Ryan (Members From Money Book 16)

by Katie Dowe

  “She’s not doing it for Abi.” Georgina’s jaw tightened, giving Amanda a glare that Amanda was sure would have her pulverized if it could kill. “She’s tutoring Abi so she can seduce you and take your money. She’s a gold-digging whore and I will not have a person like that around my family.”

  There was stunned silence from that. Amanda was shocked that was even suggested. She had only had one interaction with Georgina and even that had been brief. How would she be able to come to that conclusion after one interaction?

  She was going off in loopy-land. From the look on Danny’s face, he was thinking the same thing.

  “You seriously want to put a restraining order on a tutor because you don’t want Abi to have a tutor and maybe graduate?” He sounded incredulous. “How stupid can you be? Any mother would jump through hoops to have her as their tutor.”

  “Not me. I know her.” Georgina said adamantly. She pointed at Amanda. “She’ll take all of your money. Then you’ll be left with nothing.”

  Amanda wasn’t sure whether to be angry at the situation or find it hilarious. She had never been accused of being a gold-digger by anyone other than Lucy.

  Lucy. Apparently Georgina and Lucy had been discussing more than Abi’s tuition.

  “It’s my money to do what I want with.” Danny pointed out. “I’m not your personal bank account and I never have been.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Look, Mom, just go. You’re spewing bull and making yourself out to be a complete fool. Just go home.”

  Georgina looked like she was about to say something else. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish; Amanda could see her mind turning, debating if she should say anything. But she decided against it. She snatched up her handbag from the nearby bench, gave Amanda one last glare, and stalked off the porch. Amanda moved to Danny’s side as they watched her get into her Porsche and drive off, the tires screeching.

  “Is she mentally ill?” She asked. “I’ve never seen anyone act like that before over something so stupid.”

  “No, she isn’t.” Danny sighed. “She just doesn’t like the fact Abi and I can do things she doesn’t want us to do. More Abi than me.”

  And that was going to get worse now Abi was an adult.

  “You need to get her evaluated, all the same.”

  Danny snorted.

  “I should be so lucky.” He touched her arm. “I’ll be heading out. Stay safe.”

  “Thanks for driving me home.”

  Danny grunted, giving her a half-smile before he jumped off the porch and hurried to his car. Amanda watched him go. His mother’s sudden appearance at her home had shaken him up. It had certainly shaken her up; if she had been alone, Georgina might have steamrolled her.

  Amanda didn’t even want to begin to think what was going to happen next. It was making her head hurt.

  *****

  Danny knew enough was enough. After his mother’s sudden appearance outside Amanda’s home, he knew it was only a matter of time before it turned on Abi. He called Abi as he was tearing out of Amanda’s neighborhood, telling her to drive her car around the block and not go home until he joined her. Then he made a couple more phone calls.

  Abi was out of that place tonight. He didn’t trust Georgina to make things worse for them and cause harm to Abi.

  Danny pulled up outside Georgina’s house. Abi’s appeared moments later and pulled up behind him. Just as she was getting out, a police cruiser turned into the street, a rarity in their part of town. But Danny didn’t even blink as he got out and walked over to the cruiser as it pulled up on the sidewalk.

  The officer that climbed out was huge. Barely older than Danny but nearly a foot taller than him with muscles as thick as Danny’s thighs. Big didn’t cover what he was.

  He gave Danny a grin and they shook hands.

  “Danny.”

  “Jake.” Danny tried not to wince as his hand was squeezed hard. “Thanks for coming.”

  “No problem.” Jacob White walked with him back to Abi. “I’m always happy to help. Hey, Abi.”

  He gave Abi a smile and Abi hugged him. Danny was glad his former school friend was able to act as an escort; he wasn’t stupid enough to try and get the rest of his sister’s things without someone there to keep the peace. And Jacob was the last person you wanted to argue with.

  Jacob glanced up at Georgina’s mansion and then frowned at Danny.

  “When you said you needed help and it was regarding your mother, I thought you were trying to have her committed finally.”

  “What do you mean, finally?” Danny grunted. “And I wish. Abi’s coming to live with me. It’s been in the works and we’ve done it on the quiet but there are some things still in there.”

  “And you need a buffer so you can get the rest.” Jacob guessed.

  “You got it.”

  Jacob shook his head.

  “You know, you’ve got billions. People know about this abuse. Why can’t you just go to the police about the abuse?”

  Danny bit back a snarl.

  “Because she’s got the ability to make any charge go away with the type of money she’s got. Remember Cortez and Evelina?”

  Cortez and Evelina had been the Chao’s gardener and housekeeper. Lovely people but Georgina liked to knock them about. Danny’s father had put a stop to it until Georgina did it on the quiet. When they finally told someone about it, it had been going on three years. Danny was fifteen at the time. But Georgina had simply flashed some cash and it had all gone away. Now Cortez was dead from a heart attack and Evelina had gone back to Colombia.

  Danny knew if she could do that with the hired help she could certainly do it with her own daughter. Especially when Abi was painted as the problem child.

  “Yeah,” Jacob grunted, “And millions will also keep you out of the loony bin. Because that’s where she belongs.”

  Danny couldn’t agree more. Glancing at Abi, he urged her to stay with Jacob. Abi went obediently, almost huddling behind the bigger man. Then Danny led the way up to the front door. The housekeeper, Lucinda, answered the door and greeted them warmly.

  “Mister Danny! Miss Abi!”

  “Hey, Lucinda.” Danny glanced into the huge foyer. “Is Mom home?”

  “She’s in the drawing room. Would you like me to fetch her?”

  “No, don’t.” Danny motioned Abi inside. “Go and get your things, Abi.”

  “It’s only a couple of bags. I’ll be quick.”

  Abi raced upstairs. Lucinda looked at her departure with a frown before staring at Jacob filling the doorway.

  “What’s going on? Is Miss Abi in trouble?”

  “Nothing like that.” Danny liked the housekeeper. The poor thing had to deal with a lot regarding his mother. He touched her shoulder. “Abi’s coming to live with me. Mom doesn’t know.”

  “She’s going to be angry.”

  “I know.”

  Lucinda bit her lip. But she nodded.

  “It would be safer for Miss Abi. I’ve been hearing Miss Georgina ranting about someone called Amanda and that she’s going to make sure that she realizes nobody says no to Miss Georgina.”

  Danny could very well believe it. Georgina had the ability to harm someone badly, either physically or socially. In Amanda’s case, he was sure it would be both now his mother thought Amanda had ‘her claws’ in her son.

  And Danny didn’t even care. If he had to have a woman’s claws in him, he would prefer them to be Amanda’s claws.

  The drawing room door opened and a sudden screech made Danny flinch.

  “Danny!”

  Georgina came running towards him with her arms outstretched. Danny managed to dodge to the side before she threw her arms around his neck. Georgina stumbled and Jacob caught her before she landed face-first into the door. Georgina righted herself and looked up at him with a frown. Then her expression cleared when she recognized him.

  “Officer White! I didn’t realize you were here.”

  “Yeah, well.” Jac
ob drew back and put on his best blank expression. “Danny called me over.”

  “Thank God he had some sense left in him. Did you get that woman to stay away from him, then?” Georgina reached for Danny’s arm. “She needs to be kept away from my baby.”

  “Mom, stop it!” Danny slapped her hand away. “Stop talking like I’m a kid. The way you’re acting you’d think Amanda was a cougar and I’m a seventeen-year-old strip of wind.” Georgina had the decency to look chastised. “Besides, Jake’s here with me to get Abi’s things.”

  “What?” Georgina blinked. “Why are you getting her things?”

  “Because she’s coming to stay with me.”

  For a moment, Georgina looked like she had been hit over the head. Danny guessed she had Abi so cowed she wouldn’t consider running. Then her eyes narrowed and he saw a nasty twist to her mouth.

  “She’s not going anywhere.”

  “That’s funny, you’re constantly telling her that you’re going to throw her out once she’s an adult.” Danny folded his arms. It was either that or be tempted to lash out. “You can’t stop her from leaving.”

  “Oh, yes, I can.” Georgina spat. “Abi is a lazy, spiteful little girl. Just like any other teenager. She doesn’t like being told what to do and you let her get away with everything.”

  “Are you fucking serious?”

  Danny was staring at her in bewilderment. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Georgina glared back defiantly. She wasn’t going to budge and she was clearly not going to let go of her favorite scapegoat.

  “I’m done.” Abi was hurrying back down the stairs. She had a backpack and a couple of pillows in her arms. “I don’t need anything else.”

  She purposefully stepped around Georgina, keeping her distance and putting Danny between them. Jacob took her arm and pulled her through.

  “Get your stuff into Danny’s car, Abi.”

  “What about my car?”

  “Worry about that later.”

  Abi glanced at Danny, who nodded. His sister disappeared. Georgina looked like the light was finally dawning.

  “She’s really leaving, then?”

  “She is.”

  “Are you going to charge me with anything, Officer White?”

  Danny didn’t miss the sneer that had suddenly appeared. Jacob glanced at Danny.

  “Not yet.”

  “Then get out of my house.” Georgina snarled. She leaned out the door and shouted down the drive as Abi put her things into Danny’s trunk. “And I’ll see you in court, Abi.”

  Danny laughed.

  “What are you going to see her in court for? You have nothing to sue for. Abi’s an adult and you will leave her alone.” He turned away and headed for the door, patting Lucinda’s shoulder on the way. “And leave me alone as well.”

  He was barely out the door before Georgina had grabbed the back of his shirt and started to tug him back.

  “Can we talk about this, Danny? Please?”

  Danny grunted as his shirt started digging into his neck. Jacob stepped in and managed to pry his mother’s fingers out of his shirt. Danny almost staggered forward when he didn’t have a force pulling him back. He turned and saw Jacob wrestling Georgina back into her house.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, Mom. Just leave us alone. And leave Amanda alone.”

  “That whore?” Georgina snorted. “She needs to keep away from you if she knows what’s good for her.”

  Danny wanted to say a lot more but Georgina’s flip-flopping between pleading, sweetness and venom was making him dizzy. He needed some time to himself to figure out what was going on. So he simply walked away, ignoring Georgina’s pleas for him to come back.

  All he knew was if he didn’t see his mother again he wouldn’t be feeling guilty about it.

  *****

  The first night of Abi officially living with him had gone well. He and Abi had had a good cry to let out their frustrations and relief before Danny ordered a pizza and ice cream. The rest of the evening had been discussing their plans regarding their mother, staying up until nearly two in the morning.

  They were exhausted but Danny was glad they now had a to-do list of steps to make sure Georgina couldn’t get her claws into Abi again.

  Abi was excited about going to school and not having to worry about her mother anymore. She was also eager to go out and get a job, knowing the paycheck that came out would be going to her and she would be able to use it for herself for the first time.

  Danny was in a good mood himself despite the lack of sleep. He was even singing to himself as he locked up his car in the parking lot of his building and walked across to the elevator. Knowing Abi was out of that house and away from his mother seemed to have taken a weight off his shoulders.

  It was amazing what you did with a simple change in your life.

  “Danny!”

  Danny froze, his singing dying away. Turning, he saw Lucy hurrying across the parking lot towards him, somehow managing to cover the ground in her heels. How had she got in? There was a security guard checking ID and they wouldn’t let anyone walk in like this.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Lucy?” He frowned in the direction of the exit. “Come to think of it, how did you get in?”

  “That’s not important.” Lucy reached him, brushing her hair out of her eyes as the wind whipped through the level. She glared up at him as she huddled in her coat. “Georgina called me last night. She was very upset. Said you’d barged into her house and kidnapped Abi? Danny, what the hell were you thinking?”

  “She said I kidnapped Abi?” Danny snorted. The passing the blame had already started. “Abi left home last night. She’s now living with me. Mom didn’t like the fact her scapegoat was leaving because it means her picture-perfect image is cracking.”

  “That’s not true. Georgina loves her daughter.”

  “No, she doesn’t.” Danny wasn’t going to have an argument with Lucy in the open. He didn’t want to talk to her at all. He strode towards the elevator, grimacing when he heard the tap-tapping of Lucy’s heels behind him as she followed. “If you think what Mom does to my sister is love then you’re as deluded as she is.” He jabbed a thumb at the elevator button and swung around on her. “And why are you here defending her? It’s none of your business.”

  Lucy lifted her chin at him in defiance.

  “I’m Georgina’s friend.”

  Danny shook his head. Of course they were. Georgina and Lucy were so similar in personalities they could have almost been related.

  “You two deserve each other.”

  Lucy’s expression softened. She sighed and stepped towards him.

  “Come on, let’s not fight.” She reached out as if to put her hands on his chest but Danny stepped away, letting her hands fall. “I didn’t come here to fight about your sister. Let’s go out to lunch later. My treat.”

  She gave him a smile that would have left any other man scrabbling to come after her. But it didn’t work on Danny anymore. He was taken with a different kind of smile.

  “No. I’m having lunch with my assistant. He’s not inviting anyone else to it.”

  “But you could.” Lucy pointed out. “You’re the boss.”

  “And because I’m the boss I won’t invite you.” Danny shot back. “I’m not interested in having someone I don’t like at a lunch with me.”

  This seemed to take the wind out of Lucy’s sails. Her smile started to fade, her eyes widening. It was then Danny realize he had never said that he didn’t like her since they had dated.

  “What?” She looked at a loss for words for a second. “You don’t like me?”

  “No, I don’t. I cared about you once, yes. Hell, I might have even loved you a little bit. But that was fifteen years ago and that is called teen love. You blew it and made it worse by stalking me. I don’t want anything to do with you. At all.”

  He turned away just as the doors started opening.

  “But we’re meant to be
together!” Lucy burst out.

  Danny barked out a laugh. He stepped into the doorway of the elevator and turned, putting his arms across the doors as they started to close. Lucy tried to enter beside him but he blocked her way.

  “If we were meant to be together you wouldn’t have cheated. Just leave me alone, Lucy.” He was about to step into the elevator when he thought of something else. “Oh, and leave Amanda alone. She’s a good person and a damn good tutor. You’re just a mean, vindictive little lady.”

  Lucy looked stunned that he was insulting her. Clearly, she was expecting him to fall at her feet with a smile and a crook of her finger. Even after all these years she still hadn’t learned anything. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth tightened.

  “Amanda’s a piece of trash who wants nothing but your money.” She snarled. “You have no business with her.”

  “And you couldn’t stop yourself, could you? You have no business being so cruel to your sister. You’re a grown-up. Act like one.”

  Then he pulled back and let the doors close on Lucy’s startled expression. That felt incredibly satisfying.

  Chapter 6

  Amanda had been worried after Danny left. She didn’t know Georgina well but what she had been told she didn’t like. The older woman seemed like a person who wasn’t going to lie down and roll over for them.

  She did find Abi the next morning, crossing the parking lot. Abi looked happier than she had seen her in a long time, which was saying something. She told Amanda that she was finally out and was living with Danny. Amanda was pleased this was finally happening and offered to help out with some of the paperwork. Then they arranged to meet for tutoring in Abi’s free period before the teenager ran off for class.

  Seeing Abi looking chipper about her situation was something Amanda hadn’t been expecting to see. It was nice to witness.

  She was in the staffroom when her cell phone started ringing. Glancing at the clock, Amanda knew she had to make it quick; she was due in an 8th Grade class in less than five minutes and she was sitting in on one of their tests while their teacher was at the doctor’s. She didn’t recognize the number but that didn’t mean anything.