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I could tell Aria knew something was off, but she didn’t voice her concerns. I saw it in her eyes though and the way she chewed that gorgeous, full bottom lip of hers. A nervous tic. She is scared. Scared of what is going to happen. Scared of the unknown. Scared of my father.
I can’t say I blame her.
She has every reason to be worried.
I won’t let anything happen to my family, but I also can’t predict what Calvin Hastings has up his sleeve. He is a loose cannon right now. He knows he is losing control, and he is trying to reel me back in by threatening Aria and my son.
He was bold today.
But I can be bolder.
Coming to a stop at the door, I knock and wait. It’s only seconds before it is pulled open and one of Calvin’s guards appears. Silas. Mean fucker and the man my father uses to do his bidding. There is a reason Calvin chose to bring this particular guard. He is the most dangerous out of all his men. It’s an intimidation tactic. Unfortunately for him, I have no fucks to give, and I’m not scared of the big guy.
“Silas,” I greet, shouldering past him.
“Mr. Hastings is in the office.”
Without another word, I make my way down the hall, shoving through the closed door without knocking just because I know it will infuriate him. It does as I expected. His head snaps up from his laptop, and he glowers as a look of disgust crosses his features. “Your manners would have been very different had you stayed with me and experienced proper discipline,” he growls.
I smirk. “It’s a good thing that I’m just your bastard son then. The one that you wanted nothing to do with until it suited you.” His eyes narrow, but before he can say anything else, I drop down in a chair and shoot him a bored look. “Let’s get this over with. What do you want, Calvin?” I know I am only making things worst for myself by antagonizing him, but I can’t bring myself to care. He crossed a line this morning, so I am going to cross every one of his.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing with that girl? You have a fiancée,” his voice booms.
“Aria and Baron are none of your business,” I growl.
“And the Maxwell girl is none of yours. I will allow you contact with your son. After all, he may be your bastard son, but he is a Hastings heir. You will stop seeing his mother though, especially if you want to keep her alive.” He pauses. “Hmm, maybe I get rid of the girl, and you and Stacey raise the boy as your own.”
I am across his desk, my hand gripping his shirt before he can contemplate what is happening. “You will not speak about my son that way, and you definitely do not threaten Aria.” I grip him harder. “You don’t get to say either of their names. You will not even think about them. If I so much as hear you have breathed in their direction? I will fucking kill you.” I shove him away, throwing him a look of disgust.
Calvin, being the cold bastard he is, smooths down his shirt and smirks. “Now, now, son. Stop showing your hand. You are a fool when it comes to the Maxwell girl. Hastings are not idiots when it comes to women. Be smart, Xander.” He points a finger at me. “You will leave New York and come back to Vegas with me. You will marry the Parkes girl, and you will give me legitimate heirs. Don’t push me on this. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to…” he trails off, but the implication is clear. He is threatening my family. Again.
I round the desk and throw a fist in his face. He doesn’t anticipate it, so I get a good hit in and then another. I wail down on him until I feel bones crunch and liquid, which I assume is blood, cover my hand. A red mist covers me, and all I can think of is killing this fucker. But then, I am being pulled off him, and a fist is slammed into the side of my head before I drop to the floor. Glancing up, I spot Silas with a gun now pointed at me. I grin. “Aww, if it isn’t Calvin’s lap dog.” He kicks me in the ribs. I bend in on myself as pain shoots through my body.
“Enough,” my father’s voice booms. Footsteps sound, and then he is in front of me. Crouching down, he gets right in my face with a look so smug, I want to hit him again. “Go and say your goodbyes. We are leaving. And if you try anything stupid? Well, let’s just say that I will get rid of the problem before you can blink. Don’t push me on this. You don’t think I have the means to get her out of your life once and for all? I will let you in on a little secret.” He leans into my ear like we are friends, and this is all some big game. “I do. But don’t worry, I will spare your bastard. We have use for him.” He pulls back and pushes to a stand. Throwing me one last look that saysdo-not-test-me, he and his goon leave the room. I want to follow them. Take the gun in Silas’s hand and shoot them both. But that would be reckless of me. I am not stupid enough to think I can take them both on. I am strong but not enough to win right now. Especially since I think that cunt broke a rib when he kicked me.
As much as I hate this, I need to bide my time. Need to let Calvin think he is in control right now. But it won’t last. I will fight him. I will make him regret the day he threatened my family. Fishing my cell from my pocket, I open the screen and scroll to the number I want, hitting dial. Ryker answers on the second ring.
“What’s up, Bish?”
“We need to end this. Now.”
* * *
After speaking to Ryker and getting a plan in place, I headed back to my hotel to get myself cleaned up before I went back to the Maxwell penthouse. As much as I didn’t want my princess to see the already-formed bruises and cuts on my face, the need to see my family outweighed anything else. Nothing would keep me from them. Well, not today anyway.
Knocking the door, I wait patiently for it to be answered. My thoughts turn to my father and his threats and how I am going to take him down. Footsteps sound, and in the next second, the door is pulled open, revealing my smiling princess. The smile soon fades when she spots my cut lip and the bruising that is starting to take place.
“What happened?” she gasps, rushing forward and gently cupping my cheeks.
I smile at her concern and press a kiss to her forehead as I breathe her in. She feels like home. “Just my father being his usual asshole self. Don’t worry though. He looks ten times worse.” I may have been hit, but Calvin came out worse.
“Bishop—”
“Stop, princess. I am fine. I don’t want you to worry about anything. Now, where is our son?” I change the subject.
Aria sighs, shaking her head as she nibbles that perfect, bottom lip of hers. “He is in the lounge with Thalia and Theo. They head back to Wellington today.”
Grabbing her hand, I bring it up to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. “Come on. Let’s go spend some time with them.” Stepping inside, I close the door and drag her in the direction of the voices. Rounding the corner, I grin when I see Theo whooshing Baron in the air like an airplane. “Children look good on you,” I tease, knowing how much Theo wants a baby.
