Chapter 33
CADEN
“If you ruin this viewing, I really am going to use you as my next knife dummy.”
Grae pinned Nash with a stare so cold I believed her. But the whole image just made me want to laugh because while she was glaring at her brother, she was wearing a unicorn onesie complete with a horn and fuzzy rainbow socks.
Maddie let out a low whistle as she kicked her own rainbow-colored feet up onto the coffee table. “I’d watch out, Nash. G and Wren take their Little Women viewings very seriously.”
Wren hauled a bowl of popcorn onto her lap. “Do you remember when you interrupted Beth’s death scene last time?”
Nash eyed the bowl of popcorn warily. “She beaned me with a bowl just like that one.”
Grae snorted, flopping onto the couch next to her two fellow unicorns. “You deserved it.”
His gaze narrowed on her. “You could’ve given me a concussion.”
“Two words. Beth’s. Death. You don’t mess with that.”
“She’s right, Nash Bash,” Wren said, popping a piece of popcorn into her mouth.
Nash gaped at her and then turned wide eyes to his fiancée. “You aren’t going to defend me?”
Maddie held up both hands. “I’m staying out of this. I’m just here for the popcorn.”
Grae snickered.
“Oh, shut up,” he clipped.
My phone dinged, and I slid it out of my pocket.
Jalen
Your dad wants you and Gabe in his office in fifteen.
I grimaced at the screen.
“What’s wrong?” Grae asked.
I quickly smoothed my expression. “Nothing. Just work stuff.”
She frowned. “You can go into the office if you need to. It’s not like I’m alone. I’ve even got Barney Fife over there.”
Nash glared at her. “Hey.”
“I don’t need to go in.” My dad could deal without me for a single day. I’d already sent him an email to let him know why I wouldn’t be in, but of course, he didn’t give a damn.
Grae stood and crossed to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and stretched up onto her tiptoes. “Go get some work done. You’ll feel better. And Little Women makes you cry anyway.”
“It does not.”
Her lips twitched. “Oh, I forgot, you had something in your eye.”
Nash snorted.
“It was allergy season,” I argued.
Grae stole whatever else I was about to say with a long kiss. “Go, work. I’ll reward you later.”
I grinned down at her. “Never made out with a unicorn before.”
Nash made a gagging noise. “Get out of here before you ruin my movie snack appetite.”
“Never gonna happen,” Maddie shot back at him.
I brushed the hair out of Grae’s face. “You sure?”
She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, I’ll be back before the movie’s over.”
“Take your time. We’ll be here.”
I kissed Grae once more and then released her, glancing at Nash. “You’ll stay?”
“There are snacks. What do you think?”
I shook my head and grabbed my keys from the counter.
Just as I reached the door, I paused. The idea of leaving her after everything that had happened felt beyond wrong.
Grae had flopped onto the couch, her head tipping back in laughter at something Wren said. Looking at her now, you’d never know there was anything wrong. That just last night, someone had set her place of work on fire because they were angry at her.
Movement caught my attention as Nash stood. His gaze locked with mine. “Go,” he mouthed. “I’ve got her.”
I swallowed the apprehension and nodded, heading out the door. Two new police officers were in a different cruiser. I waved to them as I got into my SUV.
It only took me a matter of minutes to make it to the lodge. Annoyance flickered somewhere deep as I made my way inside. Sometimes, it seemed as if my father liked to yank my chain just to see if he still had control. To demand something of me as a test and nothing more.
I wound through the halls until I made it to his office. His secretary stood the moment she saw me. “Mr. Shaw. Your father and brother are already inside. Please, go in.”
I nodded, not bothering to thank her because it would’ve been a lie. This was the last place I wanted to be.
Opening one of the double doors, I stepped inside.
My dad and brother were in the sitting area, Dad in one of the leather club chairs, and Gabe on the sofa.
Gabe looked more than a little rough. His eyes were bloodshot and rimmed in dark circles, and his complexion was a few shades paler than normal.
“Nice of you to finally join us,” my father clipped.
My gaze cut to him as I crossed to a chair and sat. “I sent you an email. There was an incident last night, and I needed to be home with Grae.”
Gabe stiffened. “What incident?”
My eyes narrowed on him, assessing. I couldn’t tell if he thought that I’d shared his explosion with our father or if he was nosing around about the fire. “Someone set Cedar Ridge Vacation Adventures on fire and left a threat for Grae inside.”
Dad took a sip of his coffee. “You’re going to face a number of personal issues during your life, but I need to trust that this job will remain your priority.”
Gabe shifted in his seat. “She’s been nothing but drama since you got involved with her.”
“I think you’re the one we should be worried about. Where’d you go after you got booted out of Dockside last night anyway?” If he had started that fire, if he was the one terrorizing Grae… Fury surged and swirled inside me.
Redness crept up Gabe’s throat.
“What’s he talking about?” Dad snapped.
The scathing look Gabe sent me told me he’d like to gut me where I sat. “Nothing. Caden just has his little law enforcement friends stirring up trouble.”
My jaw turned to granite as I stared my brother down, struggling not to throttle him.
Dad’s grip on his coffee cup tightened. “You two need to grow up. I don’t know where I failed in raising you, but I won’t have your immature games ruining my business.”
I struggled to keep my breathing even. Where he’d failed? Just about every way I could imagine, starting with viewing us as pawns instead of sons.
“You both have important projects right now. Caden has Clive’s retreat, and Gabe has the VIP brunch leading up to the gala. After those are completed, I’ll be doing an assessment of your responsibilities.”
My fingers dug into the arms of the chair. “Meaning?”
A cold smile played on my father’s lips. “Whoever has the most success with their endeavors will get first pick of the properties they’d like to manage.”
The coffee I’d downed earlier sat heavy in my gut. Of course, my father would turn this into a competition.
Gabe grinned. “I can’t wait to take control of the New York properties. But I think I’ll keep The Peaks, too, just to make sure Caden doesn’t run it into the ground.”
Anger flared like hot lava sweeping through me. Gabe didn’t give a damn about The Peaks. But he knew I did. Knew it meant everything to me because it was Clara’s favorite place in the world. He would burn it to the ground just to ruin something I loved.
Dad chuckled. “Now that’s the kind of confidence I like to see.”
I pushed to my feet. “Is that all?”
Any hint of amusement fled his face. “Watch your tone, son.”
The urge to deck him was so strong I nearly gave in. “I’ve clearly got lots to prepare for with this death match you’re so keen on.”
Dad’s chuckle was back. “Maybe I should take bets.”
I didn’t laugh.
He waved me off. “Get out of here. Just remember, I’ll be watching.”
I strode out of the office without looking back, rage pulsing through me. I was so distracted I nearly mowed someone over. My hands went to the woman’s arms to steady her. “I’m so sorry—”
“Caden, are you okay?” my mom asked, straightening.
I stared at the only person who still felt like family. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”
Panic lit her features. “Doing what?”
“Working for him.”
My mom’s fingers dug into my arms. “I know he’s more hardened. Losing Clara hurt him more than he lets on, but—”
“He’s always been hard,” I argued. “But it’s more than that now. It’s like he’s determined to tear us all down to his level.”
Her hands began to flutter in a staccato beat. “I’ll talk to him. I can fix it. Just don’t do anything rash.”
“Mom…”
“It would kill me not to have you around. Not to have you as a part of our family business. Please, just let me try.”
I wrapped her in a hug. “Okay.”
But I knew that agreement would be selling a piece of my soul to the devil.