229 Barbaric

Hertz left the hospital. He was half willing to call Cole. The way he lost in the court against them, it was simply shameful. And all because his clients never told him the shady details. He decided to leave a simple message to Cole. After that the child could decide what he wanted. Eventually the whole business was about to collapse and he wasn't interested in helping them rebuild the business—not after they conned him. 

--- 

Daryn had taken Dawn to the cottage in the mountains and for the next few days, they just relaxed. Neal and Cole would often come and they would all have fun. So many times Neal and Cole had gone cliff diving much to Dawn's chagrin, but the sport thoroughly captivated Cole. He wondered if Quetz would like it and he wished that he went cliff diving with him. 

Dawn's appetite had increased tremendously. There was not a day that she wouldn't go eating in between the meals also. It had been seven days and all of them were sitting on lounge chairs on the deck. Dawn was lying on Daryn's chest reading a book, as he dozed off to sleep. The sun was so good here and she was in her bikini. The cool breeze over the waterfall made the day's temperature so ambient that they loved spending the entire day over there. 

Cole and Neal were playing chess, a game that Cole had mastered with the help of Gayle. Wearing only plain Bermudas, the boys had gone to the length of applying sunscreen on their bodies. "It is frigging cold, though," said Cole as he applied the sunscreen. 

"Wear it!" said Neal. "This place is high on altitudes and unless you want to get a sun-kissed skin or a tan-line, you would want to apply it." He had tossed the tube to him. 

His phone had beeped with a missed call from one of his friends. And every time someone called, he jumped. Hertz had messaged him a week back. After all he had gone through, the message was unsettling. 

The message was still stored in Cole's phone and he hadn't responded. The message said,

[Hello Cole, Your Grandmother, Lily wants to meet you and discuss the business. Thanks, Hertz]

The word, 'Grandmother' left him seething and every time he saw the message he had an urge to delete it. 

"Check!" Neal said, drawing his attention to the game. The white queen was about to take down the black knight and the king was under attack. 

Cole easily defended his knight and saved the king too. 

She flipped a page of her book and said, "Hmm…" absentmindedly. Daryn had told her that they could do whatever they like, they were behind the bars for a long time to come. Dawn was interested in only one thing, which was to get back to her family business. 

Sensing her movement, Daryn tightened his grip over her waist and dozed off again. 

"Don't you want to go and check upon your family business?" 

Dawn took a deep breath. She laid the book flat on her chest and looked at the sky. She wanted to, but she didn't know how. 

Cole was absolutely quiet. A muscle in his jaw feathered. 

"I do want to go and review it but things aren't that easy. With Lily Wyatt still over there, I am sure she wouldn't let me enter," Dawn said with a sigh. Her fingers circled Daryn's arms lazily. 

"When are they auctioning the refinery?" 

She shrugged. "Who knows? These things take time." 

Neal made another counter move, suddenly finding his white queen under aggressive attack from the black pawns and bishop. He frowned at Cole. 

"Hey, What about the Wyatt's Golf Course? Don't you want to go and see that too?" 

A smile wormed on her lips. "I would love to, Neal," she replied. But was hesitant in visiting. The mention of the name brought forward so many memories. 

Another hostile attack and Neal was grunting. "You don't have to be so barbaric Cole!" He pointed out his fallen chess pieces. "Aren't you happy taking them down?" 

"No," he replied coldly and then took down another one of his white pawns. 

"Geez!" Neal said, exasperated. He had never been over the edge for a long time and this boy was just sending him there again and again. He made another move. 

"Dawn, you must hit when the iron is hot," he advised. "Maybe it is time that you make your presence felt." He pointed at Daryn with his chin. "Your husband has been taking over businesses, chopping them down to eliminate competition, or helping them grow, all his life. Why don't you ask for his help?" 

Removing her book, she turned over to the other side inviting a groan from the man beneath her. "Are you fine baby?" he asked in a hoarse whisper. 

She stroked his chest in answer and he went off to sleep. 

"I don't want to burden him more than what he is already facing…" she replied. "I'll think of something." But at the moment she wanted to sleep over her husband. These moments were so rare. Quetz had been pushing her to resume exploring her magic, which she didn't understand why. These days she just wanted to eat, sleep and loll. 

Cole couldn't hide it anymore. "Dawn?" he called her. 

"Yes bro?" she asked lazily. "I am not going to fetch food for you guys. Do it on your own." 

"Hertz had messaged me a week back." 

Neal stopped playing and stared at the kid in front of him. He raised an eyebrow. 

Dawn's body became tense. She turned to look at him with inquisitive eyes. Why was the lawyer contacting him? "What message?" she asked in a low, urgent, nervous voice. 

"Lily Wyatt wants to see me," he replied grumpily. "And I don't want to go." 

"You got that message a week back?" 

"Yes," he nodded. 

Dawn poked her tongue in her cheek and scratched her forehead. She got up and sat in Daryn's lap. "Baby?" he frowned as he woke up, not liking to part from the warm body of his mate. She was looking intently at Neal.

Neal's eyes had a shine in them. He tilted his head and smiled. 

"Whatever you are thinking Neal—I am not going to be a part of it," said Cole raising his hands up in the air realizing that Neal's mind was cooking up something. That woman gave him creeps and he didn't want to have anything to do with her. 

--- 

Lily Wyatt was discharged from the hospital after four days. She had repeatedly asked Hertz whether he had sent the message or not and finally when Hertz had sent her the screenshot, she believed in him. She was now waiting for Cole to visit her, but it had been seven days. She hadn't heard anything about them.