“You can’t.” The crackle of the flames from the fireplace weren’t the source of the fire burning inside of me. “I mean, you can’t.”
“He’s right,” Rogan said. “Marrying her is no solution. It’s only going to create different problems.”
“She’d make us get rid of Alexa,” Keaton said. “And that’s probably just step one.”
“Besides, if Malia feels threatened by her, then she’s never really safe,” Delvin said. “She’s better off with us.”
“She’s better off without us,” Harley whined back. “She always was. I’ve thought about this all the ways that I could and I’ve finally realized, the only solution is to just give Malia what she wants.”
“At least you were smart enough to figure that out.” All of our heads snapped towards the door and Malia was standing in the doorway. “It was so nice of your dad to give me a copy of your key, Harley my dear.”
“You need to get out,” I hissed.
“Alexa is certainly step one,” Malia said, looking down upon me like a tyrant queen from her throne. “Step two, is you.” She bent over and pinched my chin in her hand. “You’re an even bigger thorn in my side than she is.” I snatched my face away from her and she hissed out an evil laugh. “I’ve already proposed the plan to Richard, and he loves it. Foxx Media should be coast to coast. Harley will stay here to head up the Texas division with his new bride,” her eyes flickered with hate in the firelight, “while the other will go to New York to head up the new East Coast division.”
“What?” Harley asked.
I shook my head. “You can’t do that.”
“Once I have half of the control I can, and Richard is already talking about expanding his other businesses too.” She looked at Delvin and Maverick. “The music scenes are strong in Minnesota and California.” She turned to Quentin and Keaton. “You can’t beat the major events that take place in Florida and D.C. Oh, and let’s not forget,” she dropped her gaze to Jett and Rogan, “fashion is international. Any modeling agency worth its salt has representatives in the U.K. and Japan.”
“You’re trying to split us up,” Maverick murmured.
“I’m trying to build an empire,” she responded. “All you boys do is run around playing tag with the paparazzi and keep one another company. Once I’m in control, you can kiss all of that goodbye.”
I looked over at Harley. “This is exactly why you can’t go through with this wedding.”
“Oh, he’ll go through with it,” Malia said. “I told Dante about the games you were playing and he decided he’s not playing nice anymore. All of his men will be flying in for our wedding this weekend, and they will be armed. I believe Dante’s exact instructions were, ‘If he doesn’t say I do, don’t stop shooting until the only bodies left are ours. Goodbye to your dad, goodbye to your insufferable step-mother, goodbye to your little girlfriend,” a malicious moon of a grin covered her face, “goodbye to your brothers.”
“Alright, you don’t have to worry,” Harley said. “I won’t put up a fight.”
My jaw dropped. “But.”
“Huxley, stop!” Harley yelled and it shocked me. He’d never yelled at me once in his entire life. “Just, stop. I made my decision.”
“Good boy,” Malia replied. “Now, I’m going to go take a bath and get in our bed. Goodnight.”
Malia turned around and slithered out of sight.
“You can’t do this,” I said, barely audible.
“I have to,” Harley responded. “We have no other choice.”
21
Alexa
I came to with the morning light streaking in and skating across my face. I didn’t remember going to bed, but I had Jett spooning me from behind and Rogan curled up in front of me, so it wasn’t the worst way to wake up. As I stretched and moved, I noticed that Jett and Rogan were out like rocks. No amount of movement or noise seemed to stir them. We had certainly exhausted our energy during our romp the night before, but if I was in bed, someone had to carry me up. I wondered how much later they stayed up past when I went to bed.
I slid my way out from between them and climbed off the bed. I wandered downstairs to get my clothes and other items, returning to the backyard where I’d last seen everything I had on me. The sun was already high in the sky, bathing my bare skin in an intense heat. It was well into the afternoon; I’d slept most of the day away. I walked over to the table where I’d set my phone, wallet, and keys, and noticed that my underwear, jeans and t-shirt were completely dry and folded. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility to think that perhaps the Foxxes had some kind of maid or butler, but it was less likely to think they would have come between the night before and now. It meant that one of the guys dried my clothes and folded them up for me, probably Jett with his need for order and organization.