I pushed my chair back and stood, sick of being looked down on. “I don’t want your business. Why would I want to be associated with a chauvinistic pig like you? Let alone have people know we are related?”
“My company needs an heir. If I don’t have a child to pass it on to when I die, it will be thrown into receivership. Split up amongst who knows what kind of people,” he growled, finally with some explanation as to why I was here.
“That’s it? You did all this so that your stupid business could stay within the family?” I laughed. “Well, I may as well leave now because I don’t want it. Give it to your girlfriend in there or does the person taking it have to be over eighteen?”
I took a couple of steps backward as he stormed toward me. Hell and the need to cause me pain sparkling in his eyes. He stopped before me, not touching me, but breathing over me. I wouldn’t back down. He could do his worst, but I wouldn’t be the little toy in his plans.
“Youwilllearn your place.”
“I know my place, and it isn’t here being your pawn,” I told him softly but with power. “You think this is how it’s going to work? You keep me locked up, force me to play nice with a few bumps and bruises? You underestimate how strong my will is to fight.”
An unexpected smile curved his mouth. “The strong ones are the most fun to break.”
I shuddered.
He was exactly like them.My own father.
“Sometimes it isn’t about the pain or using a heavy hand,” he walked past me, his tone now calm and collected. The guy was bipolar. “It’s about using the right incentive for encouragement.” I watched as he paced back and forth, much like he had done during our first meeting. The angry, controlling bastard now replaced by the businessman, who was trying to negotiate contract terms.
“Your friend, Chelsea is it? She’s very beautiful?” he asked curiously.
My body stiffened. “Leave Chelsea alone.”
I caught him smile. “Mr. Ashley was very interested in her. She’s apparently exquisite.”
I ground my teeth together, my heart racing as he talked about my best friend.
“I’m in a position to pay Mr. Ashley, more than what this girl is worth, in order to keep her safe.” He shrugged. “Although, that is a lot of money I’m not willing to spend if I don’t get what I want.”
I thought about Chelsea, my best friend. Could I put her freedom before my own or was I willing to risk her getting caught up in this because I chose to be selfish? I knew if I said no that the club would watch over her. But as the situation shows, sometimes we fall through the cracks. In my case, I had fallen through the cracks on more than one occasion. I’d been shot during a failed kidnapping. I’d been assaulted, in a dirty side of the road bathroom while my protectors stood out front. Now, I was here because a member of a club I had trusted with my whole heart, had betrayed his Brotherhood for God only knows what reason.
I knew Kit cared for me and would fight with every bone in his body to keep me out of harm’s way, but sometimes there were promises that we couldn’t keep. He didn’t know that Caleb was a horrible shot and I wouldn’t have let him follow me into the bathroom of that petrol station anyhow, even if he had demanded it was to protect me. He also couldn’t have known that Target would turn, he trusted every single Brother, who joined the club.
The world doesn’t stop to consider our vows to our loved ones, neither do the people around us who make their own decisions without thinking about how they will affect others. I can swear to my lady that I’ll be home for dinner, but if there’s an accident on the highway because some asshole decided to drink and drive and I get caught in traffic then I’m going to be bloody late aren’t I.
I heard Doc’s words in my head. At the time, I’d laughed, but now his words finally made sense. We can only promise to do our best. And I know with every bone in my damn body that every Brother of that club would lay down their lives to protect Chelsea. I also knew that Kit and Optimus would want me to have enough faith in them to do that. They would never want me to back down from someone who was threatening my family.
“You want an heir?” I asked.
Edward looked at me smugly. “I want an heir.”
“Maybe you should post an ad in the paper, cos there’s no way in hell I want the world to know I’m related to you,” I sneered.
His eyes widened as he stared at me in shock.
“That’s my girl,” I heard the deep voice come from behind me and my lips slowly turned up with a smile.
“Hey Dad,let me introduce you to myrealfamily.”