I laugh harshly, because my brother has never had any issue when it comes to bed companions, and he certainly didn’t have a lot of morals as we grew up.
‘Please, if a bombshell walked in here and asked to hire us, you’d be licking Dad’s ball sack so he would assign you to her just for the chance to get her on her back.’
Gage pulls a face, ‘firstly, never and I do mean never mention our father’s ball sack and licking in the same sentence again’ he groans, ‘and secondly, I do not need to lick any part of our father to get the hot women assigned to me.’ He winks, ‘with you refusing to take any job that involves the female sex, Callan and I just have to pick up the slack.’
My brother isn’t wrong, since I started at the firm, I’ve always turned down any job that means I have to babysit the young daughters of high-powered men who seem to think that having a guard will somehow stop them from spreading their legs after a few tequila shots. Every one of those assholes thinks their female offspring are virtuous, innocent, na?ve girls. I can tell you, from the two jobs I did take at the beginning, they’d be damn wrong, and I will never babysit another college princess again.
My brother is still talking but I’ve zoned him out, concentrating on the information about an upcoming job that I will probably field out to Callan.
Speaking of the man, the broad shouldered form of our best friend enters my office and takes the other chair in front of my desk.
‘You having a mother’s meeting and not inviting me?’ he drawls, his fingers pushing through his dark brown hair as he leans back and makes himself comfortable.
‘Do you not have work to do?’ I grumble, not even looking up at our friend.
‘Nope’ the asshole replies with a sh*t eating grin, ‘just cleared the last case off my desk this morning.’
‘Good, here’s a new one’ I grouch, thrusting the folder toward him aggressively.
‘Well since you asked me so nicely’ Callan coos leaning forward to take the file, ‘I’d be happy to take over this job for you, anything to help my friends.’
A rap on my door draws all our attention, the three of us turning as one to face my father, whose broad frame fills the door easily.
‘My house, tonight, all of you’ he orders abruptly, obviously expecting us to obey, as he always does, Henry Hawthorne doesn’t ask anyone to do anything.
‘Mr C! You’re back’ Callan calls out, waving at my father like the jackass he is. It’s probably why he’s our best friend, he was the only one who never showed fear when faced with our father. I think he actually managed to impress the old man when he convinced Gage to sneak out and steal Dad’s car. They wrecked it before they even managed to reach the end of the block, but the old man just said he hadn’t even heard them leave and asked them how she handled.
‘Why do I employ you?’ my father grumbles, eyeing Callan in exasperation.
‘Because I’m the only person outside of these two that can deal with your sunny personality for more than a few minutes at a time’ Callan requires.
‘I have the Dallas party tonight’ I growl, ‘I need to be there, he’s an important client.’
‘Get Lincoln to run point instead, I need you all at the house, that’s non negotiable’ our father orders.
‘What’s up Daddy-o? Why the call back to the house?’ Gage asks curiously.
He and Callan share a house on the other side of town, they usually come by on Sunday so dad’s housekeeper can feed as even now, the old man insists on a family meal, them but other than that it’s not often they get called to the house.
My father growls in frustration, ‘I got married’ he huffs, ‘you need to get your asses to the house so you treat her with f*cking respect when she arrives.’
My mouth falls open, what the f*ck did he just say? A f*cking step mom?
Tessa’s POV
Three very short days, that is all I was given before my entire life was packed up in a moving truck to be driven across the country. As for me? Well I was bustled to the airport behind my overly excited mother, who was ready to head to a completely different state regardless of whether I was or not.
I didn’t have the option to stay behind and let my Mother jet off to her new life alone. I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination, a A grade student, I’m average at best, so no scholarships were in the offering for me when I sent out applications to colleges. Instead, I had to attend our local community college, this gave me the ability to stay living in my Mum’s house whilst I studied, which was the only option I had, as neither I nor my mother could afford to rent me a place in the state of the only other college that sent me an acceptance letter.
So now, with no job, no money, and no way to get loans to support myself, I have no choice but to go where my free housing goes which means I’ll paste on a smile and take my butt to Maine.
As we settle into our seats, I have to admit that flying first class is one of the few perks I can appreciate regarding my mother’s new life with her brand new husband. It seems that Henry’s business does extremely well, which is one of the main reasons why we have to go and live with him in Maine, and not the other way around.
I did weakly point out that the weather in Miami was so much better and with the amount of people that live there, Henry’s security business would flourish if he considered branching out at all. I wasn’t surprised that my words fell on deaf ears, my mother was already sold on the shiny new life which lies ahead of us.
As I settle back nervously into my seat, my mum gratefully accepts a glass of champagne from the steward as he passes down the aisle, and I silently curse the twenty-one year age limit of the US on alcohol consumption. Honestly, I could really do with some sort of hard liquor to help take the edge off this damn curveball in my life.
‘Relax sweetie’ Mum soothes, patting my hand that is gripping the arm rests of my seat. I’m not a good flyer, if God had intended me to be in the sky, he would have given me wings.
I try to give her a smile but I’m pretty sure it has come out as more of a grimace from the concerned look she gives me before placing her hand on top of my own and squeezing it gently.
The engines roar before the airplane shoots forward, gaining speed and tilting back to push into the air. I shut my eyes tight, trying to breathe through the panic, counting backward from fifty until the plane levels out and the sound of the engines quietens.
Opening my eyes, I drag in a shaky breath as my mum smiles at me, ‘OK?’ she asks softly.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.