AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe?” I blew smoke in her direction, and she coughed and waved her hand.
“Maybe we could have breakfast or—”
“But like…wouldn’t it be your job to just make me breakfast if I wanted it? Yesterday was your day off, right? And Tuesdays, right?” I was not about to let her let this little bit of power or the fact that I slipped yesterday go to her head. Not knowing where she was and sending those texts had been a mistake.
Lesson learned. I was not those guys. I was not her scratching post. I wanted her as a partner in a future empire, and again, that meant me making sure she understood who ran shit around here. She worked for me. I didn’t work for her. “So…I think I want an omelet.” Then I moved closer and said, “Watch out.”
She stepped back a bit, shocked, and I closed and locked my door. “I—”
I blew another puff of smoke in her direction and said, “See you in the kitchen in ten?”
Jaw dropped, eyes wide, really aggravated, but she pulled it all together with a smile and said, “Fine.”
Harpy. Damn, she was something else. I had real shit happening in my life. Pussy was not going to derail me. No matter how good it was. No matter how free, liberating that was to just…do and…be an animal.
No. Fuck that. Basic had been fine for my whole life. Plus, I knew the passcode to that office camera, so…I could watch it again later. Damn, I just remember that. Oh, I hope those sick fucks recorded it for themselves. And me.
I sent Tituss a text, and he sent back: xIx brother
They knew their time with her was limited to school, and both of them would go home for holidays and summers, and senior year would be here before they knew it. They both loved her, wanted her forever, but that wouldn’t work for either of them long-term.
As I took a seat in the kitchen, Kipper arrived, and I noticed the door had closed though no one else was coming into view, and he was coming from the same direction I had a few minutes ago. “Hey man, who was that?”
“No one. BDO. You know. Those girls were all over the place last night.” He was too nervous.
“Was it no one or a sorority sister?” I asked as Harpy finally made her way down the stairs. She was in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Her hair was up. All that cute she had on earlier, wiped away. I tried not to smile. I also realized I liked her better this way. Real, natural. Different.
“I don’t know. A sister, no one, I…what are you asking here?” He really did seem confused, which just made me sad.
“Go…just go, Kipper.” I looked at the brooding brunette getting things ready to make me breakfast and then to Kipper, studying her entirely too close for my liking. “Now.”
“Oh. Yeah. Later.” He went back toward the stairs, his room.
She was at the stove, so I moved my attention to the app on my phone and looked at the camera they did not know was installed. I had to make sure this whole compound was visible when I needed it to be, so they got an upgrade on internet speed, a total lie, and I got my security system installed.
I might need it for more than tracking these guys and rival frat shenanigans. When I saw the blonde, my cousin, Helen, timing it, running so I didn’t see, coaching that motherfucker, I could feel it in my gut. I knew there was no way my absentee uncle, my dad’s youngest brother, stepped out of all family business to raise his own family and live a regular life. My mom’s cryptic lessons were all coming full circle this year. She knew. All this time, she fucking knew.
I looked at Harpy. She would know, too. Someone on her staff would tell her the little details about shit they wouldn’t say to her generals or me. Only, I needed to listen if she ever thought something was off. My dad…my brother…didn’t listen.
He cut his little brother off, out in a fit of rage for his perceived betrayal. It made more sense why I couldn’t get into the college on that side of town. Business-wise, that was already locked down, and I was still figuring out precisely who ran it. I suspected I knew now.
Like me, my uncle, my cousin, was just looking for opportunities. I knew from the way she walked after that door closed. She was up to something. It…made me lose my appetite, which was, unfortunately, the moment Harpy said, “Okay, and ready.”
“You eat it. You look like you could use a good meal.” I got up and said, “I’m not hungry anymore.”
She gritted her teeth. Her lip worked a bit, but she didn’t say anything. I left. I needed to figure some shit out. Soon.
Chapter Forty-Three
Harpy
These motherfuckers were driving me crazy. One minute everyone wants me, the next—
“That looks good.” Stoner, I didn’t know his real name, sniffed the air and asked, “Any chance I could get one of those?”
“Have this one.” I pushed the plate, and he took a seat. A couple BDO sisters arrived with a couple more juniors. Because I was feeling very put in my place this morning, I asked, “Anyone else want breakfast?”
“You make breakfast for them?” she asked.
