Chapter 2 Mace
MACE
Discipline separates successful people from the ineffective people. I ran a multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical company. I was accountable for the financial and professional well-being of my employees. I was also responsible for my younger brothers—all two dozen of them.
Except that girl had spilled chocolate sauce all over my suit, causing me to spend too long in the bathroom trying to clean out the worst of it even though I knew it was most likely ruined and I should cut my losses.
I checked my watch. I was supposed to be home seven minutes ago. I sat in my car, at the intersection in front of the bakery, mentally recalculating my evening when the back passenger door was wrenched open and someone crawled inside.
"Take me home, Jeeves!" a woman slurred. She smelled sweet, like candy and dessert wine. I of course didn't eat sugar.
I turned around in my seat to see another woman stick her head into the car. "You're Arnold, right? Here to pick up Willow?" she asked.
"No, I certainly am not," I said.
"This isn't the Uber?" Willow, I supposed, unless she used an alias, asked uncertainly. I flicked on the overhead light and turned on the hazards.
In the yellow glow, I saw the girls from the vegan shop. I felt a scowl settle on my face. "This is not an Uber; this is a private vehicle. Remove yourselves immediately."
"I can't!" Willow said, gesturing helplessly to her friend. "I think she's asleep. Josie, wake up!"
"She's probably just drunk," I told her. I heard a slight snore from the girl who had covered me in chocolate sauce. Her curly hair spilled out of its clips over the back seat.
Josie's friend halfheartedly tried to pull her out. "Sorry!" she puffed. "She's under a lot of stress right now."
I heard a thunk as the sleeping girl's arm hit the center console. I winced. If that girl ended up with some sort of life-altering injury in my car, my schedule would never recover.
"Just stop. I'll do it," I said, unbuckling my seat belt and going around to the passenger side. I easily pulled Josie out of the car. Cradled in my arms, she felt warm and soft. I asked Willow, "What do you want me to do with her?"
"I think that's our Uber." Willow pointed to a car that was pulling up.
Josie murmured and snuggled into my chest.
"Don't get too comfortable," I told her as I deposited her into the vehicle.
"Thank you! Sorry about your suit!" Willow called as I walked back to my car.
I didn't have time for idle chitchat. I checked my watch. Delayed another six minutes. This evening was going downhill fast.
Back in the car, I had to roll down the window because I reeked of sugar and chocolate and the faint sweet scent of the girl's hair.
Before I could drive off, my phone rang, and my brother's voice came through the speaker system.
"Hunter, you're making me late," I said to my older brother.
"Mace, it's good you're not home yet," he replied, ignoring my complaint. "Another one just came in. Can you pick him up? I'm still on the road and won't be back for another half hour."
I sighed and mentally recalculated my schedule. "I suppose. My schedule is already shot."
"You need to be more flexible," Hunter said.
"Is there anything else? I can't talk and drive," I reminded him.
He made a disgusted noise. "Right, that law. I can't believe Meghan did that.”
“It's remarkable that she's managed to hold a grudge for years and is still finding ways to mess with you. Garrett said he would be impressed if it wasn't such an inconvenience." I told him.
The train station was busy when I pulled up. Ever since Svensson PharmaTech had become one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world, it had spurred investment in the formerly run-down rust-belt town of Harrogate.
A couple hours outside of New York City by train, Harrogate boasted a bustling main street, was fully run on hydroelectric power, and had some of the best schools in the state. Lots of research startups were clustering here. And of course my brothers' investment firm was cashing in on all of it.
One would think I would be living the life of a playboy billionaire, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't because of the kids.
Susie, one of the town's police officers, was waiting at the train station, holding the hand of a small child.
"Officer," I greeted her. She was friends with Meghan, and as such, she did not like Svenssons.
I looked down at my newest little brother.
"He's a bit younger than who your father usually sends over," Susie commented.
I knelt down. "What's your name?"
"Henry," the kid said.
"How old are you?"
"Four and seven months."
"At least he can talk and knows his numbers," Susie said as she wrote notes on her pad. "I'll put it on your tab. The social worker will come by in the next few days."
There was an envelope pinned to the kid's jacket. I knew from experience it had all his paperwork in it.
If you're running a polygamist cult, you don't want a bunch of single males running loose. Previously, my father only sent the boys once they hit puberty. But then he began sending them younger and younger, so I supposed it was inevitable we would end up with a preschooler.
Henry was inspecting my suit. Suddenly he opened his mouth and licked it. Susie laughed then clapped a hand over her mouth.
I silently cursed the chocolate-sauce girl as I led Henry away.
When we arrived at the estate house, it was chaos.
I felt my jaw tense as soon as I walked in.
I knew Hunter hadn't returned yet because the kids were all running around like animals.
My college-aged brothers had returned to university, their various spring breaks over.
It was easier to corral the younger boys when they were there.
Of the oldest teenagers, only Adrian remained, and he hurried over when he saw me.
"Henry!" he exclaimed, picking up his much younger brother and squeezing him to his chest. "Nate! Billy! Look who's here." He looked at me guiltily. "Sorry, I know we're all brothers and not supposed to group off based on our mom," he said. "I'm not like those traitors in Seattle."
"It's okay. You do share a mother and are full brothers. I know you guys missed him. Why don't you go settle him in a room?"
Something hit me in the chest
"Oops," Nate yelled, eyes wide. He skidded to a halt in front of me, and I snatched the paintball gun out of his hand.
"I will not tolerate anarchy in this house," came Hunter's icy voice from behind me. All the kids immediately stopped what they were doing and lined up in the foyer from tallest to shortest. I switched Nate and Theo around. Theo had hit a growth spurt.
Adrian set Henry in the last spot and ran to the front of the line.
"You don't have to do this anymore, Adrian," Hunter said, waving him out of the line. "You're eighteen, and you're working with Mace. You're an adult."
"Man, this is some Children of the Corn shit!" my half brother Liam called out as he walked in, followed by Jack Frost, his Platinum Provisions cofounder.
"Ooh Liam said a bad word!" the kids exclaimed.
"He did say a bad word, didn't he?" Hunter told them. "That's one hundred dollars, Liam. No swearing in the house."
Jack snickered.
"What the fuck?" Liam demanded. "A hundred dollars? Isn't it supposed to be like a nickel for swearing?"
"Inflation," Hunter replied, "and now it's two hundred dollars."
"I don't have any cash."
Hunter pulled out his phone and stuck a card reader in it. "I take credit cards."
"Guess what, guys!" I said to my little brothers. "I brought you a treat! Its vegan nut bread." I opened the box to show them.
The kids looked at the crumbly pieces of bread apprehensively.
"It's healthy and nutritious," I continued. "Lots of fiber." Liam pretended to vomit, and Nate stifled a laugh.
"Jack and I brought something better, curtesy of his girlfriend's bakery," Liam said, shoving me aside. Jack pulled a box out of his bag and opened it to display perfectly decorated cookies. All the kids cheered.
"They shouldn't have that much sugar," I complained to Hunter as Jack and Liam handed out cookies. He looked at me critically.
"You're one to talk. You have chocolate sauce all over your suit."