It was that fear that kept him out late into the night.
[Episode 8]
Too Many Chiefs
MORNING DAWNED ON THE Hawkmore estate with bright sun and clear skies. Amorette sprang from her new bed with a smile, energized and ready to explore. Her stomach had other plans.
The smell of bacon and sausage floated from somewhere far away. Amorette imagined it came from the kitchen, logical as she was.
There were a lot of halls here, but she was ninety-eight percent certain she remembered the way downstairs.
With a happy hum, Amorette threw open the drapes over her windows.
She gasped. Even the backyard was beautiful. There were extensive English gardens, complete with a labyrinth. From the angle, she could tell only a few windows overlooked it well enough to see the way out. It might be fun to explore that later. After work, of course. Melodia was still counting on her.
Amorette changed into a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. She could retrieve her jacket later. Barefoot, she ventured into the hall and looked both ways.
Hunter was just making his way out of his room. He looked up and grinned at her. “Morning, Mi Amor.”
“Hi!” Amorette waved a hand. “You smelled breakfast too, huh?”
Hunter nodded. “I didn’t realize anyone in this house actually cooked. That is definitely not a freezer meal.”
Amorette grinned and walked backward toward the staircase. “I know, right? I’m really excited. Don’t ask why, because I don’t know. It’s been like this since I got to my room last night. I want to know everything and explore everywhere but I kind of feel like Belle because I’m pretty sure at least part of this house is off limits—” A loud cry interrupted her own thoughts as her foot hit the top stair. Amorette lost her balance and flailed to recenter herself.
Hunter snatched her wrist and tugged her forward. It was enough to right her. “You should watch where you’re going.”
“Sorry.” Amorette twisted her wrist out of his grasp. She took a breath to calm her racing heart and prayed the adrenaline receded soon. Carefully this time, Amorette started down the stairs.
Hunter followed right beside her. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Don’t be a weirdo.” Amorette stuck her tongue out at him. “You’ve never asked that before so don’t start now.”
“You’re still angry at me.”
“Yes, but I’ll get over it. I always do.” Amorette flashed a grin at him this time, more mischief than gladness. “It’s become a habit to forgive you after that crush I had on you in high school.”
“You had a crush on me in high school?” Hunter opened his mouth to ask another question, but Amorette had already raced away down the steps. He had no choice but to follow.
Amorette made it to the dining room first. Her eyes went wide at the spread set before her. She had never seen so much food for breakfast before. Even pie, which she had to admit sounded the best out of the lot.
“This is for three people?”
Mr. Hawkmore looked up from the dish he had just placed at the center of the long table. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Amorette ventured toward the table. “We’re going to eat all this?”
Mr. Hawkmore nodded. He glanced up again at the sound of a second set of footsteps.
Hunter didn’t stop at the door. He raised one eyebrow and shoved his hands in his pockets. He claimed the chair at the head of the table immediately.
Mr. Hawkmore shot him a glare. “Move.”
“Why? Am I not allowed to eat?” Hunter’s haughty attitude immediately put Amorette on edge.
He should at least be thankful that Mr. Hawkmore allowed him to stay, even though he had a perfectly good apartment not fifteen minutes away.
Mr. Hawkmore sneered at the younger man. “It’s my seat, my house, and my rules. Move.” He stabbed a finger toward the chair to the right of Hunter’s current position.
“Hunter...” Amorette shot him a look, silently begging him to do one thing right this morning.
The last thing she needed was two guys getting into a fist fight over a chair. She had other things to stress over. Like if and when she was ever going to give Mr. Hawkmore’s book back to him.
She should have done so already, but he acted so condescending when he asked for it. Every time, she meant to acquiesce, but then he said or did something that made her feel like a child and all logical thought fled.
This was why she always ended up apologizing. Amorette knew she needed to get a hold of her temper, but she didn’t know how to do that. Yet.
Hunter huffed a breath and stood to his feet. Instead of taking the indicated seat, he marched to Amorette’s side and flopped into the chair there.
“Not there.” Mr. Hawkmore frowned. His dark eyes studied Hunter with such intensity that Amorette feared one or the other might burst into flames.
“Why not? I moved.” Hunter flashed a smile more patronizing than happy.
Mr. Hawkmore sneered. “It’s uneven now.”
“Wow. OCD much?” Hunter reached for his silverware.
His fork was just headed for the largest piece of sausage when a knife embedded itself into the wood beside Hunter’s wrist. Hunter froze.
Mr. Hawkmore narrowed his eyes at the man. “Ladies first.”
Hunter retracted his hands. The look he shot Amorette didn’t bode well for the rest of this meal.
Amorette attempted a smile in Mr. Hawkmore’s direction.
She would admit, the knife was a little unexpected. She might have thought he would kill her that first time, but he didn’t seem homicidal any of the other times their paths crossed. The knife stuck in the hard oak table said otherwise. Amorette made a mental note to avoid angering Mr. Hawkmore in the future.
For now, there was a ton of food calling her name. Amorette made an effort to ignore the idiots on either side of her. Instead, she focused solely on the sausage and steak and eggs and... pie. So much pie. Amorette had never seen pie offered for breakfast, but she wouldn’t complain about it. Especially not when she could smell the sweet apple goodness begging for her attention.
By the time Amorette came back to her senses, her plate was loaded down and both men were staring at her like she had lost her mind.
“I really like breakfast food.” Amorette shrugged, playing innocent as best she could.
Hunter snorted.
If she wasn’t mistaken, Mr. Hawkmore’s lips tilted into an amused smile. That was a new one.
Amorette couldn’t remember seeing him amused. Angry, annoyed, proud... yeah, all those. But never amused. She made a mental note what that looked like.
“Can I eat without losing a hand now?” Hunter shot Mr. Hawkmore a glare.
Mr. Hawkmore motioned a hand toward the food before them. “Be my guest.”
Amorette dug her fork through the pie and settled the bite in her mouth.
Her eyes darted between the two men. Both seemed far too silent. They might both be planning the other’s death. She couldn’t have that mess on her hands.
“My room is beautiful,” Amorette blurted.
Mr. Hawkmore didn’t look away from the steak on his plate. “I know.”
Okay, so much for that. As chatty as Doon seemed, Mr. Hawkmore seemed the silent, stoic type. It didn’t help that her benefactor and her best friend appeared to hate each other’s guts. If only she could figure that one out.
“How did you know what colors are my favorite?” Amorette asked, directing the question once more to Mr. Hawkmore.
He paused his cutting for a second, a hesitation so brief that Amorette almost missed it. “I didn’t.”
“Oh.” Amorette dug into her pie again. Strange. For not knowing, he decorated the room almost exactly as she would have if she had a choice. “Still, you must have put a lot of thought into it. Thank you.”
Mr. Hawkmore didn’t answer this time. His focus stayed on his plate.
Amorette rolled her l
ips together. Apparently, that line of questioning wouldn’t get her anywhere. Fine, then. Next thought.
She turned to Hunter and flashed a smile. “Is it tasty?”
“I’ve had better.” Hunter shot a look over Amorette’s head. She didn’t have to ask to know he was glaring at Mr. Hawkmore again.
“But it’s good, right?”
Hunter shrugged.
Amorette had never, in her life, gotten such a shallow and indifferent answer from Hunter. Effectively shut down, Amorette turned back to her food and sank lower in her chair. Weapons might start flying any time now. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle of the war.
The room rang with silence, broken only by the scrape of a knife or the clink of a fork. Daggers in the form of sneers and glowers shot from one end of the table to the other.
Just when Amorette was sure someone would launch across the silent room, a new set of footsteps made their way toward the dining room. She blew out a breath. Only one person left, and he might be her savior this morning.
Amorette spun in her chair to greet him. “Doon!”
“Good morning. What’s...” he studied the scene before him.
Amorette jerked her head toward Mr. Hawkmore and glanced toward Hunter. If Doon had any brains, he’d see she was trying to plead for his assistance.
In case Doon was stupider than he looked, she mouthed a single word. Help.
Doon stared at her blankly for what felt like centuries. Finally, the sight of food broke the passive look on his face.
“Ooh, steak!” Doon jogged to the other side of the table and started to load a plate.
Amorette took a sharp breath to compose herself. “So, Doon, I’ve been wondering... who came in to wake me up every two hours last night? I guess I was groggy since I don’t remember.”
“Wake you up?” Doon cut into his steak with gusto, pausing only to think. “Oh, your concussion. Uh... I did. I woke you up.”
He shot her a smile she didn’t quite believe, but that could just be Doon’s face in general. So far, he hadn’t proven himself the most honest, upright person.
“I could have done it,” Hunter grumbled.
Amorette elbowed his ribcage. “Be nice,” she hissed at him.
Hunter shrugged at her. “He’s not giving me many reasons to be congenial.” He wrinkled his nose in Mr. Hawkmore’s general direction. “I didn’t want to come in the first place.”
“Don’t you have to go to work?”
When Amorette looked up, Doon grinned at her and nodded his head. As if he could fix all her problems if she left the house. For the first time, Amorette wanted to trust him. If her idiot step-brother had been less of a fool, she could have had a brother like Doon.
Amorette stood from her chair and scooped one last bite of pie into her mouth. “Hunter, we have to talk when I get home.”
“Yeah, we do.” Hunter looked up at her. “Be careful.”
“One of my cars will drive you.” Mr. Hawkmore peeled an orange as he spoke this time. “Both ways. Please don’t argue. It’s for the better good.”
“Okay, wow. No need to be so dramatic.” Hunter spat back.
“I’m going to go change and head out. Thanks for the food!” Amorette fled the room quicker than a skittish doe could flee a predator.
As long as she made it out of the house, this day might progress in an orderly manner. Somewhat. Amorette didn’t have much hope for what she might find when she came back.
EADRIC COULDN’T BELIEVE the nerve of the young twit trying to usurp his position in this house. He didn’t like Hunter before, but now Eadric thought his ill feelings might have turned into full-on hatred. Eadric wasn’t sure why he hated Hunter so much, aside from the power play. Maybe because he saw the softness when the boy looked at Amorette.
“Gentlemen, I think it’s time for a chat.” Doon spread his hands on the table.
Hunter and Eadric barely turned to look at him.
Doon didn’t give up so easily. He stood to his feet and acknowledged first one, then the other. “Let me begin with the little staring contest I walked in on this morning. I’ll tell you how it looked from the outside in.” Doon cleared his throat and began. “There were lasers. Lots of lasers, and an unfortunate victim caught between the two of you. Seriously, I’ve never seen her so scared for her life. You should both be ashamed of yourselves.”
“It’s not my fault.” Eadric scowled at Doon. How dare the man take sides in this? “He enraged me right off the bat.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Hunter shrugged.
Eadric pointed a finger at him. “See? This right here. That’s what irks me most. He won’t take personal responsibility.”
“I don’t think his lack of personal responsibility is the real problem here.” Doon shot a look at Eadric. One that Eadric knew too well. Doon meant to expose everything he thought about this situation.
Fantastic. They’d be there for ages longer.
“Why are you taking his side?” Hunter piped up. “I’m plenty responsible.”
“He pays the bills, sorry.” Doon shrugged and settled back in his seat. “I do have a point here, if either of you are interested.”
Hunter and Eadric exchanged another look, but both turned back to Doon. “We’re interested.”
“That’s the problem.”
Eadric sighed. He would talk in riddles when they needed him to speak with the most clarity. “What’s the problem?”
“You’re both interested.” Doon grinned at them. “In a pretty little woman named Amorette.”
“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” Eadric spat. Why would Doon even think that? Clearly, he was taking care of her like he might... a little sister.
Hunter shrugged his shoulders. “I won’t deny it.”
“Of course you won’t.” Eadric rolled his eyes. “You’ve been on her like... Doon, what is the saying?”
“White on rice.”
Eadric nodded. “Yes. That. Ever since I first met her. You cannot have her, little boy. She isn’t yours.”
“Not yet.” Hunter’s lip turned up in a half-smirk that made Eadric’s stomach twist. “I made some mistakes with her, but I have no intention of letting Amorette slip past my fingers. I like her too much to let her get away.”
“I think we should get back on topic here—”
Eadric held up a hand to silence Doon. “This is the topic you steered us toward. Wouldn’t you rather we discuss this like gentlemen now?”
“I’d rather you put aside your differences and try to get along for Amorette’s sake. She’s gone through enough.”
“Which is why it would be better if you just let her come to me like she was already doing.” Hunter ignored Doon and leaned forward to stare Eadric down.
Eadric sneered. This child thought he could give orders around here? Not likely. Not when Eadric had centuries of experience on him. “You aren’t a part of that woman’s destiny.”
“What do you know about her destiny?”
“More than you.”
“Guys, I think you’re missing the point again...” Doon tried to interject, but even he knew they were both too far gone.
Hunter stood first. His chair scraped the floor like nails against a chalkboard. “If you know so much about her destiny, then try me. If I’m not her destiny, I’ll change her fate.”
“Is that a challenge?” Eadric didn’t need to stand to sound intimidating. A single raised eyebrow and a cold stare did the job.
“Take it as you will. I’m not backing down.” Hunter huffed a laugh. “Good luck winning.” He stormed out of the room, back up the stairs he descended from earlier.
Eadric bolted from his chair. His fingers raked back through his hair, disheveling it. “That insolent, arrogant airhead!” He stormed in the opposite direction, toward the garage.
No one remembered that they left Doon all alone. No one cared, either.
“OKAY, SO LET ME GET this straight.” Melodia folded her ar
ms on the counter and leaned closer to her employee. “You got mugged, but the handsome billionaire saved you? And now you’re staying at his house? Because he wants to protect you?”
It took most of the morning, but Amorette had finally managed to spill the whole story. No details excluded. Melodia wasn’t exactly the understanding type sometimes, but she seemed pretty with it today.
Amorette nodded. “It sounds stupid and fake.”
“Lucky!” Melodia tapped a hand on Amorette’s arm. “Most girls would kill for an opportunity like this. Ditch the Malibu Ken and go for the CEO. More stable job.”
“Mel!” Amorette buried her face in her arms. “Stop! That’s not the kind of advice I need right now.”
“Why? You like both of them, don’t you?”
Amorette glared at Melodia from the very top of her eyes. “No. I don’t understand Mr. Hawkmore. At all. He’s all nice one minute and Mr. Freeze the next. Hunter messed up his chance, too. I’m not ready to forgive him.”
“Which is why you should dump him and date the CEO.”
“Melodia Morris!”
Melodia shrugged her shoulders. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You’re wrong.” Amorette had no trouble spitting out the words.
She wasn’t looking for a relationship. She was barely looking for someone to be her friend. She never asked to move into the CEO’s house or have his driver chauffeur her to and from work. None of it made sense.
The bells over the door jingled.
Amorette turned and smiled woefully at the newcomer. “Hey, Doon.”
“You know him?” Melodia stood straighter, her spine stiff in a defensive posture that Amorette knew too well. “Whatever you’re doing here, forget it. Turn around and walk away.”
“Relax, princess, I’m not here for you. Today.” Doon smirked at Melodia, followed by a wink. “I tried to talk to them. They’re both stubborn.”
Amorette sighed. Of course they were. She didn’t expect anything different, especially after this morning’s breakfast fiasco. “How stubborn?”
“I think the gauntlet has been thrown down. I don’t foresee friendship any time soon.” Doon brushed an invisible piece of lint from his coat sleeve. “I’d like to make up for it. Are you hungry?”
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