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My mom tightened her fingers on my arm, making me wince until I paid attention to her. "The best part," she began gleefully as if it were something that she was happy to tell me about, "is that Brad's older brother John has joined your father's firm. So, you'll be working closely with him every single day."
I didn't have a chance tell them how horrifying that actually was to me, John was even worse than his brother, because the sitting room door burst open, and not one Durand but all five of them came barreling into the sitting room. Antoine lead the group, his hair mussed like he'd just woken up but he was somehow already in a suit.
"I apologize for the intrusion, but since you are trying to poach my employee in my household, I feel that it is justified." He gave them a professional smile that was sharp enough to peel the skin off a potato.
"Excuse us, this is a family matter." My dad stood and marched over to Antoine, standing toe to toe with the vampire.
"You're right, it is," Drake stepped next to Antoine with Allister flanking Antoine's other side, "and Piper is part of this family. So, anything you have to say to her..."
"... you can say to us." Allister finished with his arms crossed over his chest, his muscular form towering over my dad.
My dad, to his credit, didn't so much as flinch. His nostrils flared as he glared at the men filling the room. "I won't have my daughter be sullied by the likes of you, no matter how much money you have."
"Oh, but I thought that was all that mattered to you?" Rayne stepped out from behind the group of vampires, his brows arched. "Or didn't you say your practice was going under, and that if you didn't get Piper to marry that ass wipe John, then you would lose everything?"
I wanted to be surprised, I really did, but it was just another in a long line of sins my parents had done against me. I sighed, suddenly tired of this whole thing and really wanting to go back to bed.
"Piper, dear!" My mom reached for me, but I shook her arm away. "You wouldn't want your parents to be homeless, now would you? Don't you love us?"
I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head before moving over to the Durands. "I honestly don't know anymore. I've made excuses for you over and over again, and every time, you’re a disappointment. This is just too far." I stopped by Antoine and met his eyes, the steel in them softening slightly for me. "I might be doing a job you don't approve of, but these men have done nothing but make me feel important and needed. I'm not just something to show off to their friends or make a dime off of. And even though I've cost them quite a lot in the things I've broken, I'd like to think my friendship and presence here more than makes up for it."
Drake snorted. "Almost."
I shot him a 'oh, really' look. Antoine's hand slipped into mine, a shock to be sure, but I held on to it. He gave that hand a squeeze of encouragement.
With him next to me and the rest of them at my back, I turned to my parents and said, "I will not be leaving with you. If that means you lose your home and have to live on the streets, then... you did it to yourself." I parroted back my dad's words at him with a bit of satisfaction.
My mom gaped at me and then looked between my dad and me. Her lower lip quivered a moment before the tears started. She collapsed on the ground and wailed at the top of her lungs.
The Durands tensed around me, and I didn't blame them. I was no stranger to my mom's fits, except this time, I wasn't going to bend over backwards to make her happy. I was going to make me happy, and the Durands made me happy.
"Look what you did now," my dad hissed, his eyes burning holes into me. "You've broken your mother's heart. Are you happy with yourself? Do you feel good?"
I looked away from him and to the men around me before nodding. "Yes, I do."
"Time to go." Marcus came up to my dad, his big muscles flexing and those dark eyes hard and dangerous.
My dad stared up at Marcus with a slack jaw, then shook his head as his face contorted in anger. He opened his mouth to no doubt yell some more, but Antoine stepped in.
"Enough." That one word reverberated through the sitting room, and my dad and even my mom quieted. "You will leave this house, and unless she comes to you first, never bother Piper again. Do you understand?"
My mom and dad nodded dumbly.
"Darren?" Antoine turned his head to the side toward the butler. "Please gather the Billings belongings, and escort them off the premises."
"As you wish, Master Durand." Darren gave a slight bow before leaving to do exactly as Antoine said.
Antoine still kept a hold of my hand as he ushered me out of the sitting room and into the foyer. When we stopped at the bottom of the stairs, he turned me to face him. His hand came up to stroke the side of my face before dropping to his side, leaving a trail of hot fire behind.
"Why don't you go get packed?” he asked softly. “We're leaving in an hour." He then spun on his heel and walked away, leaving me to stare after him.
"That's it?" I asked as I turned back to the others back at the others.
They just chuckled and shrugged.
