Chapter 62
Dax
Unknown number: I know it was you
Anyone else might feel anxious, but Steel Titan snatches his phone from my face, sits back in his chair, and laughs.
“I got the same text.” Unlike Steel, I sit back and sigh. “This is not what I fucking do.”
“Oh, take the stick out of your ass.” Steel points at his brother. “How long, Stone?”
“Soon,” the asshole says. “It’s all in place.”
“Why are you two here?” There’s no reason for them to be sitting in front of me now. My phone buzzes, and it’s a text from Cori asking me to meet her at the shop in two hours to help her interview a potential receptionist.
“Is that the wife?” Steel asks, but I don’t answer. “You want to bring her to the house for dinner?”
“I do not,” is all I say.
“How does ten million dollars sound?” My head snaps up in time to see Stone smirking.
“You want to pay us ten million dollars to have dinner with you and your wife? If you two are into some freaky shit, my wife and I aren’t into that.”
Stone laughs while Steel coughs violently, prompting his brother to hit his back.
“Nadine would go upside my head for sure. She’d knock me out if I said some shit like that. No, we have some money, and we need your services.” He shrugs. “Ten million, on top of the millions I’ve already paid you. Then we’re done.”
I rise from my seat, already defeated by this conversation. Stone stands as well, but Steel remains seated, appearing unaffected.
“Then we’re out. This was an unexpected opportunity. You understand,” Steel says.
“No.”
“One last score,” Stone says. “You fucking owe us. You created this mess, and we’re still cleaning it up. Keeping you, your family, and King’s wife safe.”
“I owe you? What the fuck do you think I’m doing for you now? You think I enjoy your fucking company?” I wave them off. “I don’t have time for this shit. I have enough money and enough businesses. I don’t need to do this anymore.”
“Are you okay?” Cori whispers in my ear. Despite everything on my mind, my body shivers at the contact. “You were a million miles away at that interview. Do you not like any of them?”
“I’d hire Sarah or Nita. Maybe even both. Ditch Minerva. She was eye-fucking me.”
She grabs my collar and pulls me down for a kiss. “That’s because you’re too handsome. Maybe you shouldn’t be out in public anymore.”
I slap her ass, and she squeals. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to me while she gathers her things to leave.
“Leave your car here, and let’s drive home together.” I open my car door for her, but a car pulls into the small parking lot behind the shop. It’s Leander’s car, and I spot Cori’s mother sitting in the front.
I don’t know what this is, but it’s not good. I can tell from the set of Leander’s jaw. When he opens the back door and pulls Ruby out, I’m positive this is going to be a shit show.
“I have to take your mother to her physical therapy.” That’s the only explanation he offers. Ruby kicks her legs and claps her hands when she sees me, but my wife stiffens with my arm around her waist.
I pull her to me and make no moves, even though everything is telling me to take the baby.
“We have plans.” The lie slips easily from Cori’s lips. The only plan we have is to go home and have dinner alone.
“Leander, now’s not a good time.” I can feel tension in the back of my head.
Something’s off, and I need to go home to figure it out.
“Let’s go back to the house we spent our first weekend in,” I whisper so that only Cori can hear.
“I’ll explain when we get there.” She nods without a fight, and I exhale in relief.
“I’ll pick her up in a couple of hours, but we can’t bring her to PT. Babies aren’t allowed. I need to make sure your mother gets inside safely. Please.”
“Reschedule the appointment, Leander. And for fuck’s sake, hire a damn babysitter. I’m already paying for daycare.”
“Cori, your mother’s health is a priority, not this vendetta with your brother. Grow up.” He thrusts Ruby in my face. She grabs my nose and gurgles. When I make no moves to take her, she lets out a frustrated yell.
“No,” Cori says. “I told you I’m not going to do another thing for this family.” Cori whispers the words, and her father’s face reddens. “I have a husband, a business and a home. I’m grown. Can you say the same for Devin?”
“Stop this, now,” he orders. He looks behind him at his wife, who has lowered her window. “You want your mother to hear this? She doesn’t need the stress."
“She doesn’t what?” Cori yells. Ruby’s bottom lip pokes out, so I take her before she can cry. She’s immediately soothed. Cori moves away from me and walks toward her car. “I’m not doing this.”
“Cori, come on.” I jog toward her. She throws her purse on the front seat, but slams the door shut and walks to her father’s car. “Sweetheart, don’t—”
“I know everything,” she announces, and her father freezes. As expected, her mom cries. “Oh, Mom, stop it. I know that you know.” Cori raises both hands. “Just stop with the act. It worked out. I love my husband, but I meant what I said about not doing another thing for this family.”
Leander slams his car door, but instead of going to his daughter, he approaches me. “You told her.” It’s not a question, but a certainty that she learned about their deception from me.
“You told me.” Cori points at her father.
“I heard you two talking about it a few weeks ago. I learned quite a bit. How you lied to me and told me Mother didn’t know.
You ordered me to keep quiet; meanwhile, she knew all along and went with it.
I also know what you did with the rent money you were taking from me. ”
“Cori.” Leander raises both arms. “The apartment costs about four times the money you paid me.”
“But I gave you the unit for free, Leander.” He shakes his head as if my words would disappear.
“Remember when you told me that Devin had nothing to do with me marrying Dax? That wasn’t true, was it? You chose Devin over me. Again. Admit it, Dad.”
“Cori, no one chose anyone over you, baby. Your brother has a hard time holding down a job, and your father was trying to help him. Don’t blame him. It was my idea.”
Her mother’s car door opens, but her father runs to her. “Annette, stay in the car.” He slams her door and goes around to his. I wait to hear what he’s going to say, but he gets in the car and speeds away, leaving Cori alone with Ruby and me.