Teague’s brother snapped his fingers sharply.
Muffy immediately halted.
He was a good boy but definitely selective when it came to obedience.
I looked around the room. We’d all stopped. Because Lincoln was in command.
“You’re out of the office. It’s okay to loosen up. We won’t tell.” Beau barreled over to him and grabbed the bags of food. “C’mon, ladies. If these two want to chitchat all day, let’s eat.”
Being around her left me feeling a little dazed and a lot in awe.
She stopped in front of the desk where Miss Adeline sat and dismantled one bag in record time.
I stood and realized Muffy hadn’t followed the food. He sat at Lincoln’s feet, looking up at him.
“Do you have treats in your pocket?” I asked before I thought better of it.
He scowled, though I got the impression that might be his version of nice. “No.”
“Pepper, tomato soup or whatever this white looking one is?” Beau inspected the contents of the paper bowl through the lid.
“The white one. She won’t touch tomato,” Miss Adeline said for me.
“It’s the best in the city.” Teague’s brother sounded offended.
I was so caught off guard that he spoke, my mouth dropped open. “More for you then.”
I snapped my mouth shut. I’d fallen into the way this family spoke to one another as if I were one of them. And I wasn’t.
One corner of his lips twitched.
“Where’s the salad?” Beau tossed an empty bag on the floor and tore into another.
“You hung up on me before I heard a request for one.”
The longer Lincoln was here, the more he seemed to thaw.
She wheeled around. “You know that without me saying.”
“Been so long since you’ve been home, must’ve slipped my mind,” he fired back.
“Here it is.” Teague held up a large container.
Beau swiped it from him. “Miss Adeline, would you care for some salad? The house dressing is to die for.”
“Pretty much everything is to die for when you’re my age.”
I cringed, hating when she talked like that, yet relieved she was a good sport.
Lincoln coughed and covered his mouth with his fist. Teague shot him a dirty look for laughing.
Miss Adeline shrugged. “It’s true.” She patted the desk beside her. “Now come sit over here, honey.”
He looked a little lost but obeyed. Muffy was right on his heels.
There was enough food to cover the entire desk . . . and feed ten people. The scent of the array of dishes brought more nosy dogs in from the back. I’d let everyone out of their kennels. They were used to being free most of the day. Just because we were short on space didn’t mean I’d deprive them.
Ash hung right with Teague. I glanced from them to Muffy. Why hadn’t I realized how territorial these dogs were with certain humans?
And then there was Sadie. She’d bulldozed her way between Beau and the desk. Her big front paws landed on the wood and close to a sandwich.
I removed them. “There’s no need to scold her. She won’t listen.” As if proving my point, she attempted to put her paws back. I caught them and placed them on my stomach.
Woof.
“I hear you,” I said, releasing her.
“You can take your coat off,” Miss Adeline purred.
“Please don’t tell him he can take his suit off too.” I rested my rear against the edge of the desk and picked up a bowl of soup.
“It kind of takes away the element of surprise when you blurt out my plans,” she huffed.
“Ignore her.”
“Seems a bit impossible,” Lincoln said as he shrugged off his coat.
He was right. She was a force of nature.
Teague squeezed in beside me, our thighs touching. I resisted the urge to scoot away for his own good. If the two days of sweat buildup bothered him, he didn’t show it.
Beau handed him a sandwich.
He’d scarfed down half before I’d taken two bites of soup.
“Sorry. It’s a habit. If you don’t eat in a hurry, the alarm might go off before you get anything down.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“When are you going to take my girl out on a date?”
I wanted to disappear at Miss Adeline’s completely inappropriate question.
“I asked her earlier today—twice—and she shot me down,” Teague replied good-naturedly.
“So you weren’t lying when you said you aren’t dating anyone,” his brother said. “You just can’t seal the deal.”
I nearly spit out my soup.
“Show him how it’s done, handsome.”
I glared at Miss Adeline but secretly liked how she’d made a powerful man blush.
“I’m a little out of practice myself,” he said quickly.
“A little? These two didn’t even go to their high school prom,” Beau chimed in.
I couldn’t help but stare incredulously. Teague was charming and kind, not to mention good-looking. He could’ve taken any girl he wanted.
“I didn’t go either.” I shoved a bite of soup in my mouth and looked down.
He touched my knee in silent support. I wouldn’t lie to myself and pretend I hadn’t wanted to go, but in the grand scheme of things, it was meaningless.
“I stole my date’s car and left him on the side of the road after I caught him kissing another girl.” Beau continued munching on her salad as if she’d said nothing out of the ordinary.
“Why am I just now hearing this?” Lincoln growled.
Oh no. I had a feeling he’d find out who her date was and set him straight even though the guy had wronged his sister twenty years ago.
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to know everything.”
“That’s what concerns me,” he muttered.
“You went with . . .” Teague tapped his lips with his index finger.
“It doesn’t matter,” she finished. “What time do the dogs eat? I need to let the catering company know when to deliver their food every day.”
What? Catering company? And I thought we were talking about the prom . . . though I was grateful to be done with the subject.
I swallowed my bite of soup. “Six and six.”
“A friend of mine has a gourmet”—she said the word in a frou-frou voice—“dog food company. All jokes aside, it’s fresh and healthy. She even makes it according to the breed.”
“I’m sure it’s wonderful, but we can’t afford that.” How I wished we could. These dogs deserved the best nutrition they could get, but specialty food was way out of budget.
Beau waved me off. “She can deliver once or twice a day. Whatever you need.”
“Once,” Miss Adeline said before I could decline again. “In the afternoon would be good.”
I gave her a stern look, which she ignored. Come to think of it, everyone ignored me around here. And yet today? I didn’t mind. Today, I felt as though I had a team of people around me who had my back. So, despite the roll of my eyes, I was incredibly humbled and thankful. Tomorrow might be a different day, but today, I’d take.
“Perfect.” Beau already had out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen as she typed a text. It chimed with an incoming text almost immediately. “She’ll be here at four.”
Another chime sounded. Beau paled.
Teague stiffened, and Sadie nosed her leg.
“What’s wrong?” Lincoln barked.
“Dad’s coming.”
“Where?” Teague demanded in a tone I’d never heard from him.
She looked at her phone again as if unsure she’d read the message correctly. Her gaze was wary when it lifted.
“Here.”
Chapter Nineteen
Teague
The surprise visits weren’t unusual.
This many in one week? Very out of the ordinary.
“Keep him away from here.”
<
br /> I’d spoken out of turn to my brother, once again throwing everything on him. I had no problem handling any situation on my own. When it came to our father, my default setting was to shove it onto Lincoln. Let him take care of it.
He bent his head over his phone and typed furiously. As his thumb hovered, the bells above the door jingled.
All heads snapped in that direction.
The mailman hesitated as he crossed the threshold. “Were you all waiting for me?”
A collective exhale released.
“No.” Pepper moved toward him. “Do we have something good?”
“I have no idea,” he said as he dug in his bag.
“Don’t act like you didn’t snoop.”
He grinned as he handed her a stack of envelopes. “Just some bills.”
“Gee. Thanks.”
He waved and went on his way.
And then a shadow loomed in the doorway.
I stood in front of Pepper, Miss Adeline, the dogs, and my family as if I were some sort of shield. There was no protection from this man.
“How offensive I wasn’t invited to lunch.” His face was the image of disdain as he scrutinized the space.
Sadie bared her teeth at him. I liked that old girl.
Muffy sauntered over and sniffed his leg. My father kicked him.
Pepper shot off the desk and Miss Adeline was right behind her.
“Leave.” She pointed toward the door. “Now.”
Anyone else would’ve shuddered at the menace in her tone.
He laughed. “This looks like a violation to me. So many dogs. So little space.”
I stalked over to him. “You heard the lady. Go.”
“Now you’re brave?” He sneered. “Shall I tell her what a coward you are?”
I clenched my fists and stood taller. “Only cowards make threats.”
That was what he was best at. Threatening.
“Oh my prodigal son. You know I only make promises.”
My gut tightened into a tangled knot. He was many things but not a liar. And eventually, he did make good on all his threats. His patience was legendary.
“If you needed to speak with me, you should’ve called.” Beau was at my side.
“I did, my dear. Repeatedly.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “And this does not look like jet lag.”
“Dad—”
“I don’t tolerate liars.” He snapped his finger. “You’ll come with me now.”
“She’s not going anywhere.” Lincoln stood by Pepper.
Miss Adeline ambled in front of us. “You assaulted my dog. If you want to hang around to wait for the police, be my guest.”
My father flashed her his sinister smile. “I sincerely doubt they’ll be interested.”
Because they were in his pocket.
“I sincerely believe they—”
“Beau. Lincoln. With me now. Or this flea motel shuts down.”
“You can’t do that,” Pepper said.
“I can. And more importantly I will.” He shoved his hands in his pockets.
He and my brother’s dress style was so alike down to the cashmere overcoat. Was that by choice? Or necessity?
“The fate of this wretched place is squarely on my dear children’s shoulders,” he said. “What will it be?”
Beau snatched her purse off the floor, kissed Miss Adeline’s cheek, and gave Pepper an apologetic look. Lincoln flicked his chin, grabbed his coat, and shoved through the front door onto the sidewalk.
“Enough with the theatrics.” Our father placed a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “And Teague, this includes you. I’m sure your friends wouldn’t appreciate an irreversible fate because of your insolence.”
Were we in medieval times? Who did he think he was? A tyrant?
He lifted a brow. Before I could walk out that door he’d have someone here taking away everything Pepper and Miss Adeline had worked for. This wasn’t a flea motel. It was a sanctuary. They’d done more good in the past five seconds than he had in his entire life.
“We’ve done nothing to you,” Pepper said. She was a fighter. And I was so proud.
“You’ve stolen time with my children.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but she had no idea who she was dealing with.
“My truck is out back.” The words were spoken as if dragged from me. I hated giving in to him, letting him win.
But if it meant protecting Pepper, Miss Adeline, and the dogs, I would.
“Excellent. We’ll see you at the office.”
Pepper looked at me incredulously. I was a coward when it came to this man.
I scratched behind Ash’s ears and dug in my pocket for my keys.
When I finally met her gaze again, she’d gone stoic. My jaw ticked when I focused my attention on my father. “Leave. Then I will.”
He appeared displeased at my ordering him around, but I wouldn’t budge on this. I would not leave them on their own to deal with him.
I would pay for this. It was in his expression. But he turned on his heel and led my brother and sister down the sidewalk.
Helplessly, I stared at Pepper, begging for her to understand. The situation with him was complicated. It was one thing to defy him when I was the only one to suffer the consequences and completely another when other people I respected were involved.
“You’d better get going,” she said tightly.
I squatted to give one last pet to Ash. She licked me in the face and a fresh wave of hate for my father washed over me.
I stood. Miss Adeline had her arms crossed. Pepper’s gaze remained glued to the floor. A strand of her hair fell into her face. I brushed it away.
She flinched, but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to pull her into my arms, promise to fix this and that he’d never touch any of them again.
I refused to lie.
I lifted her chin so I could see her.
“I’m more sorry than you’ll ever know.”
Chapter Twenty
Teague
“Sir. You can’t go back there. Sir!”
I stormed past my father’s secretary toward his office. It had been sixteen years since I’d set foot in this building, but I remembered the way as if it had been sixteen minutes.
There’d been a time when I was a kid that I’d liked being here. A time when I was naïve and believed my father supported me no matter what path I chose to take in life.
No matter how hard the woman tugged on my sleeve, she couldn’t stop me. I was on the warpath.
I shrugged her off and charged forward. When I shoved the heavy door to his office, it was with such force, it bounced off the wall.
He smiled at my entrance.
“I’m sorry, sir. I tried to stop him,” the woman said breathlessly.
He flicked his wrist at her in a go away motion.
Lincoln and Beau sat in the chairs in front of his desk. There was one vacant seat in the middle. Like a prisoner resigned to my sentence, I sank into it.
The Manhattan skyline was behind my father, picture perfect from the floor-to-ceiling wall of windows. His empire.
“I don’t like using these tactics to get all of you together.” He leaned forward and folded his hands on the desk.
Liar.
He lived for manipulation and power.
“Then don’t.” I blurted the words before I thought better of it. Arguing with him was useless. He always won. Always.
“I’ve allowed you to gallivant for too long.” He ignored my petulance and then speared his hawk-like gaze into my siblings. “You think I’m a fool who doesn’t realize you’ve taken the burden so your brother can do as he pleases.”
Beau and Lincoln were like statues on either side of me. Neither of them moved. I couldn’t even hear them breathe.
“Your place is in this company. It’s not a choice. Be grateful I’ll allow you to reap the benefits of what I’ve built despite your resistance.”
What he’d built. My brother and sister got
no credit for the sacrifice and dedication they’d given. Sure, they were beyond fine financially, but what good was money if all it brought was misery.
“If you’d been faithful, you’d have a place at the top alongside your siblings. But you’ll start in the mailroom and earn your way to the top.”
He’d lost his mind. That was the only explanation for his behavior. I wasn’t working for this company. Not now. Not ever.
“I already have a job, but thanks for the offer.”
“You’re suspended. One more and you’ll be fired.”
Ice cold raced up my spine. Why was I surprised he knew that? He floated in and out of my life as he pleased. Just when I’d get comfortable, he’d make an appearance. I was a fool to believe anything other than he knew every detail of my life.
What I’d never understood was why.
He hated me.
I planted my hands on the arms of the chair and pushed out of it. “As much fun as this family reunion has been, we’re done here.”
“Teague.”
I’d almost reached the door. I couldn’t stand the sight of him, so I kept my back to him.
“She wanted this. Don’t disappoint her more than you already have.”
I spun. Fire lit up my veins as I struggled to remain in place instead of throttling him. His satisfied smirk told me I’d played right into his hands. I was too angry to care.
“Why do you want me here?” It was the question I’d never been able to answer.
“This is a family business. What kind of father would I be not to desire all my children to be part of it?”
That was a canned interview answer. The words of the man who charmed the outside world to manipulate them.
I wasn’t one of his sheep.
I saw right through him.
“I can’t make this any clearer. I’m. Not. Working. For. You.” His threats had gotten me into this office, but I had to stand firm.
I loved my career. Maybe I loved twisting the knife in my father just as much. Because when he couldn’t control me, he didn’t get his way. That was my only leverage against him.
He relaxed on his plush throne. “Don’t be so hasty, Son.”
Crash: Crash & Burn Duet Book 1 (Shaken) Page 9
