Chapter Sixteen
Brennan
Iwalked into the courthouse. It had been a good day, and it was about to get better. We were finalizing our name changes today.
“Brennan?” Spencer joined me, wearing one of his fancy suits. “Can I have a word, quickly, before we join everyone.”
“Of course.” I hoped nothing had gone sideways–like my mother going after Compass BioTek.
She’d been very quiet; which worried me.
A giddy look lit up his eyes in a way I’d never seen before as he got out his phone. “I found it. Oh, she’s going to love it.”
“Grace’s house?” It’s all I could think of. Had I ever seen him this excited about something?
“Please excuse me for not running it through you, but it was perfect, and I knew that it would go fast.” Spencer showed me a listing on his phone.
I read it. Then re-read it. No. He didn’t.
Oh yes, he did.
“Spencer. This is an island.” An island in Greece with an airstrip and a dock large enough for a substantial yacht.
“There’s a house on it. It’s also a tiny island.” His look went self-conscious. “Is it too much? It’s too much. It comes with the yacht. My jet’s a little much for that airstrip unless we make some changes to it, but we talked about a pack plane, anyway.”
“She’ll love it. It’s exquisite.” It was a small island. But it wasn’t a small house. When exactly were we going to visit this island? We barely went to Evan’s cabin outside of his heats. Suddenly, were we going to not be a pack of workaholics?
Then again, would it be a bad thing? Really, both Spencer and I could step back from our companies, and they’d be fine. We just enjoyed being hands on. Wes and Grace had flexible jobs. Evan’s training for the Blanket Brigade also opened him up to more options, which just left Jett.
Spencer looked at me expectantly. “Is it enough? The house just looked like her, and I know she enjoys the ocean, so it made sense. Hopefully, it should be settled so we can run the paperwork through the Center, get everything solidified, and she can be pack.”
“It’s perfect.” Enough? Grace was getting her own fucking island. Who did that?
Never mind, this was Spencer, who was flying in a grill master, a band, and wine for his mating party because she wanted an elegant picnic.
“An island? Nice. I’ll probably get my retirement island nearby one day. It’s a good area, especially for taxes.” Riley appeared, in black fishnets, boots, and a skirt, purple top ripped and matching her lipstick.
Spencer nodded. “You gave me the idea.”
“I aim to please.” Riley grinned.
“Are you okay with all of this, Ri?” I wanted to make sure.
She shot me a look. “Name me up. Tattoo me. You’re stuck with me, fuckers.”
I pulled her to me. “No, you’re stuck with me.”
“Get off me, you alpha fuck.” She laughed, trying to push me away.
The three of us found the others. We met with the judge and changed our last names. Well, Spencer didn’t have to change his.
Relief filled me as I signed the form. Wow, I never thought I’d be so happy to not be a Morris.
“All set. Also, I now formally declare you the Thanukos pack.” The judge beamed at us. Okay, we still needed the paperwork submitted for Grace, but it worked.
“Thank you. I made reservations for us to have dinner, I thought we should celebrate,” I announced. It was one of the restaurants we usually went to as a pack. Grace hadn’t been to any of them yet.
“Are we all a pack, now?” Grace asked.
“For the most part. Though for you, some things need to go through Mrs. Beekman and the Omega Center before they’re finalized.” Which could happen now that I had the specifics of her property. “I’ll meet you all there?”
I took my motorcycle and met them at the restaurant that was a pack favorite because you could cook your own food on the grill on the table.
“We haven’t had a family dinner out in a while. This is nice.” Evan’s arm slid around my waist as the server took us to our table.
I frowned as we were led to the back room. “Wait, I didn’t reserve a private room.”
“We did. Surprise.” Katie and her pack were there. A sign was taped to the wall. Congratulations, Thanukos Pack.
She did? I hugged my twin. “Thank you.”
“We have an alliance, right?” Lexi grinned as she hugged her brother.
Wes’ nose flared, and he sucked in a breath. “Wait…”
“Yeah. Not trying to hijack your party. Damn alpha noses.” Lexi’s smile broadened.
Grace blinked.
“Babies. The sister pack is bringing on the baby invasion,” I explained.
She did a happy little dance. “Babies. Yay.”
“Grace, I want to hear all about the PIIP symposium.” Rami, Katie’s omega, waved her over.
While I’d wanted to have a nice, quiet dinner with my pack, it was nice of the sister pack to do this.
We all ordered a ton of food and laughed as we ate and drank.
“Welcome to the chaos, Grace.” Katie laughed. “Any other news, Bren?”
Oh. Right. “The courts have awarded me my assets. Which includes the Morris Foundation Building.”
“Really? That was quick.” Jett grinned. “Eviction notices all around?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
Though I was considering selling the building.
We’d see, after I liquidated some of the other things.
Most of it was going into our family foundation, anyway.
Did I need it? No. It was the principle of the matter.
Also, I loved the irony of using the money from my mother’s family to fund the scholarships we’d put in place to cover the ones that she cut.
“What about the State Street Building?” Katie asked.
I shrugged. “She had the opportunity to make the trade–which was a lot more advantageous to her. But that’s passed. How’s the new job?”
“I love it,” Katie responded.
“Wow. Really?” My brother Liam, who’d head up the Morris Company one day, leaned in the doorway.
“Fuck off, Liam. I’m allowed to have dinner with my brother.” Katie scratched her nose with her middle finger.
“I can’t believe you did that.” Liam looked at the sign congratulating our new pack.
Spencer stood, expression fierce. “Do you have an issue with my family, Liam?”
“Only that you had the poor taste to include my brother.” Liam chuckled derisively.
“Don’t be mean.” Grace glared at him with an intensity that might make someone cower if they didn’t know our mother.
“What do you want, Liam?” I growled.
“You’re fucking up everything. We need that building to finish the State Street Project. Sell it to us, or else,” he snarled.
“Bold of you to threaten him in front of two law enforcement officers,” Lexi warned.
Liam laughed. “I’m so beyond that it’s laughable.”
“I’m willing to sell it for what I bought it for. The only reason I bought it was because you’re fucking with my business,” I spat.
“That dumb little event venue? Waste of money.” His eyes rolled.
“Hey.” Grace threw something at him. “I’m getting married there, you asshole. It’s not dumb or a waste.”
“Did you just throw a piece of zucchini at me?” Liam blinked.
Katie was trying not to laugh. Where once I’d tell Grace to leave it, I was super curious if he could take what our little gamma could dish out.
“You should be glad that I’m over here or I’d punch you in the tits. Bullies are not welcome. Go be a twatwaffle someplace else.” Grace threw another piece of zucchini at him.
“Yeah, go away, Liam.” Rami threw an onion at him.
“When’s the last time you did something nice for your omega?” Evan added, tossing some broccoli.
“Go fuck a pineapple.” Riley held a chopstick like a throwing knife.
Should I take it from her? Yes. Would I? No.
Liam stood there, incredulous, as the chopstick hit him in the chest.
“Arrest him, Officer.” Grace laughed.
“Unfortunately, you can’t arrest people for just being assholes.” Jett sighed and shook his head.
“My job would be so much easier if you could,” Lexi agreed.
“Look, he told you that he’ll sell you the building.
Fuck, I’m sure he’ll sell you the other building, too.
You know you can afford it, and honestly, you and Mom brought this on yourselves.
As the courts ruled, you can’t keep his shit from him, and you knew not to lowball that property owner, but you did anyway.
I think the term is fuck around and find out and you just found out,” Katie taunted.
The judge had literally laughed my mom out of court, too.
“You are going to regret this.” Liam scowled and flicked some onion off his sleeve. “Also, you should teach them to behave.”
“I’ll teach you a few things,” Grace grumbled as Wes practically sat on her to keep her from getting up.
“Are you threatening my family, Liam? I don’t think you understand who you’re dealing with here.” Spencer strode over to him and growled, “This is my family. Mine. You don’t threaten us. You don’t threaten our businesses. Or it’s you who will regret it.”
Spencer growled again, the room filling with dominance.
Sometimes I forgot who and what Spencer’s family was, because he was so mild-mannered and his father was a professor.
Leaders. Rulers. Ruthless business executives.
Rich-ass motherfuckers who expected to get their way and had been doing so for a very long time.
“You heard him.” I stood, joining Spencer. “This is a private party. If you’d like to meet, please call my office tomorrow and make an appointment.”
A server came by. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes, please call security, this alpha is bothering us,” Grace called.
“Please, he is most unwelcome.” I glared at my older brother.
“I’ll see myself out.” Liam scowled at me and left.
“Thank you, Spencer,” I said quietly.
“Always.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “One of my cousins wants to take over the State Street Project and turn it into some sort of haven for the arts. I think I should encourage her. She’d eat the Queen Mum for breakfast.”
“That’s a woman I want to know,” Katie said.
“Me, too.” Grace raised her glass.
I wasn’t sure how that would be possible, but at the same time, when you were stupid-rich, most anything was.
We finished dinner, and I thanked my sister and her pack for joining us.