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“You don’t make coffee anymore,” I growl as I prowl toward her. Panic briefly crosses her features, almost as if she fears she’s in trouble. She’s in trouble for not giving me her pretty pussy last night. But I’ll punish her later with my tongue. As far as this job goes, she’s doing much more than I ever realized. I quickly analyzed the data she collected on the Collins property, and it helped me with some decisions that needed making. Violet is smart—too smart to be making coffee and answering the phone. And as if a light bulb goes off in my head, I know what I’ll do. Later. It is the answer to a lot of my problems.
“Gray,” she murmurs when I near. Her brown eyes do their own little field trip down my body. I’d worn one of my expensive suits to impress her. It fits well and shows off my build. I need to drive her just as fucking crazy as she drives me.
“You look good, little quitter,” I say with a lopsided grin.
She laughs and waves me off as she starts for her desk. “Back at ya, Gray.”
Pride fills my chest as I follow her. The skirt hugs her ass perfectly. My fingers twitch to grab the hem and slide it up to her hips so I can see which panties she’s wearing. I’ve pulled them all out of her drawers and inspected them. I have my favorites—favorites that I didn’t steal for my own personal Violet souvenir collection in hopes that I’d get to see her in them one day.
“What is this?” she asks suddenly, drawing me from my thoughts.
“Mmmm?”
She snaps around and glares at me. Her pert nose flares with anger. I bite the inside corner of my lip as I stare at her pouty parted lips. God, I need those lips like I need air. They tasted like sweet honey when we kissed last night—
“Gray,” she hisses. “Focus.”
Focus.
Focus.
My eyes are on hers.
Locked.
She’s in my sights.
And I’m coming straight for her.
I’ll obliterate her heart.
She’s my target and I’m the motherfucking bullet.
Mine to pierce and lodge myself into.
“Gray.” Her voice is softer this time. Those dark brows are no longer furled in anger. They pinch together in concern. “Why did you buy me a chair? I thought this was for you.”
I flash her a smug grin. “You practically fell asleep in it. Why do you think I had you test it out? Just don’t go falling asleep on the job. My methods for waking you up are…” I scratch at my jaw with my finger and narrow my gaze at her as I lick my bottom lip. “Unconventional. Probably illegal.”
Embarrassment paints her cheeks and throat as her eyes quickly dart around to make sure nobody heard. I simply shrug. Who’s going to tell on me? I’m the fucking owner.
“Gray,” she murmurs, her voice thick with an emotion I want. Something that my ears equate to need and lust. I want to bathe in the way she says my name. “I’ll be leaving in less than two weeks. You shouldn’t have bought me a chair.”
As if cold water splashes me awake, I jolt at her words. “Nonsense. The chair you had was crap. You deserve it.”
Her cheeks turn slightly pink as she sets her purse down on the desk. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I did,” I challenge in a low tone.
She flashes me a smile that makes my heart nearly thud out of my chest. When she sits down and leans back, she lets out a sigh of approval. “Okay, so maybe you should have like six years ago.”
I smirk and sit down on the edge of her desk. “After you get situated this morning, we’re having a meeting.”
Her brows crash together as she frowns, and I instantly hate the loss of her smile. “What sort of meeting?”
“One that’s long overdue,” I tell her with a sigh.
“Sir,” Truman grits out as he approaches carrying a steaming mug of coffee. “As requested.”
I don’t miss the slight intake of air from Violet. Pride fills my chest that I’m already making changes that will make her happier. And making this dipshit do menial tasks will make her fucking giddy.
“Thanks,” I grumble as I accept the coffee. I take a sip and it kind of sucks but at least she didn’t have to make it. “Oh…”
Annoyance flits in his eyes but he wisely clenches his jaw to keep those words locked up tight. “Yeah?”
“Violet needs coffee this morning too.”
His nostrils flare as he regards her. “How would you like your coffee?”
She sits up and leans forward plastering on a bitchy smile I’ve never seen before. “I take Splenda in my coffee, sugar.”
I narrow my eyes at her. I know for a fact she doesn’t take her coffee that way, but something tells me she’s saying something that is intended to piss him off. And, boy, does it work like a charm. He lets out an angry huff and storms away.
Her smile turns into a beautiful one I’m familiar with and her brown eyes glitter with triumph. I love this look on her perfect face.
“Let me guess,” I say, my eyes lingering on her pouty lips I’m desperate to nibble on. “Truman likes Splenda in his coffee.”
She laughs, the sound reverberating its way straight to my cock. “He’s an asshole. Serves him right.”
“You let me know if he so much as gives you a funny look,” I tell her in a firm tone. “I want to know everything.”
Relief morphs her features and it once again makes me feel like a fucking blind prick. She’s been dealing with this shit for six long years. I could have stopped it. All I had to do was notice…
“I’ll be in my office. Come see me when you’re settled,” I instruct before stalking unwillingly away from her.
“YOUR MOTHER WANTS you to stay with her so she can look after you,” my father says from in front of the hospital window. His arms are folded across his chest and he refuses to look at me.
“Dad,” I grunt, wincing at the never-ending fire that seems to rip across my back each time I move, despite the fact I’ve been here for weeks recovering. “I can’t go there. You know I can’t.”
He turns, a heavy sigh on his lips, and regards me with disdain flickering in his eyes. It’s a direct blow to my heart. No matter how hard I’ve tried to become my father—to fucking please him—it’s never enough. I’m never enough.
“Well, I sure as hell don’t have the time to take care of an invalid,” he snarls, his normally cool features screwed up in anger.
An ache forms in my chest but I ignore it. “We can hire a nurse. Please don’t make me stay there. You’re never there anymore and—”
“Because I have to work my ass off to provide for this ungrateful family!” he roars.
I blink at him in shock. My newest nurse, Sasha, peeks her head in and asks if I’m okay. Once she’s gone, I glare at my father. “She’s not ungrateful,” I hiss. “She’s sick. You need to call a therapist.”
He huffs and shakes his head. “Your mother isn’t sick. She’s just a shopaholic and she babies you kids. It’s not a sickness, it’s a personality flaw.”
I tremble as if I’ve been struck by him. “She loves us. Last time I checked, loving your children and husband wasn’t a personality flaw. It’s called ‘normal.’ But what isn’t normal is you staying in the city all the time. Gwen doesn’t understand.”
Guilt flashes in his eyes for a brief moment. My baby sister just turned five and is sickly. Mom tries to say it’s something to do with her body but my father always argues that it’s my mother’s filthy housekeeping
that’s making her sick. Regardless, nobody has discovered yet what it is that’s making her ill.
“Gwen is just a girl. She doesn’t understand these things,” he grits out.
“But I’m not. You don’t explain anything. Why won’t you come home to them?”
His lip curls up slightly. “I already told you. My company is in the city. It’s time-consuming. I don’t have time to run home at every turn and take care of them. I’m able to take care of them financially so that’s what I do. Your mother doesn’t need a therapist, she just needs her own space.”
“Dad, it’s a cop out,” I snap.
He glares as he storms over to me, his finger wagging in my face. “Don’t come at me acting like you know everything, Grayson. I’ve been married to that woman for over two decades. Trust me when I say it works better this way. She can do…she can buy…she can collect whatever the hell she wants, and I can work. We stay out of each other’s hair and everyone is happy. Nobody needs fucking therapy.”
I stare up at him in disbelief. How can he even convince himself that all but abandoning Mom and Gwen is okay? Mom’s becoming more and more obsessed lately with online shopping. She buys all these things to make Gwen happy. Together, they pick stuff out online and act so fucking happy when shit comes in the mail. But it’s weird. It’s not normal. And it’s starting to collect.
“We’re a family,” I murmur. “We’re supposed to stick together.”
He growls. “You’re a grown man now. Discharged from the military due to your injuries, sure, but you have a bright future ahead of you that doesn’t have to involve the military. You’re smart and you’ll continue your education. I did what I could to set you down the right path. Gwen is your mother’s problem. They’re too much alike. I’ll never know how to handle that little girl. It’s high time you accept they’re happier just the two of them and eventually move on with your own life.”
“A life that doesn’t involve you,” I clarify, my voice shaking with anger. “You want Mom to nurse me back to health only for me to abandon them just like you did once I’m well? Just making sure that’s what you want me to fucking do, Dad. Will that make you proud? A chip off the old block—”
