I’ll forward you his number so you can get in touch with him.”

  I nod, and as the reality of Fallon’s words sink in a weird emotion wiggles its way into my heart. It’s along the lines of unease.

  “I just wanted to let you know, so you’re not caught off guard. I’ll let you finish your assignment.” Fallon gets up but then pauses. “Are you okay?”

  I nod and force a smile around my lips. “Yeah, it’s just a weird feeling knowing I’ll hopefully get some answers for all my questions.”

  Fallon gives me a supportive smile. “I think it will be best so you can move on.”

  “You’re right.” Getting up, I give Fallon a hug. “Thank you.”

  “Sure.” As she pulls back, she asks, “Are we still starting Smallville tonight, or do you need a raincheck?”

  “Mila will kill us if we postpone. She wanted to start watching the series last Monday already.”

  Chuckling, Fallon agrees, “Yeah, let’s not risk our lives. I’ll go to the store for some snacks so we can pig out while drooling over Clark Kent.”

  “Great. I’ll finish up here.”

  When Fallon leaves my room, I sit down by my desk again and stare at my laptop.

  Will I finally get answers?

  My mind is whirling with all the questions I have. Did Brady leave a letter behind? What happened when Hunter dropped off Brady at home? Were there any signs before Brady committed suicide?

  I need to know the truth, but a nervous feeling spins a web in my stomach.

  What if there were signs and I didn’t notice them? What if I could’ve stopped Brady, but I didn’t? What if it’s my fault and Hunter really didn’t have anything to do with it?

  Chapter 11

  JADE

  The couple of times I’ve seen Hunter around the suite or campus, he didn’t try to talk to me. Lucky for me because I’m too busy worrying about meeting with Colton to think about the kiss or anything else for that matter. Yesterday I got Colton’s number from Fallon, and now I’m staring at my phone, feeling anxious as I read our short conversation.

  Me: Hi, Colton. It’s Jade. I got your number from Fallon Reyes. Can I call you?

  Colton: I’ll be in town today and will stop by Trinity. Face to face will be best.

  Me: Ok.

  I haven’t heard anything since the messages, and even though I’m tempted to call Colton, I don’t want to come across as being pushy. I’ll give him time, and if I haven’t heard from him by the end of the day, I’ll make the call.

  For now, I need to focus on school. Having to stop by the library for the Ethics in Economics book, I asked them to keep for me, I tuck my phone in my pocket and grab my keycard for the suite. I walk out of my room toward the living room but slow a little when I see Hunter and Jase sitting on the couch.

  Jase lets out a holler, thrusting his fist into the air. “Yasssss!” Then he pats Hunt
er on the shoulder and holds out his hand. “Pay up.”

  Hunter pulls his wallet from his pocket and retrieves a couple of dollars. Shoving it in Jase’s hand, he grumbles, “That was all luck.”

  I do my best to not make eye contact with Hunter and instead glance at the TV screen.

  Seeing that they’re watching reruns of Jeopardy, I ask, “What are you betting on?”

  Jase grins at me. “Who will win. Hunter keeps losing.”

  I nod as I say, “If you see Mila, will you tell her I’m at the library? She’s waiting for a book to be returned. If she wants me to check, she can shoot me a message.”

  “Why don’t you just call her?” Jase asks while he tucks his winnings in his pocket.

  “She’s in class at the moment, but I did send her a text.” Walking to the front door, I wave without looking at the guys in fear that I’ll accidentally lock eyes with Hunter. “See you later.” Slipping out of the suite, I let out a deep breath.

  “That wasn’t awkward at all,” I mumble to myself as I walk to the elevator. Knowing I won’t have to see Hunter for as long as I’m at the library, the tension eases out of my body.

  I know at some point I’ll have to face the fact we kissed, but if I have my way, it won’t be happening anytime soon.

  I walk out the building, and while glancing around, I turn toward the Library. It’s a beautiful day out, and there’s even a breeze in the air to help keep the heat at bay. Walking through the park, I take my time, so I can enjoy being outside and because I’m in no hurry to go back to the suite.

  After getting the book, I’ll head over to the restaurant for an early dinner, and then I can take a walk down one of the trails. That will buy me a couple of hours.

  Trying to come up with things I can do so I don’t have to see Hunter for the rest of the day, surprise ripples through me when someone grabs hold of my arm. “Jade.”

  My eyes dart to the face of the person talking to me, and then recognition dawns on me. “Colton.” My voice is high-pitched with shock. Even though he agreed to meet, I didn’t actually expect him to show up. “You came.” I don’t mean for it to sound like a question, but I’m filled with disbelief that Colton’s standing in front of me after all this time.

  Colton leans in and gives me a hug, and when he pulls back, he says, “Yeah, I was on my way to your dorm. I’m sorry I didn’t contact you sooner.”

  “I tried to call you after the funeral,” I say, a nostalgic pang hitting me square in the chest. Looking at Colton, I catch glimpses of Brady’s face, and it only makes sadness bleed through me. I was starting to forget what Brady looked like, and I didn’t even notice.

  Glancing around, I spot a bench, and I gesture toward it. “Let’s go sit.”

  Reaching the bench, I take a seat and wait for Colton to do the same before I ask, “How have you been? How are your parents?” I keep staring at the likeness of Brady I see in Colton’s features.

  “My mom’s getting there. Brady’s death hit her hard. At first, she was focused on getting us settled in the new house, but then she slipped into a deep depression.” he says, sorrow tainting his voice. “The only good thing that happened the past two years is that my mom finally divorced that asshole excuse for a father we had. Your friend, Fallon, said you wanted to know what happened the night Brady passed?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry your parents got divorced.” Hearing how hard things have been for the Lawsons, makes me feel guilty for not trying harder to reach out to them. They suffered a tragic loss as well. “I didn’t want to ask you any questions at the funeral, and a couple of weeks afterward, I couldn’t get a hold of you,” I explain my silence even though it now just feels like a selfish excuse.

  Colton takes a deep breath and sadness trembles in his eyes. “We changed our numbers when we cut all contact with my father.” He shakes his head and resting his elbows on his knees, he stares down at his hands.

  I can see this is hard for Colton, and I don’t want to push him for answers, so I sit patiently by his side and wait for him to open up to me about the happenings of that night.

  After a long moment of silence, Colton shakes his head. “I should’ve protected Brady more. It’s just… I was so fucking tired myself.”

  Colton’s words only make more questions pop into my head, but I bite them back.

  “Since birth, Brady was the sensitive one, and he took it so much harder than me,” Colton admits. Bringing his gaze to mine, he explains, “Our father wasn’t the loving parent you always saw whenever you paid us a visit. He never missed a chance to let us know how pathetic he thought we were. After you and Brady started dating, things got worse. He’d constantly rant at Brady, telling him he’d never be good enough for you.” Colton pauses for a moment. “Brady started believing everything the old man spewed at him, no matter how hard I tried to tell him any different.”

  The news doesn’t hit me like a lightning bolt. Instead, it feels like I’m slowly being drowned. It’s becoming harder to breathe as pain fills my chest. “Mr. Lawson was abusive?” I ask for clarity.

  Colton nods. “He never got physical, but damn, sometimes I think it would’ve hurt less if he’d just hit us, instead of laying into us with his rants of how useless we were.”

  Hearing Brady was abused is breaking my heart all over again. He was so sweet and wouldn’t hurt a fly. Tears well in my eyes and unable to stop them, they spill over my cheeks.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from the overwhelming feelings. I know the full impact of Colton’s words hasn’t hit me yet. It feels like I’m stuck in the calm before the storm. “I wish I had known. I would’ve tried to help.”

  Colton lets out a deep breath and glances at me. Seeing my tears, he awkwardly places an arm around my shoulders. “We didn’t want anyone to know. Back then, we both believed we were worthless.”

  Brady ended his life because he didn’t feel like he was worth anything?

  Oh, my God.

  I suck in a painful breath before I say, “He meant everything to me. I loved Brady with all of my heart. Didn’t he know that?”

  Slowly Colton rubs his hand over my back. “He knew, Jade. He just couldn’t handle the abuse any longer. It broke him.”

  Lifting my hand to my face, I cover my mouth to muffle the sob escaping my lips.

  Brady was always so loving toward me. I try to remember our time together, but still, I can’t find any signs that Brady was being abused at home.

  “What happened the night he… he…” I can’t bring myself to say the words.

  Colton pulls his arm back and rests his elbows on his knees again. Staring out over the campus, he says, “When Brady got home from the party, he was upset.”

  What did Hunter do to upset Brady?

  Before I can voice the question, Colton continues, “We were in our room. Brady admitted to me that you were ready to take your relationship to the next step.”

  My eyes widen, and I shift uncomfortably on the bench.

  “He didn’t believe he deserved a girl like you. I tried to tell him he did and that your feelings for each other were all that mattered.”

  I wipe a trail of tears from my cheek. It feels like my heart is splitting right down the middle. Back then, all I thought about was having sex with Brady, and not once did I consider that he might not be ready.

  I close my eyes against the pain the realization causes.

  “Our dad overheard the conversation, and he laid into Brady again.” Colton sucks in some air and lightly shakes his head. “I should’ve stayed at home, but I got so angry and not wanting to make things worse, I left.” Colton brings his devastated eyes to mine. “If I had stayed at home that night, Brady would still be here.”

  I shake my head and impulsively wrap my arms around Colton, hugging him. “It was your father’s fault,” I try to console him.

  And Hunter’s.

  I’m about to ask the question when Colton pulls back and shakes his head at me. “It w
as also my mother’s fault and mine. We all knew he was an abusive bastard, but none of us did anything. We all worked our asses off to hide our dirty family secret.”

  Knowing Colton needs to hear the words, I say, “Brady loved you so much. He always said how lucky he was to have a big brother like you.”

  “Some big brother I was.” Colton chokes on the words, and my hand darts up to pat his back. “I wasn’t there when he needed me most. I left him to deal with that asshole all alone.”

  “I’m so sorry, Colton,” I whisper. “I can’t begin to imagine how bad things were. I should’ve seen the signs as well.”

  We sit in silence with our guilt and loss.

  Knowing I could’ve done something to help Brady if only I had known, eats away at my soul. My tears dry up because I have no right to shed them. I let a loved one down, and it makes me wonder what else I’ve been blind to in my life.

  I’m filled with numbing heartbreak and disappointment in myself as a human being.

  Colton gets up, and a weak smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I know it doesn’t offer much closure, but I thought you should know why Brady committed suicide.”

  I rise to my feet and nodding, I give his arm a squeeze. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. Are you going to be in town for a while? I’d like to meet up for coffee or dinner.”

  Colton shakes his head. “I’m heading to Los Angeles for a meeting and then back home. But you have my number. Let’s stay in contact this time.”

  I nod and struggle to keep the tears back as Colton leans down and folds me in a hug. “You were the best thing that happened to Brady,” he whispers.

  Through a blur of pain, I try to smile at Colton. “Thanks for coming.” The words are thick, and my throat is starting to ache from the fight to not break down in front of Colton.

  “I have to go, but I hope you’re happy here.” He glances around the campus again, and I take the moment to look at his face.

  Same soft brown eyes as Brady.

  Same brown hair.