by Ali Parker
“You’re welcome.”
“I’m too old to be getting into fistfights. Remind me to walk away next time.”
I laughed. “I don’t know. It was kind of hot seeing you all manly and growling.”
“Then I want a face guard and gloves.”
I giggled again. “Sounds good to me. What am I going to do with you if you have a messed-up hand and face? I need you whole.”
His eyes drifted over my body. “Trust me, I can work through the pain. You in that dress is enough to make me walk through fire to get to you.”
I kissed him again. “You say the sweetest things. Rest. I’m going to see if there’s anything to make for dinner since we didn’t get to eat. I’m starving.”
“Order some cheeseburgers. Cheeseburgers make everything better,” he hollered as I walked into the kitchen.
I smiled, loving that we could connect over a good burger. I quickly called in the order and returned to the couch to take care of my hero.
Chapter 42
Terran
I woke up with my beautiful fiancée snuggled against me and knew I was a lucky man. I moved to get out of bed when she stopped me.
“Hey, Tyson, how’s the hand?” she asked in a groggy voice.
I laughed. “Sore, but I’m sure I’ll survive. I need to shower and get ready,” I told her.
When I got out of the shower, she had a cup of coffee waiting for me along with a couple ibuprofen.
“I figured you’d be a little sore,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you. And thank you for taking care of me last night.”
She gave me a gentle kiss on the uninjured side of my mouth. “I’ve got to get going. Be good today and try not to beat anyone else up.”
“Ha, ha,” I said in a dry tone.
I quickly finished my coffee before heading out. When I reached for the door handle, I realized just how sore my hand was. My knuckles were an ugly purple and red and swollen. I wasn’t going to be doing any major typing today.
I walked into the office, doing my best not to make direct eye contact with anyone. I had escaped a black eye, but I did have a slightly swollen lip. It felt a lot bigger than it looked Hailey had assured me.
“Good morning, Lena,” I said, walking past her desk.
“Are you okay?” she gasped, jumping out of her chair and following me into my office.
I stopped to turn around and look at her. “Am I okay? Yes, of course. What makes you ask that?”
She studied my face, finding the swollen lip and gasping. “Oh no. Does it hurt?”
I waved a hand. “It’s fine, really.”
She shook her head. “I’m glad that’s all you got. I was so worried.”
I sat down in my chair and looked at her. “Lena, what are you going on about?”
She stared at me and rushed out of the room, returning a few seconds later waving a newspaper. She dropped it on my desk and pointed to my face on the front page.
“That’s what I’m talking about. You got into a fight. Did that man attack you?”
“Shit,” I muttered staring at the picture of me with my fist up and Reggie bleeding on the ground.
“Who is that guy?”
I shook my head. “No one. I need a few minutes alone, please.”
She nodded her head. “Can I get you anything?”
“No thank you. I’m fine.”
She walked out of my office, closing the door behind her. I put my head in my hand and groaned. I should have known someone would take pictures of the fight. I was sure there must be video out there as well. I was expecting to be served with a civil suit any day. I had to wonder if Reggie had purposely acted like that to get a rise out of me with the sole purpose of suing me.
I had barely gotten my email loaded when my office door swung open.
“Lena,” I growled, ready to tell her I wanted to be alone.
When I looked up, it wasn’t Lena’s face I saw. It was good, old Uncle Lance, carrying several newspapers in his hand.
“What do you want?” I snapped.
He walked in and shut the door behind him before flopping down in one of the chairs with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Nephew, always a pleasure to see you.”
“Go away, Lance. I have nothing to say to you. Let your lawyer handle your complaint, and I’ll handle mine.”
He shook his head, waving the newspapers in his hand. “Seems like you’re quite the celebrity. Every time I pick up a paper, you’re on the front page.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. What’s the point?”
“The point is, you put yourself out there like you’re this perfect guy, like your daddy was so perfect when in truth, you guys are just like the rest of us. You use your money to hide your nasty attitudes. I’m going to find this guy and tell him all your dirty little secrets. And then, I’m going to find this woman that has agreed to marry you, and I’m going to tell her everything.”
I rolled my eyes. “Lance, I don’t know why you think my engagement is a sham. I really don’t fucking care. It is none of your damn business. You aren’t a part of this family. You walked out a long time ago. If you want money, get off your fucking ass and earn it!”
He shook his head. “Like you? You rode your daddy’s coattails. He paid for your college and bought you everything you wanted. You acted the part of a spoiled rich kid and never had to pay for any of the shit you did. Your daddy always came to your rescue.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I didn’t get into trouble—that was you. You’re the one he had to bail out of jail all the time. You’re the one who couldn’t pay his debts.”
“Look, I’m willing to walk away and let you have your inheritance and the company, but you’ll have to do something for me,” he said, sitting forward.
I shook my head. “I don’t know why you think I won’t be getting my birthright or why I would have to do anything for you. You’re not in a position to bargain or threaten here, Lance.”
He grinned. “Because we both know you are only pretending to be engaged to get that crotchety old lawyer to sign the check. You’re not marrying that woman. You and I both know she’s a means to an end. You’re not the marrying kind. You’re like your uncle.”
I grimaced. “No, I’m not. Not even close. You and I couldn’t be more different. I wasn’t the marrying kind when I was younger, but that was before I met her. She changed everything. I’m a different man.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you say. I’m not walking away empty-handed, not this time. Your dad couldn’t have made his fortune without me. I have a right to a chunk of that fortune.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Lance you’ve never done anything in your entire life that contributed to his success. You’re a blood-sucking leech. You always have been and always will be. You can’t hold a job, you don’t have the ambition to actually try and be successful, you deserve nothing. Get the fuck out of my office before I have your ass thrown out. I’m done.”
He did not seem the least bit disturbed by my words. He sat there grinning like a fool. I understood why my dad kicked him out of our lives all those years ago. He was a drain on the family. Hell, he was a drain on society. My dad had tried to help him more times than I could count. He’d given him a job, let him live in our house for a while and even offered to back some bar business Lance wanted to start. It never went anywhere, and the end result was always Lance back with his hand out.
“Terran, I love the internet these days,” Lance said a smug smile on his face.
“Congratulations. Do you want me to buy you a computer?” I snarked.
He shook his head. “I have one, thank you, but you’ll be buying me a new one soon enough along with a new car. And I think I need a boat, not a yacht, but a nice boat as well.”
“I will, huh? Why is that?”
“Because a little clickety-clack and I’m going to know everything there is to know about your so-called fiancée. I can’
t wait to tell her all about you and our family. I think she’ll really love the part about your dad cutting you off if you weren’t married, don’t you?”
“Let it go, Lance. You’re only making an ass out of yourself. I’m in love with Hailey, and she’s in love with me. I know you probably can’t understand love because you’ve never had it, but people who are in love often get married. A sociopath like you clearly has no concept of what it is like to love someone.”
He smiled. “Give me half the money, and I’ll go. You’ll never hear from me again, and your fiancée will never know the truth.”
“Get out of my office—now.”
“Last chance, Terran. You can deal with me, or I will find her and tell her everything. Hell, I may need to elaborate a little bit and explain to her just how much you stand to lose. I’m sure she’d be interested to know you have no plans of actually marrying her. Half the money or I tell her. Final chance,” he said, his voice deadly serious.
I stared at him for several seconds before pushing the button on my intercom. “Lena, will you have security escort this man out of the building please.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Maddox.”
He looked at me, a sneer twisting his face. “You’re going to be sorry.”
I shook my head. “I doubt that. I’m sorry you’re related to me, but that’s about it.”
He got up from the chair a few seconds before a security guard pushed open the door. “This him?” he asked.
I nodded my head. “Get him out of here, and I want every guard to know this man is not to step foot in this building again.”
“You can’t do that!” Lance shouted.
I smiled. “I can. I own the building.”
“Bullshit! Not for long. Not when I tell her the truth!” he shouted as he was physically dragged away.
Lena appeared in the doorway. “Are you okay? I didn’t know who he was. When I tried to stop him, he told me he was your uncle and that you were expecting him.”
I shook my head. “I have no family. If you see that man in here again, your first call better be security, then the police.”
She nodded her head. “Okay, got it. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine, Lena.”
She shut the door and left me alone once again. I let out a long, loud sigh, shaking my head. Shit just kept rolling in. I thought about Lance’s threats and knew he would follow through with it given the chance. Money made people do crazy things.
I sat back in my chair, spinning around and staring out the window. I had to ask myself why I turned down his offer. I had risked Hailey by refusing to part with half the inheritance. I complained about Hailey being greedy and Lance’s desperation for money, but yet I had just risked my relationship with Hailey for money.
Now who was the greedy one?
I rubbed a hand over my face, hitting my lip and wincing in pain. All I could do was hope Hailey wouldn’t believe him or he couldn’t find her. That was the downside of dating a public figure. She was easy to track down and very noticeable. I felt a cold shiver of dread tickle the back of my neck. I stood to lose a lot more than a few million dollars.
I had been stupid to reject Lance’s offer. I thought about having Jim call the other lawyer and just signing over half the inheritance but stopped myself. There was nothing to stop Lance from going back on his agreement to disappear. If I knew him, which I was sure I did, he’d tell Hailey just to spite me.
“Dammit!” I shouted.
“Do you need something?” Lena’s voice came through the intercom on my desk.
“No!” I snapped.
She didn’t say another word. I had certainly been in a pretty shitty mood as of late. It didn’t fit with how well everything was going in my life.
“Oh what a tangled web we weave,” I whispered as I turned back around and tried to focus on work.
Chapter 43
Hailey
After leaving Terran’s condo, I called Mandy. She didn’t answer. I wanted to believe she was at work or in the shower, but I knew her reason for not answering was far more than that. She was pissed at me. I had ruined her dinner the night before and possibly cost her a boyfriend she really liked. I had to tell her what Terran told me and make her believe it. I believed him, one-hundred percent, but I knew Mandy would be reluctant to take whatever Terran said at face value.
I was dreading the coming encounter. Mandy hadn’t texted me back last night or this morning. I was worried about her. I could only imagine the story Reggie had come up with to explain the fight. I believed Terran. He had no reason to lie. I didn’t like Reggie from the moment I met him, and I didn’t care if that was judgmental. I parked my car and looked around the parking lot. When I saw Mandy’s car, my stomach did a little flip-flop.
I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves and heading inside, waving and smiling as I walked toward Mandy’s office. I knocked once before pushing the door open and popping my head in.
“Hey,” I said when she looked up.
“I’m not in the mood, Hailey,” she grumbled.
“Mandy, please. Can we talk? I want to explain, and I wanted to make sure you were okay. You never texted me back last night.”
She rolled her eyes. “I was busy. I had to take my boyfriend to the emergency room.”
I gulped down the lump in my throat. “The ER?” I asked.
She nodded her head. “Yes. If you’ll remember, your boyfriend hit him, several times.”
“I know that. Is he okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine, just bruised.”
I fought back the smirk that threatened to ruin my repentant demeanor. “I’m glad he’s okay. Can we talk, please?”
She sighed. “Fine. I only have a few minutes.”
I shut the door. I didn’t want the rest of the staff eavesdropping. What had happened last night had been embarrassing for all parties. The last thing any of us needed was more people than who were there to know about it.
“How’s Terran?” she asked snidely, and I knew she could really care less.
“He’s fine,” I replied.
“Gee, that’s great,” she retorted.
“Mandy, I am so sorry about what happened last night.”
“I’m sure you are. You need to get a leash and a muzzle on that man of yours.”
I closed my eyes. She was mad. I couldn’t really blame her. I wouldn’t get mad in return. My instinct was to jump in and defend Terran. I wanted to tell her to back off and quit talking shit about him. I wouldn’t. I’d let her get out her anger. If she continued, things were going to be very different.
“Mandy, it wasn’t like that.”
“Really? It wasn’t like your boyfriend beating the shit out of mine? Your boyfriend didn’t leave mine with a black eye that is so swollen he can’t see out of it?” she seethed.
My heart hurt seeing her that mad at me. “Mandy, he did it for you. He was defending you,” I stressed the last word.
“Really? That’s what we’re going with? You expect me to believe your knight in shining armor decided to beat the hell out of my date for me?”
I nodded. “Yes, I do expect you to believe it because it is exactly what happened. I’m sorry, but Reggie is not a good guy. He was completely disrespecting you. Terran said he was saying horrible things.”
“How was he disrespecting me? What was he saying?” she asked, I knew she was open to hearing what happened.
I hated to be the one to tell her. “He has another woman on the side. He was texting a woman while we were in the bathroom. He thought it was funny.”
She rolled her eyes. “And you know that because Terran told you? And why would I believe that? Why would Reggie, who doesn’t even know Terran, tell him about his dating life?”
“Mandy, he was not being nice. He was bragging about how great he was. Something about needing two women to satisfy him or something like that.”
She shook her head. “I don’t believe that. Reggie isn’t like that.”
/> I got up and walked around her desk, squatting in front of her and looking her directly in the eye. “Mandy, I love you. You know that. I would never do anything to purposely hurt you.”
She sighed. “I know that. I know you wouldn’t hurt me, but I don’t know about Terran. I don’t know him.”
I shook my head. “Terran would never hurt you either. I want you to listen to me. Reggie was texting another woman. He was leering at me, and he said some rotten things to Terran about you and your relationship with him. I think if you take a step back and really look at everything, you’re going to realize it’s true,” I said softly.
She refused to look at me. “No, actually I don’t know that. You’re trying to put stuff in my head that isn’t true.”
“Mandy, come on. In the bathroom before everything went to hell, you were hinting at something. You wanted me to give you an excuse to dump him. I had already made it clear I was not all that fond of him. I wanted to like him for your sake, but something was off. I know you wanted me to tell you I didn’t like him so you would feel better about not really liking him either. I know you. It’s okay. Please, I don’t want this to ruin our friendship. Reggie isn’t worth it,” I stressed.
She covered her face with her hands. I stood up and hugged her, waiting for her to accept what I was saying. I knew she knew it.
“Why did Terran fight him? I mean, he doesn’t even know me. Why would he do that for someone he doesn’t even know?” she asked, still not looking at me.
I smiled. “He couldn’t stand the way Reggie was talking about you. He didn’t give me all the details, and quite frankly, I don’t want to hear them. He doesn’t know you, but he respects women. He was defending you, Mandy. You have to believe me. He’s not the kind of guy who goes around beating up random strangers for no reason at all. I was very happy to know he was trying to protect you,” I said, unable to stop smiling.
“Why?” she groaned.
“Why what sweetie?”
“Why did he have to be such an asshole? I didn’t even like him when I met him at the club. I wasn’t even trying to take home a guy that night. I feel like he targeted me,” she croaked.