After making certain Mason was still sleeping, Sawyer sped up, wanting to have the maximum time to look at the RVs for sale, hoping to persuade his brother to buy the one he’d found online. When Mac explained why they needed an RV, Sawyer saw it as an opportunity to live his dreams of traveling around the country once they returned from California, hopefully with one of his brothers along for company.
He anticipated the eye rolling when he announced his plans—just another of his spur-of-the-moment decisions his brothers would say, but they’d be wrong. The thought of having the freedom to go where the road took him, staying as long as he liked before packing up and moving on, was the dream that sustained him through the tragedy of losing both parents within a relatively short period of time. And when he thought about it, it was one of the best plans he’d ever come up with.
~/~/~/~/~
Checking the time, Carson quickly grabbed the file before leaving for his meeting with Jackson and Steel. During his restless night, he finally gave up any pretense of sleep, heading outside where he shifted. The hour long run did both him and his wolf good, taking the edge off his anger and his wolf’s need to attack a threat. Cursing his father for failing to show him the proper way to control himself and his wolf, Carson felt like a youngpup—a constant embarrassment to himself. All his brothers—even Zane—had mastered the technique but he hadn’t, and it was infuriating.
He’d lucked out when Dylon stopped Carson from shifting to attack Josiah for sullying their names. Had he done so, he’d have stepped right into a trap. Now, Cody spent time with him every day, teaching him the right ways to conduct himself as an Alpha. Still, there were times like last night when it was hard not to fall into old habits. Standing in front of Jackson’s study, Carson checked his outfit, making sure the creases in his dress pants were straight and his long-sleeved dress shirt was wrinkle-free. Then, he knocked.
“Come in,” Jackson invited.
“Good morning,” Carson said, as he took a seat across from his brother.
“And to you, too,” Jackson replied, inwardly smiling at his brother’s formality. It seemed Carson was in full business mode this morning. “Your email said you had something to show me.”
“Yes. Last night, I was reviewing all the grant applications Dire Enterprises has pending and I came across the one Josiah submitted,” Carson said.
“I’m familiar with it,” responded Jackson.
“Yes, but did you know Josiah has received title to the Fox River Pack lands by court order?” Carson asked, passing the document to his brother.
Jackson read it, then handed it to Steel. Turning his attention back to Carson, he asked, “Did our uncle say how this was done?”
Nodding, Carson said, “According to the letter he included, he told the court there weren’t any direct descendants.”
“Fucking asshole!” Steel snorted.
“He is, but what did you expect?” replied Jackson. “Our uncle has already shown his true colors.” Then looking at Carson, he asked, “What do you suggest I do about it?”
Carson knew his brother was testing him and he wasn’t going to fail this time. “Josiah committed fraud so my recommendation is to turn it over to Penn and listen to what he has to say about it. I’m pretty sure our uncle’s action can be used to bolster your complaint. He lied to the court, so it follows anything he says to the High Council in response to your complaint should be verified by outside investigators.”
Impressed by Carson’s response, Jackson said, “Good, I agree.”
“I do too,” said Steel. Then addressing Carson, he asked, “What do you plan to do about Josiah’s application?”
“I thought about it and my recommendation is to do nothing until Penn looks over this information. As much as I’d hate it, he might suggest approving the application. That way, if Josiah accepts the money, it weakens any defense he might have by saying he never profited from his lies to the court,” Carson said.
Grinning at this new version of his brother, Jackson said, “How come you know so much about law?”
“My minor in college was business law. I wasn’t planning to be a lawyer but I wanted to know the basics so when I had my own company, I’d be aware of some of the legal aspects of my decisions.”
“I like your plan, but before I can approve it, I’ll have to speak with my father and Slate,” said Steel.
“That’s fine,” Carson said, “Now, since I’m familiar with Josiah’s grant application, I plan to outline the steps that need to be taken—and in what order— for Slate’s approval when he gets back. If there isn’t anything else, I’ll get back to my work.”
“Go ahead,” smiled Jackson. “I’ll let you know what I decide after speaking to Penn.”
Nodding at his brother, Carson left, pleased with how he’d handled himself.
~/~/~/~/~
David sat quietly in the corner of the living room, watching Zane’s fingers fly over the keys. Worrying his bottom lip, he wished he had the skills to help his mate but that was something else the High Priestess didn’t think was necessary for him to learn. Zane promised to teach him once they were in California, but David was sure it’d be an exercise in futility; he’d never be as good as his mate.
“Babe, I don’t expect you to be like me. I’ve been doing this for, shit, at least fifteen years so don’t worry. All I want for you is to feel comfortable using a computer, especially because you are the High Priest. There are many online libraries and research centers that might prove useful to you. I know Adam knows the laws but…”
“…There are other things I might need to know,” David said, finishing Zane’s sentence.
Zane paused, gazing at his mate., “Come here, babe.” When his mate stood next to him, Zane pulled him down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around him. Nuzzling hisneck, he murmured, “You will be awesome and you want to know how I know that?”
