Chapter Twenty-Three
Lionel
Monday morning, and Lionel was sure there was absolutely nothing that could dent his good mood.
He felt closer to his mate than he ever believed possible.
While it was silly to think that anal sex could make a difference in a mating, it wasn’t the act itself that changed things, it was what came from that act, or afterward.
Brad had been incredible, so open, elaborating more on the conversation they’d started after the party, sharing his initial fears.
Lionel’s cock size wasn’t the only concern.
It was so much more. Being born an omega, Brad grew up believing his mate would expect him to stay home and pop out babies every time his alpha got an urge.
Lionel had been content to hold him close as Brad explained how hard he’d worked to get to where he was, even having to overcome his father’s overly protective nature at times.
“I love my work,” he’d said around a mouthful of breakfast Lionel had prepared for them both, bringing it on trays back into the bedroom.
“I worried I’d resent having children because I’d have to stay home with them. ”
It fully jibed with Brad’s belief that he was being selfish.
Reassuring Brad that he meant what he’d said at the party, explaining how he could move his business to a home base.
He already had an office on the ground floor, and he knew Jasmine wouldn’t have a problem coming to their home as opposed to the office.
There was even a possibility that Jasmine would be happy to work from her home, too.
That was something to discuss with Jasmine when the situation presented itself.
In the meantime, there were jokes to be shared with a loving mate about investing in a bigger tool belt and how the fear of emotional outbursts might convince some members of Brad’s teams to behave themselves on the job.
Lionel was still riding the high from the support of his friends at the party as well.
He’d always assumed that he was the guy who planned social outings, organized get-togethers, and provided a broad shoulder for friends in need.
There had been times when he’d actively helped his friends stay out of trouble, such as when Hector’s mom was on the warpath just before he claimed Morty.
It was Lionel who’d gone around and dragged Hector out of his house and helped him arrange a limousine for their date that never happened.
I never realized how much my friends care for me, too.
The party showed him without words that they did.
Lionel had no idea how many plans had been changed, pushed back, or canceled just so they could attend their mating celebration, but his friends did it, and that meant more than Lionel could ever put into words.
Brad’s parents were incredible as well, so very accepting, and Charlie had been quite keen on some ideas that Lionel had for helping him to streamline his business and project files a little more.
In Lionel’s head, it made perfect sense.
A more streamlined system might mean that maybe his mate wouldn’t be spending evenings having meetings, and he and Lionel could do something more fun instead.
Lionel also felt that on those nights when meetings were necessary, he could play an active part.
Again, that cemented something in Lionel’s soul, and made him feel better about himself, their mating, and his place in the world.
He gave a cheery grin to Jasmine as he went past her into his office. He had some new projects he needed to look over—the ones that had come in the week before. Although the first order of business was to check that none of his existing clients were having any issues with their new finance.
Lionel quickly booted up his computer and checked his emails, scanning through the headings, letting out a sigh of relief when it didn’t look like there were any fires he needed to put out.
Clicking into the new work tab, Lionel started reading over the various new applications, sorting out those that would need second-tier lenders and those that might need a third-tier.
There were a lot of different reasons why various clients couldn’t go to a bank.
Sometimes they didn’t have a long enough banking history to qualify.
In some cases, they were looking to see if they could get a rate that was better than the bank might offer.
The bulk of Lionel’s clients were those who were in a position to pay off their loans a lot sooner than the bank’s typical policies.
Not all banks were agreeable to that for mortgage finance.
Lionel could understand why. A bank made its money from the interest it charged on the money it loaned out, and there was a lot less interest applied to a loan that was only five to ten years instead of the obligatory twenty to thirty years on a mortgage.
With many clients also being paranormal, they lived longer, and sometimes they wanted to spread their mortgages out even further than the bank’s standard policies allowed.
Lionel’s skills came from learning which of his investors would be more inclined to meet different applicants’ needs depending on their circumstances.
It was getting close to lunchtime, and Lionel was thinking about texting Brad to see whether he had time to break for lunch or if he was busy when he heard a commotion coming from the waiting room.
“Sir, you can’t go in there.” Jasmine sounded upset. “You don’t have an appointment.”
Lionel quickly got up from his desk, crossing the floor in six quick strides, opening the door to see Pennington looming over Jasmine’s desk, demanding to be let in.
“Step away from the desk, Pennington. It’s all right, Jasmine,” Lionel added, barely containing his fury. “I’m sure this is a private matter that I can attend to in a few moments.”
He fully opened his door, allowing Pennington to come inside. “You’d better make this quick.” Lionel went around his desk and sat down. “There is absolutely no need to upset my receptionist. If you had wanted to speak to me, you could have called me or made an appointment.”
“Make an appointment? You think I want to be talking to you?” Pennington’s face was bright red, and his fists clenched at his sides. Lionel’s lion stirred, watching through Lionel’s eyes. He could take him. If the man threatened any form of physical violence, Lionel would take him down.
“You have completely ruined my business. You have messed up my schedules. I’ve got contractors walking off the job, downing their tools, and walking away as though they didn’t have contracts, as though the work they were doing wasn’t important.
Telling me that under no circumstances are they ever going to work for me or any of my projects again.
They laughed. They were fucking laughing at me when I ordered them back to their work. Laughed. At. Me .”
Lionel leaned back in his chair, suppressing a smirk.
“I don’t understand why you think this has anything to do with me,” he said, keeping his voice low and calm.
“I don’t run construction crews. I’m a mortgage financier.
A person whose services you claimed at our last meeting that you’ll never need.
Furthermore, I’m a person you banished from the pride.
You shouldn’t even be talking to me. That’s one of the main policies that the pride lives by, isn’t it?
In fact, I think it was a rule that you implemented. ”
“You’ve got no right telling me what I can and cannot do.
” Pennington hadn’t sat down, and much like he had done with Jasmine, he placed his fists on Lionel’s desk, looming over it.
“It’s because of that little thing you mated with, isn’t it?
That fucking poodle. What did you do? Go running to his daddy?
And now his daddy’s pulling some strings? ”
“I’d thank you not to insult my mate.” Lionel sat upright.
“I don’t know what they have said or what has been done in relation to your business.
That’s got nothing to do with me. Did I tell Brad that you banished me from the pride?
Of course I did. He’s my mate. I have no secrets from him.
Admittedly, he is an extremely well-respected contractor who is currently managing major projects. As I’m sure you’re aware.”
He tilted his head to one side. “Or was it that you didn’t know?
You didn’t think to find out who my mate was before you started slandering him?
” Lionel chuckled. “I can’t be held responsible for what my mate’s father might do or who he is.
I met him myself only this past weekend.
I found him to be a very agreeable man. I’m not responsible if he believes that you have slandered his son’s good name.
You did, by the way, when you banished me because we claimed each other.
Why would Brad’s father want to work with you after that? ”
“You don’t get it.” Pennington was spluttering, he was so angry.
“These projects cost me millions of dollars. It’s not the small fry fucking mortgage financing that you do here.
These contracts are worth tens of millions.
I have deadlines that have to be met. I have people waiting to come into the mall project.
Contracts have been signed. Deposits have been accepted. Those buildings need to be finished. ”
“Why are you yelling at me about it? As I said, I’m a mortgage financier. I’ve got nothing to do with the building project side of things.”
“It’s not just the mall.” Pennington was shouting now. “My home is a complete disaster zone. Walls pulled down, mess all over the floor, and the men working there haven’t been seen since fucking Wednesday.”
“I’m banished, remember? There’s no way I have anything to do with what’s going on with your house. If the workmen you hired aren’t doing the job, call another contractor.”
“I’ve fucking tried.” Pennington thumped the desk, scattering pens, and Lionel’s lion growled.
Not that Pennington noticed. “I’ve spent the last four days trying to call every person who can lift a hammer in this godforsaken town, and nobody will come and work with me.
No matter how much I’m prepared to pay, they’ve all said no. ”
“I still don’t see why you’re yelling and telling me all this? It’s not like I can do anything about your building issues.”
“I’m ordering you to get those men back working for me.”
Lionel’s eyes narrowed on Pennington despite his amusement.
“You can’t order me to do anything. You’re not my alpha anymore .
” Lionel struggled to hold on to his amusement at just how far his new family had gone to teach Pennington a lesson.
“I can’t say or do anything to help with Pride business.
It’s against the pride policy. As I said, you shouldn’t even be here.
You shouldn’t be within twenty feet of me.
Remember? Pride members who are banished are invisible.
They don’t exist. I don’t even understand why you’re in my office,” he repeated, seeing as Pennington wasn’t listening to him.
“Because this is all your fault! If you had just mated with a lioness, if you had just done what every other alpha lion in town has done—”
“Done what? Followed your archaic rules, licked your ass, and sucked your balls.” Another voice said from the doorway.
Lionel’s eyes widened. “Mom?” He quickly got to his feet. “What are you doing here? I mean, it’s lovely to see you. When did you get back into town?”