28. Reconciling Accounts
Reconciling Accounts
Sara
After breakfast, the others head upstairs to grab their laptops and make the dining room our work area. I wanted to finish icing the last couple of cupcakes. And maybe fix the few I really didn’t frost well last night.
My cheeks heat, remembering the threat of being discovered. The way they claimed me. A shiver races down my spine, even as the tenderness from yesterday lingers.
I don’t know why I’m hesitant to move in with the guys. Maybe it’s too new? Maybe because my family doesn’t know? Maybe because I’ve always felt safe staying at home and this is new and unexplored territory?
Laughter interrupts my thoughts before the door across from me bursts open. I straighten as Natasha and Tom come crashing in. Natasha notices me first and puts her hand on Tom’s chest. He freezes halfway to kissing her. He turns and sees me.
It’s almost comical. The shock and surprise on their faces at finding me here. But I’m still not in the mood to laugh at Tom. I don’t want to deal with him. So I pretend he isn’t there and just keep frosting the cupcake in my hand.
They straighten and Natasha presses up on her toes to murmur something in Tom’s ear. He nods and then looks at me with our father’s eyes. My eyes.
When I narrow mine on him, his head drops and he backs away, disappearing out the door.
Natasha turns to look at me with a hopeful smile, but her gaze falls to the cupcake I’m frosting.
“I could smell those baking last night.” She rubs her belly, and if I didn’t know she was pregnant, I wouldn’t be able to tell yet. She crosses the kitchen and stops on the other side of the island.
I’ve never seen anyone look at my baking the way she is right now. Like it’s the only thing she can think about.
“I didn’t want to just take one, but…”
I slide the one I just iced across the island to her before picking up another one.
“Oh my god, thank you.” She leans forward and takes it, peeling off the paper like it’s gold. “I didn’t think I had any cravings. Nausea, yes. Cravings, no. But all I’ve been able to think about all night and this morning was the smell of these cupcakes.”
She bites into it like it’s the most decadent thing she’s ever tasted. “Oh. My. God. I love you. Can I marry you instead?”
I roll my eyes but smile. “How far along are you?”
It’s a fairly common question so I figure it’s a good place to start. It’s not her fault my brother’s an asshole. I grab another cupcake.
“Almost three months.” She looks down at her stomach. “It’s been weird, knowing something’s in there but no one else can tell.”
She swallows another bite before asking, “Do you want kids?”
Can I see having babies with my guys? Two little mischievous boys just like Drew and Finn. They’d get into all the trouble. A little girl with Dante’s curls and eyes, who would keep the others in line. And Wyatt… Fuck, his child would be serious and loyal and command all the others.
Warmth blooms in me, but there’s also this fear.
Fear of hoping for things that might not happen.
But I’m not about to lay my soul out for this woman.
Madison, Hope, and Kayla, yes. We’re friends.
This woman may be bonded by marriage, but all I know about her is that her father is evil and so is her best friend. Which makes me wary of her.
“Not right now, but in the future, yes.” I set the final cupcake on the plate and grab a dome to put over them.
“You’ve met my father…” Natasha waits for me to lift my gaze to hers. When I do, she swallows. “I didn’t really expect to get pregnant or fall in love, to be honest. How could I with a family like mine? I love my father, but he wants my respect and loyalty more than my love.”
“You turned him into the Feds?” That’s what Wyatt and Drew said. Does that mean she isn’t loyal?
Her face flushes pink and her dark eyes meet mine. “It wasn’t an easy decision. But if it’s between my father or my child’s future, I’m going to pick my child.”
I lean back against the counter to watch her. “Verity Baron claims you’re her best friend.”
She chuckles. “Is anyone friends with Verity? Her father and mine do business together. It put us in close proximity, and for some reason, my father approved of Verity. Pretty sure she used me to get into places by throwing around my father’s name.”
She shrugs like it doesn’t matter. “I didn’t really have a chance to make friends on my own.” She slides onto one of the breakfast chairs and tilts her head. “You know Verity?”
“Did Tom tell you about her?” I cock an eyebrow, knowing Tom betrayed me when he set Wyatt up with Verity for that benefit. Wyatt wouldn’t have agreed if he’d known our history. And not knowing, he might have slept with her. My stomach churns.
She might have been just another notch to him, but that would have burned me to my core.
I’m not sure I could ever get over something like that. Even if he hadn’t known what she did to me. She would have held it over me for the rest of my life.
Natasha shakes her head and looks over her shoulder at the closed door. “He was surprised she was my friend. He hoped my father would be willing to let me go to the benefit with him if Verity had a date with his friend.”
Fire burns inside me. “No other reason?”
Everything he put me through was for this woman he met only a few months ago? He risked me for her. I’m not discounting the fact she’s pregnant, but it doesn’t make the sting go away. It used to be he’d drop everything to help me.
He hasn’t had to do that for a long time because I stayed to myself.
She shrugs. “He didn’t mention one to me. How do you know Verity?”
“Ask Tom.” I push off the counter. If I stay here, I’ll tell her everything and that’s Tom’s job. “I’m sorry, but I need to go work.”
“Oh.” She stands and wrings her hands. “I was hoping to talk more. Maybe…” She glances back at the door. “Help mend things between you and Tom a little.”
My laugh is short and bitter. “Ask Tom about Wyatt and Verity. Ask him how he knew what he did would hurt me.”
Her eyes widen but she nods. “I will.”
* * *
Finn
There’s plenty of work to keep us busy without an internet connection. Even Drew has a laptop out and works at his end of the table. Sara had a couple of open projects, so she sits across from me while she sorts through them.
She came into the dining room with her cheeks stained pink with anger. I’m not sure if she ran into Tom or just thought about what he’d done again. None of us asked.
I don’t know what Tom can do to make any of this right. For her. For Wyatt. For any of us. It’s not like we can cut him out of our lives. He’s Sara’s brother and our business partner. And while he’s done a shit job at it for the past few weeks, he’s been there for her before.
His impulsiveness never bit her in the ass though.
This time it bit hard. I want to be there when he tells his mother what he did and what happened to Sara as a result of his actions.
Sara sighs and I look over the top of my laptop as she stretches.
“Time for a break, flower?” I arch an eyebrow and her smile turns coy. Fuck, I’m in love with this woman. Every fucking inch of her.
When she squirms on her chair, she winces. Her smile drops and I’m the one sighing.
“Why don’t I go make lunch and bring it to you?” I offer.
Her smile returns. “That would be nice.”
Her gaze darts to the kitchen door. Yeah, that’s the risk with one kitchen. We might run into Tom. Which reminds me, Drew and Wyatt have already punched him…
I smirk when Sara’s eyes meet mine. “I’ve got this, flower.”
When I stand, Wyatt watches me like he knows this is going to end in a fight. Fuck or fight. It’s the Lawson way. The kitchen is empty when I enter and I ignore the twinge of disappointment in my gut.
Fuck, fight, or food. Apparently.
The guys did well on their grocery trip. I find some pasta and veggies and some sauce. It shouldn’t take me long to whip this up. After putting water on to boil and cutting the vegetables, I slide the pan into the oven to roast the veggies while the pasta cooks.
As I pour the pasta into the pot, the door opens behind me. I stiffen, set the box down, and start my timer before I turn.
Tom walks in with his hands up. “I’m just here to get Natasha some crackers.”
I lean back on the counter and cross my arms and ankles. My gaze narrows on him as he walks to the pantry.
He sighs when I don’t say anything. He steps back from the pantry and meets my eyes. “I didn’t know—”
My disbelieving noise stops his words.
“I never meant—”
“Honestly, do you think Sara’s going to buy any of that?” I let my hands drop to my sides and step forward.
He steps back and I can see the shadow of a bruise on his jaw from the others, and maybe Sara.
“Don’t come in here and try to bullshit me, Tom. Maybe the others, but not me.” I shake my head and stir the pasta. “It’s offensive. You did it to get laid.”
“It isn’t like that.” Tom steps in, probably feeling safe since I haven’t made any moves to hit him. Good. “How well do you know Young?”
“Drew?” I cock an eyebrow as Tom leans against the counter next to the stove, looking into the pot.
“Does she know he runs a gentleman’s club? Peter used to take me there to discuss business.” Tom looks at the floor before lifting his gaze to the door leading to their section of the house. “How is Wyatt dealing with it? She and Drew seem close.”
I set the spoon down and check on the vegetables. “What do you want to know, Tom?”
He runs a hand through his red hair. “She and Drew must be serious if he tagged along with you guys. He and Wyatt got along pretty well when they were punching me in the face.”
I reach up and grab his jaw. The way he flinches away from me is satisfying. I dig my fingers into the bruises. Turning his head to the side, I look over the discolored skin.
“You got off easy.”
Tom steps back and knocks my hand off his face. “I told her to go to you guys. That you would protect her. What else was I supposed to do?”
“Not run away from things when they don’t go your way.” I turn back to the pot and dump the water and pasta into the strainer. “But then you wouldn’t be you.”
“Her father was trying to marry her off to one of his henchmen.” Tom straightens. “She’s carrying my baby.”
I shrug. “Maybe she is. Maybe she isn’t. I don’t know the girl, but seems like she found a sucker to get her out of Daddy’s clutches.”
Tom’s face turns red. I shake my head. He’s always been too easy to rile. I turn back to the pan and add the pasta and sauce. I get the vegetables out of the oven and scoop them in.
“She’s not like that.” Tom sounds sure of himself and pissed.
“Isn’t she?” I arch an eyebrow and stir everything together. “I mean, she made you leave your sister. The person you’ve protected from us for years. The one thing you kept away from Wyatt. For what, Tom?”
I wipe my hands off on the towel hanging from the stove and face him without anything in my hands. “Why did you work so hard to keep Sara and Wyatt apart? What would it have hurt if he fucked your little sister?”
A flash of anger sparks in Tom’s green eyes as he swings for me. So fucking easy. He’s always had a quick temper. I grab his hand as it comes for me and swing my other fist into his jaw.
That anger is replaced by surprise as he falls against the cabinet.
“You risked your own sister to get some. So tell me exactly why you thought leaving her in danger was any better than letting Wyatt fuck her.”
Tom straightens and rubs his jaw. “Fuck you.”
“No, Tom. Fuck you.” I grab the pan and a potholder. “Stay away from us. You aren’t getting anything out of any of us until you explain yourself. We don’t need you.”
“Does that we include Sara?” Tom’s words make me smile with my back to him.
I meet his eyes as I turn to go into the dining room. “Yeah, it does.”