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He stares at me for a long time. When I was younger, that look would have me pissing in my boots. Not anymore. We’re all adults here—equals.
“I got it covered, Dad.”
He sips his whiskey and eyes me up. After a long moment, he says, “You’re more of an idiot than I thought, Heath.”
Irritation claws at my nerves. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“You went and fell for the Hunt girl. When you should have hand delivered her to thebratvaand earned some points with them.”
On the heels of that clawing sensation comes raw fury—a black cloud mushrooming into the office, putting me and my old man on opposite battlefields. My gut instinct is to rage at him.
But this is my father, after all. The man I owe complete loyalty to.
How dare he talk about my woman like that?
My brain trips to a halt.My woman?
I pause, surprised at myself.
Serenity is not mine. She hasn’t been for a long time.
As soon as the thought hits my brain, I cast it aside. I can’t stand the thought of hernotbelonging to me. She’salwaysbelonged to me.
I whip out my I-mean-business voice. “Serenity is with me.”
My brother takes another sip. “So that’s how it is?”
“Yeah, that’s how it is. You’re the one who made the deal when we were still kids. Did you think that could be severed so easily?”
He pushes out a sigh as if he’s been waiting for this day forever and been suffering every second that ticked by.
Without a care as to whose whiskey is in that bottle, I walk over to the bar and pour myself a shot. I need it after that goddamn epiphany I just had. Jesus Christ, I’ve just claimed Serenity.
She’s with me.
I’m her protector.
And any man who tries to harm her will die at my hands.
When I turn back to my father, he raises his glass to me. “If that’s how you feel, then I’ll try to reimagine my feelings toward her.”
I lift my glass in return.
When we’ve both knocked back our shots, Linc comes into the office. He looks between us as if sensing the tension has somehow flowed away and he doesn’t understand the change.
Hell, I hardly understand. My father has hated the Hunts forever. Now that I’ve told him that Serenity is mine, he’s suddenly given up this feud?
I eye him and then Linc.
“How did the raid on Sergei’s warehouse go?” I ask him.
His lips twitch into a crooked smile. “Got six crates out before they caught us.”
My father sinks into his chair behind his desk as if he’s heard all this and it’s boring him. Which no doubt is the case.
“Shots fired?” I ask Linc.
He shrugs it off. It’s everyday life, after all.
