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My fist slammed into the table sending the salt and pepper rolling away from the middle.
“I just did. I came to you. I asked your permission. Is that nothing? I was being respectful. I was trying to stay in your good graces. You say ‘do something’. Be careful what you ask for. Something is an awfully powerful word. Something can be anything, and anything can come back to bite you in the ass. I’ll be back, tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. Let’s say, seven-thirty?”
“Too late. I’m too tired by then.”
“Well, I don’t get out of work until seven.”
“How is that going for you? Selling cars, right?”
My lids narrowed as I put both fists down on the table. “For now. But tomorrow, no. Tomorrow, I’m going to buy it, so I can leave whenever the hell I want, so I can be here, kissing your ass. Begging to marry the woman I want.”
“It’s hard to buy a dealership with no funds. You can’t just dip into your old account and spend my money.”
I smiled, feeling the anger twist it to something all too familiar. Into an expression I only seemed to wear for him. No one else could push my buttons, and Charles had perfect aim every time.
“You think I need your money to survive? I may not have unlimited resources, but I’ve made enough connections that I’ll pull this off. I don’t care if I have to call Slade Roberts, myself. Let him give me a high interest rate. Let him try to fuck me over for all the times we fucked him. He’ll do it just to spite me, and I’ll make that place thrive. You know I will.”
“You might. But come talk to me when you actually accomplish it. Until then, I’ll be here. With my money. And Fay. And my growing, precious granddaughter. Can you say that?”
Chapter 19
Fay
Marriage. The word wouldn’t leave my head. It repeated on an endless loop, never fading due to Aimon and Charles’s all-out battle-of-the-stubborn. Aimon kept his word on showing up, only it wasn’t at night. It was at noon, on his lunch break. He’d knock. He’d meet Charles in the study, usually while I was reading. Charles didn’t let him speak. He just said, no, and off Aimon went, storming out the door, angrier than the last time.
I didn’t understand it. Charles was fire, and Aimon was dynamite. The two together were explosive, and not in a good way. Charles didn’t even know if Aimon bought the dealership. He didn’t ask, unless he already knew. And me, was I eventually ever going to get a say? Not that I knew my answer. I didn’t want a marriage that didn’t involve Aimon being with me. I didn’t want stolen moments. I wanted late nights. I wanted early mornings. I wanted all of him with me, every day. None of this was fair. Especially the rules this family lived by. Could I really do this? Did I want my daughter raised under this sort of pressure? It was intense. I saw what the money was going to. I helped navigate and control the Carmelo finances. I was next to Charles’s side while he dictated the people who ran his companies. How Aimon helped manage it before was beyond me. Charles sure didn’t like having to do it. He was stressed. Tired. And so was I. Soon, this would fall directly on my shoulders to eventually pass to Lucia. I wasn’t sure I had what it took to keep this going by myself. I wasn’t Aimon. I hadn’t been raised or groomed for this sort of job.
“You’re getting dark circles under your eyes.”
I looked up from my book at Charles, yawning before I could answer.
“I haven’t been able to sleep very good.”
“Why not? Do you need a new mattress?”
“No. I don’t think it’s that. I used to sleep on my stomach. That’s impossible now. I’m having to learn to sleep other ways which isn’t easy.”
“No. I would think not. Maybe you need a spa day. Isn’t that what you girls do?”
“Not me. I’m fine. What I need is some ice cream. I think I’ll get some. Would you like a bowl?”
“Don’t bother walking all that way. I’ll call and have Mrs. Emmy bring us some.”
Placing the book on the end table, I spun to lay down. My hand immediately rested on the top of my stomach. I’d gotten so much bigger over the last five weeks. I could barely see the tips of my toes, and I had so much further to go.
“Yes. Two bowls.”
Charles hung up and my head turned towards him.
“Aimon’s making my old bedroom into a nursery. He met us at the hospital when I learned Lucia’s gender. Are you mad?”
Charles’s lips tugged at the side. “I wondered if you’d ever tell me about that. And, no. Why would I be mad?”
“Because Aimon is banished.”
“I was banished. Twice.”
“You were?” I stuffed the pillow behind my head, sitting up more so I could see him clearly. “Will you tell me why?”
