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“For me?”
“Yes, Lincoln. For you. Are you mad at me?”
“Yes, I am mad at you. You seem to think that I need mollycoddled or something. First you brought me up by yourself when Mom left, made life sacrifices to raise me, then you gave me a partnership in the hotel, then you built me a house at the bottom of your garden, and now this.” I point at Pom-Pom.
“The dog?” He leisurely takes another sip of wine.
“It’s not just a dog, though, is it? It’s the owner that comes with the dog and she’s put my address on his name tag. Look.” I flip it over and show him my address on his collar.
“Right, I don’t see what the problem is.” He chuckles.
“She’s… you’re…” I clench my jaw and growl.
“Lincoln.” He places his goblet of wine on the marble countertop. “I looked after you because that’s what parents do. It’s not a chore or a burden. I brought you up because you are my son, my boy. As for the partnership. You weren’t given it; you earned it and you know that. It was written into your partnership agreement that you had to meet several criteria to gain it. The house in the garden? Your grandfather gave me money from a trust fund he set up for you when you were a baby for that very reason.”
He lets me absorb that information before continuing.
“Family look after one another, Linc. I look after you. I look after Archie, Hamish, Eva, Thea, and hell, when Fraser and Hunter are away on tour, I look after both Eden and Ella and their kids too. That's what we do for each other.” He pauses. “Stop pushing everyone away.”
“I’m not.”
“You are. Violet wants to be here. She came here for you. I didn’t need to ask her twice. She loves you. Like Eva did for me, she tracked me down and followed me. Violet is doing the same. She’s following her heart.”
She followed me.
“She’s too good for me.”
“She’s perfect for you. She is strong, confident, and she knows what she wants.”
I arch my neck back and eye the ceiling. “So she’s working for the Sanctuary?”
“Yes. You are her boss.”
“I’m anything but that. She has taken over my house with perfume, pink panties, and a fucking pink vibrator.” Not to mention the five framed photographs of us I counted scattered throughout the hall, bedroom, and living area.
A deep laugh leaves my dad's lungs.
“Shit, forget I said that last bit.”
They’ve all got me by the balls.
“I’m leaving now, but I’m not happy with you. I may not speak to you at work tomorrow.” My eyes narrow.
He nods slowly, smirking. “Okay. Would you like me to cancel Violet’s visa?”
“No,” I say petulantly. I honestly don’t want that, but I don’t tell him that. “You are so annoying.”
And sneaky and clever, and I might just admire and love him more for it with his clever plan.
“I’m aware. Are we done here because my wife is currently upstairs waiting for me.” He winks. “The kids are at Eva’s parents’ tonight.”
I screw my face up in disgust and move to leave.
“The dog suits you. Enjoy your first night together,” he shouts as I exit his house.
I’m fucking sleeping in the spare room.
* * *
