AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As I look at her, I only find one thing in common with Thea: the eyes. She’s short in comparison to Thea’s almost five ten, and her features are plain compared to the delicate, beautiful ones of her daughter’s.
“Follow me.” She lets the shades rest on the bridge of her nose and waves her hand, walking away.
We circle the property and find Martin wrapping a towel around his waist. When his attention moves toward us, he points at Jacob and me. “You two are the spitting image of the gay fucker who took Christian away.”
Martin grabs a bottle of vodka. “If I had known my friend liked a stick up his ass, I’d have done it for him.”
That simple statement might be the reason to throw a punch at his face. I don’t move, though.
“I always knew there was something strange about Christian’s friendship with the pretty-boy actor.”
Jacob touches his jaw, and I shake my head. Too early to throw the first punch. Papa warned us: Martin carried a lot of poison and knew where to strike.“Don’t let him goad you, boys.”
“Arthur, I see you’re still working as the guard dog and now babysitting.” Martin stares at Arthur before taking another swig.
Arthur glowers at him but maintains his indifferent façade. Not even I know what he’s thinking or if, like me, he wants to shut Martin up by drowning him in the Jacuzzi. I don’t.
Instead, I pull the folder from my laptop bag. “Mr. Levitz, we’re here to discuss the reality show you proposed to your former bandmates.” I hand him the papers. “My lawyers sent you a draft. I want to make sure that I understand what you need to accept it.”
He pushes the folder back to me and laughs. “I received it, but no can do, amigo.”
I give him back the papers.
“Boy, you’re serious about this fucking contract.” He shakes his head. “Listen, I won’t sign it. I hit the jackpot the moment you fucked that little whore—with another man. I’ve been working on this deal for months. She didn’t tell you? We send her to rehab. I put the band together to pay the bills. People eat that shit. The cunt owes me that much.”
I can’t be civil. He’s calling his daughter—my girlfriend—a cunt. How dare he?
My fist reacts first, but it only hits rock-solid muscle. Arthur Bradley is choking Martin. So much for bringing back-up to keep us steady and from doing stupid shit.
“Dad, don’t do anything stupid,” Mason orders his father. “We’re here to settle, not get revenge.”
“Yeah, what’re we settling on exactly?” I point at the little love fest between hands of steel and douche man. “My father won’t deal well if he learns there’s a body buried in the Himalayas because of him.” My sense of humor kicks in pretty fast because I fear Arthur has lost his last marble and is about to commit murder.
“Arthur, leave him alone,” Jessica orders.
Arthur cranks his neck and gives her a glare that makes me want to hide behind his son. This is a side of him I’ve never witnessed. Jacob’s widened eyes must match mine.
“I will when he assures me that he’s leavingheralone. For days I’ve listened to the shit he put her through, thatyouput her through. Why?” he barks. Just as Mason gets closer and tries to release his father’s hands from Martin’s neck, Jacob and I take a few steps backward. “If you had told me, I’d have taken her with me.”
Jacob and I stare at each other. What the fuck is he talking about?
“Well, I picked up the slack for you, fucker,” Martin says from the uncomfortable position he’s in. “I gave your child a home, food, and a family. All from the bottom of my good heart. Even after my fucking cheating wife fucked the guard dog—for years.”
“Kids, I need you to wait for me in the car. Take those two,” Arthur orders, pointing at the bimbos in the hot tub.
“No.” Mason hands towels to the bimbos. “I’m staying. It’s a family matter, Dad. Not only about my in-laws, but also my sister.” He turns to look at us. “You heard him, to the car. Dump these two wherever.”
Sister?Jacob and I give each other an inquisitive look, and we’re both at a loss.
Mason narrows his gaze, and we follow instructions because if there’s something we learned at an early age, it’s that you don’t fuck with the Bradleys. You do as they say, no questions asked.
The women jump in a red convertible and leave the premises immediately. We get into the car and wait. Shocked by the news about Thea, I remain quiet for several minutes. As I’m about to speak, Arthur and Mason arrive, sending us to the back seat.
Once Mason pulls out of the parking spot, Arthur hands me the folder. “He signed, for free. Tomorrow my lawyer will finish up a few other things.”
“Thea?” I want to know if they’ll stop harassing her.
“He won’t ever mention her name if he knows what’s best for him,” Arthur informs us, giving me a murderous glare.
