“You do realize I have work to finish on my app before launch day, right?” Miko glares back at him.
Zane jerks his head to the side, a deadly gleam in his eyes. “You realize the pool of blood you left behind after your last hunt was enough for the authorities to believe there was a double homicide, right?” The veins on his neck protrude. “I had to clean that mess up. Grease the fucking commissioner’s pockets because you can’t keep your kinkunder control.” He spits out the latter like it disgusts him.
Miko frowns. “I was very controlled.”
Zane’s eyes bulge, and he shakes his head then straightens and tugs on the cuffs of his shirt. “Just, dig deeper,” he demands,spinning on the balls of his perfectly polished shoes before throwing open the office door and marching through it.
“Dig deeper,” Miko mimics. “I’ll dig him a fucking early grave,” he snipes out before getting to his feet and pointing his finger at me. “Just knock her the fuck up and stick around, will you.”
“I intend on doing just that.” I smirk.
CHAPTER THIRTY
MASSIO
A sense of peace washes over me as Thea interacts with my family. She holds herself so well, with an air of confidence I’m proud of, no sign of the arrogance and pompousness her mother radiated.
If ever I thought she was anything like Veronica, I was wrong, very wrong.
Miko eyes me, no doubt taking in my arm banded along the back of her chair as I play with the strands of her pink hair. A smile tugs at his lips, and I want to throat-punch him. He knows damn well I’m not leaving this family any time soon, if ever.
I clear my throat. “Where are the twins? I thought you said you were rounding them up. I was hoping to see them before we leave.”
Zane shifts in his chair. “It appears Fenton is at his friend’s house,” he says with a sneer, causing me to chuckle. “Fern is at a dance class.”
“How old are your children?” Thea asks.
“Seventeen.”
Her mouth falls into an ‘O,’ then she swallows. “Which school do they attend?”
“Bellevue High.”
“They were expelled from their last school,” Miko tacks on, earning him a glare from Zane that would usually make grown men cower.
Zane dabs the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “It was a misunderstanding, that’s all.”
“One the principal refused to retract despite how hard we pushed.” Miko continues as if he has a death wish.
Sal slams his hand down on the table. “Stop goading him, Miko. Do you want him to draw his gun on you again?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, and Thea glances up at me. The questions dance in her eyes, but I don’t answer them. I’m sure she can figure out he’s not joking.
Opting to change the topic, I turn my attention to Miko. “When does your app go live?”
Miko exhales loudly. “Soon. I just can’t decide on my branding. Nothing feels right.”
Ah, there we have it, just what I needed him to say. I clear my throat and pull my phone from my pants pocket, find the photo, then shove it in his direction. “The next two images only.” There’s no way in hell I’ll allow him to see any images of my girl naked.
Miko’s eyes light up. “Who did these?” I tilt my head toward Thea, grateful I had the foresight to take a photo of the images she drew in her journal.
If I can make her see she has a solid career available here, along with the ability to have a family, there’d be no need for her to ever consider moving away. Not that I’d let her anyway, but it would definitely make things easier for our relationship if she was on board with my plan in the first place.
“They’re impressive,” Miko tells Thea, and her cheeks flush.
I nuzzle into her neck, pressing a soft kiss just below her ear. “Told you, Little Brat,” I whisper against her skin.
“Do you think you could create me something?” Miko asks, with hope in his eyes.
