The casual response triggered Harrison's well-honed instincts for deception. Harry had always been transparent to a fault, even as a child. The deliberate vagueness felt like camouflage.
"What kind of things?"
Harry's fingers drummed once against his knee before he caught himself. "Just checking on someone. Nothing business-related."
The silence stretched between them, Harrison's gaze never wavering from his son's face. He'd built a multimillion-dollar company by reading people accurately, and right now Harry was broadcasting discomfort like a neon sign.
"Don't do anything stupid," Harrison said finally, his voice carrying the weight of years of carefully controlled disappointment. "You have responsibilities now, and I expect you to handle them with appropriate discretion."
Harry's jaw tightened, offering a flash of the Blackwood backbone that rarely surfaced. "I know how to handle my responsibilities, Dad."
"Do you?" Harrison's tone remained conversational, but the underlying threat was unmistakable. "Because we both know what’s happened in the past when you thought everything was under control. One moment of poor judgment nearly destroyed everything I'd spent decades building."
The reference to Harry's college mistakes hit its target. Harrison watched his son's face pale slightly. He saw the familiar mixture of shame and resentment that always surfaced when they touched on this particular history.
"That was years ago," Harry said quietly. "I'm not the same person I was then."
Harrison stood slowly, his imposing frame casting a shadow across the desk. At six-foot-three, he'd learned early how physical presence could reinforce verbal authority. "No, you're not. You're someone who understands consequences now. Someone who knows that every decision ripples outward in ways we can't always predict or control."
Harry rose as well, but something in his posture suggested he was fighting the urge to step backward. "I understand that."
"I hope you do." Harrison moved to the window, gazing out at the bay where a sleek yacht was navigating toward the marina. "Because everything we've built… this company, our reputation, our family's security, it all depends on maintaining certain standards. Certain... discretions."
The word hung in the air between them, loaded with implications that went far beyond simple business ethics. Harrison had spent years cleaning up the mess Harry had created, expanding Blackwood Luxury Custom Homes in directions he'd never intended, accepting partnerships and obligations that still kept him awake some nights.
"I won't let you down," Harry said, but his voice carried a note of defiance that concerned Harrison more than submission would have.
Harrison turned back to face his son, noting the set of Harry's shoulders and the slight lift of his chin. "See that you don't. Because if you bring unwanted attention to our operations… if you so much as create a ripple that threatens what we've built… I won't be able to protect you again."
"You've never had to protect me from anything I couldn't handle myself," Harry replied, the words coming out sharper than he'd probably intended.
Harrison's smile was cold and calculated. "Haven't I? Tell me, Son, where would you be right now if I hadn't made certain arrangements back when you were in college? If I hadn't agreedto... expand our business model to keep your college mistakes from destroying your future?"
Harry's jaw tightened. Harrison had to give him credit for that, even as he noted how his son's hands clenched into fists at his sides.
"That's ancient history," Harry said.
"Nothing is ancient history in this business," Harrison replied quietly. "Every decision we've made, every dollar we've moved, every charitable contribution we've processed—it's all connected. And it all traces back to choices that seemed insurmountable at the time."
The intercom buzzed, interrupting the tension. "Mr. Blackwood? Your two thirty appointment is here."
Harrison straightened his silk tie and smoothed his silver hair, the mask of the successful businessman sliding back into place effortlessly. "We're finished here. Remember what I said about this weekend."
Harry turned toward the door, then paused with his hand on the polished brass handle. "Dad? Tomorrow night... it really isn't anything that will cause problems. I promise."
Harrison watched his son's retreating figure, noting the slight rigidity in Harry's shoulders and the careful control in his movements. Harrison still thought of him as the reckless college student who'd nearly destroyed everything, but noticed how he carried himself differently these days. There was a confidence there that hadn't existed years ago, a sense of purpose that both pleased and concerned Harrison in equal measure.
After the door closed, Harrison returned to his desk but found himself staring out at the bay instead of focusing on the blueprints. Harry had learned discretion, but Harrison sensed his son had also learned other skills and connections that existed outside the business world Harrison had built.
The irony wasn't lost on him. In saving Harry from the consequences of his college mistakes, Harrison had been forced to enter into arrangements that compromised everything he'd once stood for. Now it seemed Harry might be developing his own side interests, his own methods of generating income that operated in the shadows of their legitimate business.
Harrison pulled out his private phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the number he needed. The call was answered on the second ring.
"It's me," Harrison said without preamble. "I may need you to keep an eye on my son. He's exhibiting some concerning behaviors."
"Any particular areas of concern?"
Harrison watched a fishing boat navigate the choppy waters beyond the marina, thinking about the delicate balance of power and protection that defined his relationship with Harry. "He's developing independence. In our business, that can be either an asset or a liability. I need to know which one we're dealing with."
