11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
LYNX
As I’ve been ordered to do, I make the drive to Severo’s mansion, the back of my skull tingling the entire way.
He’s never asked me to come in while in the middle of a contract. Either he knows I’ve been lying to him. Or there’s some sort of emergency.
My gut tells me it’s the former.
I park my truck at the front of the house and take the steps two at a time up to the entrance, knock three times, and wait.
As usual, Connor answers. He looks exactly the same as always. Pretentious. Arrogant. Snobby.
“He’s in his study,” he tells me, his fake British accent a little thicker than the last time I saw him.
Gritting my teeth, I step past him and head down the long hallway I’ve walked a thousand times, Connor hot on my heels as I storm into my uncle’s office with my fists balled and jaw clenched tight.
Best case scenario, he scolds me for disobedience. Worst case, he shoots me between the eyes. He may be old and decrepit, but his aim is just fine.
But the second I’m over the threshold, my boots skid to a stop. My heart does much of the same.
Seated in front of the fireplace is Severo. In the chair beside him is a woman. She peeks over the back of it. We lock eyes.
“Lily.”
My baby sister stands and steps into view. My gaze drops to her stomach. To the growing bump there.
“Lynx.” She saunters over to me.
I wrap her in a hug, then hold her at arm’s length and glance down at her belly.
“Surprise!”
Her smile is soft, her blue eyes bright and flooding with emotion as her left hand settles protectively on her stomach. My mood sours when I see there’s no ring on her finger.
I’m not particularly traditional or overly conservative. I don’t believe there’s some perfect timeline or chronological order that things need to be done in. But I do believe that when a man impregnates a woman, he better fucking step up and take care of her and the child.
Because that’s his job—to protect and provide for the children he brings into this world and the woman who birthed them.
“I wanted to tell you sooner,” Lily tells me. “But it didn’t feel right to do it over the phone.”
I shake my head to clear my thoughts.
My baby sister—the bratty, energetic little blonde that used to follow me around like a lost puppy, asking me a million questions and grating on my last nerve—is going to be a mother.
And on that note …
“Where’s that dipshit boyfriend of yours? Is he taking good care of you?” She winces. “Lil,” I say more sternly.
“Yeah. About that. He’s not the father. Nobody is.
” I scowl. “I mean, technically, there is. Because, you know … science.” She laughs nervously and shuffles on her feet.
“Anyhoo … we broke up. I was sick of waiting for the right time to have a baby and he was sick of having to hide his sneaky links from me. So I dumped his ass and decided what the hell. I don’t need a man.
Just sperm. Lots and lots of sperm. So I went to a sperm bank.
You know … for the sperm. And then they put the sperm—“
“Say sperm one more time,” I grate out through clenched teeth.
She rolls her eyes. “I knew you’d be weird about it.”
I recoil. “I’m not being weird about it.”
“Yes, you are. You’ve got that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The constipated one.”
“I do not.”
“Oh yes you do.” She picks a piece of lint off my jacket and flicks it. “It’s okay though. I get it. Your baby sister being a single mother isn’t something you’re super excited about.”
“Lil,” I say in a gentler tone, tipping her chin up to me. “I’m just shocked. That’s all. I’m happy for you. You’re going to make an incredible mother. Whether you’re doing it alone or not. That kid is lucky that you’re their mom.”
Her eyes well with tears. Her bottom lip wobbles. “Was that so hard? You big grumpy jerk. Now listen. It’s a boy. So I—“
“A boy?”
“Yep. God help me. Because I don’t have enough testosterone stinking up my life as it is.”
“I’m going to have a nephew.”
“That’s right.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Severo rise from his chair. He shuffles over to greet me. There’s a whole load of pride on his face right now.
“Lynx.” He pats me on the shoulder. “My apologies, son. I didn’t mean to alarm you when I told you to come home. But Lily insisted it be a surprise.”
I drag a hand through my hair and blow out a breath. Fuck. I never thought I’d be relieved that my sister is knocked up.
“All good, sir.”
Lily comes in for another hug.
“It’s so great to be home.”
“Speaking of home … How long are you staying?”
She glances at my uncle, her lips curving into a smile. I can feel Connor behind me, lurking in the doorway and bristling in irritation. He’s never liked me. And that’s fine. I’m not fond of him either. But he has no reason not to love Lily.
Hell, everyone loves Lily.
Lily shrugs and peers back up at me. “I’m over the whole California thing.
It’s too damn hot. My ankles are already swelling, and I feel like vomiting pretty much every time I breathe.
Besides, it never really felt like home.
And I can work from anywhere. So I guess I’m back for good?
Maybe. We’ll see.” She swats the air. “You know I’m flaky. ”
“You know you’ll always have a home here, Lil,” Severo says from beside me. “Isn’t that right, Connor?”
Connor’s tone is dry when he says, “That’s right.”
Despite my baby sister standing in front of me, I can’t help my mind from drifting back to Harlow.
Is she safe? Did she go home like I instructed her to? Is she scared?
“Lily,” Severo says to my sister. “How about you and Connor go catch up? I need a moment with Lynx.”
Lily flashes me another smile and disappears down the hall with Connor.
When the office door clicks shut, that unease I felt earlier creeps up like a bad weed.
Severo gestures for us to sit by the fire. I wait for him to take his seat before following suit.
“You seem tense, son. What’s going on?”
“Just surprised by Lily’s announcement, sir.”
“Hmm. If I didn’t know any better, I might think you’re lying to me.”
My chest tightens. Guilt. What a pesky emotion.
I maintain a stern expression and look him dead in the eye when I say, “That’s because I am.”
His brows raise. He huffs out a laugh that morphs into a dry wheeze.
When he comes down from his coughing fit, he says in a curious tone, “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything. Do you care to elaborate?”
I exhale a rough breath and drag a hand through my hair. “Not particularly.”
“Hmm.” Silence stretches on for a moment before he says in a lower tone, “Is there something I should know, Lynx?”
“No, sir. I’ve got it handled.”
When he simply stares at me, his all-knowing gaze boring straight through me, I accept defeat and tell him, “It’s the girl. Harlow.”
“The target,” he corrects.
I nod. “I’ve located her.”
“And she’s still breathing.”
“Yes.”
“I see. And why is that?”
My grip on the chair arms tightens, my knuckles blanching from the pressure. “I have my reasons.”
“A man always has his reasons, son. But that doesn’t mean his actions, or lack thereof, are justified. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Then finish the job, Lynx. Or I’ll find someone else to do it.”
“That would be a mistake, sir.”
His sigh is long and drawn out. “And why is that?”
“Because I think there’s more to this than meets the eye.”
He stands and stares down at me. There’s disappointment all over his face, something I can’t recall ever witnessing in the past. And it’s eating me alive from the inside out.
“There always is, Lynx. Now do the job you’ve been ordered to do, or like I said, I’ll find someone else who will.”
And with that, he turns and leaves the study, pausing briefly at the doorway to tell me, “Stay for dinner. Your sister missed you.”
And then he’s gone.
I sit there a little while longer, my mind reeling and a million burning questions flying through my brain until I finally cave to my urges and pull my phone from my pocket to check Harlow’s location, groaning when I see the little red dot is on the move.
Clearly, the girl has a problem following orders. Which only fuels the misplaced possessiveness coursing through my veins.
Frustrated and feeling more than a little twitchy, I join my family for dinner in the dining room.
As always, Severo is seated at the head of the table with Connor on his right side. The little shit has his phone out and is deep into some sort of texting conversation.
Lily has taken her place beside Connor, so I take the chair on my uncle’s left side, across from Connor and Lily.
The table is dead silent until Lily mutters at me under her breath, “Awkward much?”
I glance at her—at her shit-eating smirk—and heave out a sigh.
“It’s just work stuff, Lil. We’re all fine.”
She snorts. “Oh puh-lease. That look is because of a girl.” When I only glower at her, she points a finger at me and screeches, “Ah-ha! I knew it. Oh my god. Finally, my cranky, uptight, always-so-serious-and-manly brother has a girlfriend. Tell me, Lynx. What’s her name?
What does she do? Oh! You have to bring her to Thanksgiving! ”
Beside Lily, Connor peeks up at me from his phone. My uncle clears his throat. The tension is so thick I could cut it with a knife.
What a fucking mess.