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“Oh, for fuck’s sake! He only called me once and I was in the parking lot. If he should call back just tell him I’m in a meeting and can’t be disturbed. I’ll call him back when I’m damn good and ready.”
I just knew this week was going to be a shit storm, and now I’m going to have to deal with my dad. So help me god—if this is about Zack, I’m going to lose it. I washed my hands of Zack Sinclair years ago and he only made it worse the night he had his hissy fit at the afterparty.
My nose is buried deep in my laptop when my office door suddenly swings open. I’m just about to blow when my father beats me to it. “What happened to your big bad meeting? Huh? I knew your flunkies were lying to me. Now, you listen to me son.”
Before I know it, I’m standing in front of him with my finger pointed in his chest. “No, you listen to me, Dad. I stopped taking orders from you the day I turned eighteen. The day you sent me packing because I was a man and had to act like one. Do not barge into my office and start making demands, because it will be the last time you step foot inside my club. Got it?”
I don’t bother waiting for him to answer before I stride back to my desk. Unbuttoning my suit jacket, I sit down and wait for him to compose himself. I just bitch slapped him and he ain’t happy. Too fucking bad. He’s on my turf now and I’m not putting up with his shit.
“I have no right coming in here and making demands. I’m just at my wit’s end and I need your help. I wouldn’t have come here otherwise. May I sit down?”
I don’t say a word, I just make a gesture with my hand for him to sit. Much like you would a dog. From the sound of it he’s here to grovel anyway. “Why are you here?”
“Your mother would like you and Zack to make amends, so she can have Thanksgiving at the house. We’re not getting any younger and she’d like her boys to be on good terms…”
“Absolutely not. I thought I made myself abundantly clear that I’ll never step foot in your house again if Zack is there. Never! Not for you and not even for Mom.”
“Look, this is very difficult for your mom and me, Zane. We have two boys and a daughter we haven’t seen in almost eight years…”
Rage from the fiery depths of hell suddenly flows through my veins. My fist comes crashing down on the desk so violently that it sends my laptop skittering to the floor. “Did either one of you ever stop to think how difficult this has been for me? Zoe is my twin for fuck’s sake!”
Without concern, my fist viciously slams into my chest. My cold, black heart stutters to life at the mention of her name. “No, no you didn’t. You’re just a selfish prick. All you care about is what the neighbors think when they don’t see your children visiting during the holidays. Zack’s the reason your children don’t speak to one another. Take it up with him.”
I think it’s best if I just walk away before I say something I’ll regret. God knows there’s no love lost between my father and me, but I won’t stoop to his level. Until he grabs me by the arm and spins me around so we are face to face.
“Don’t you dare point the finger at your brother when clearly you’re the guilty one. You did the deed—all he did was call you out on it.”
Well, fuck me sideways.
I need to get the hell out of dodge before I beat the gratification right out of him. “Goodbye, Dad. You can see yourself out.” And on that note, I storm out the door.
I’m leaning on the fence smoking a cigarette when I sense that I’m not alone. I don’t trust myself to speak because my emotions are still too raw from the confrontation with my father. I swear to god—if it’s one of my employees, they will start wearing bells so I know where they are at all times. “If this is a bad time, I can just leave this with Mike.”
Lili? No, it can’t be.
I spin around and feel a mix of elation and confusion when I see her standing there. “Lili, I—I’m so sorry.” I’m the one who should drop to my knees and beg for her forgiveness, but she waves her hand like it doesn’t matter.
“This must have fallen out of your pocket when you stopped by last night. I found it in one of the sofa cushions.” She pulls something out of her pocket as she walks over. When she stretches out her hand, I do the same. She places a lighter in my hand. It’s not just any lighter though. It’s a gold Jim Beam lighter my sister sent me when I opened the club. I swallow down the lump in my throat as I glide my thumb over my name and the date of the opening.
Zane 3/9/15.
I’m not an emotional man under normal circumstances. But, being that this was a gift from Zoe and I almost lost it, I’m overcome. “Thank you so much for returning it to me.”
“Well, I thought it might be special when I noticed the engraving.”
“More than you’ll ever know.” When she pulls me in for an embrace, I’m not only overwhelmed by her presence, but I don’t feel broken anymore.
LILIANNA
I debated whether I wanted to return it or send it in the mail. But now that I’m here, I’m glad I came. It doesn’t look expensive, but it obviously means a lot to him. Perhaps it was a gift from Dakota or maybe one of his parents. He must have loved the person who gave it to him because he’s beaming with emotion right now. His hands suddenly frame my face as he presses his head against mine. His eyes are filled with tears and my heart flutters inside my chest. His touch alone sends shivers down my spine. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad I found it.” Without thinking, I lean in and give him a kiss on the cheek. I’m a goner when he closes his eyes and a tear hits my lips. Why is he so emotional?
“Zane, is everything all right?”
He nods, kisses my crown and walks back into the club. Zane is the most confusing man I’ve ever met. I follow him back inside to make sure he’s going to be fine and stop when I glimpse him entering the men’s room. I suppose it wouldn’t be appropriate if I followed him in there, so I decide to sit at the bar and wait for him.
My heart aches when I lick my lips and taste the salt on my tongue. A part of me would like to ask Mike about the lighter, but he’s on my shit list ever since he gave Zane my condo number. Speaking of which, I have a bone to pick with him.
