Rowan stands abruptly and the next thing I know, he’s pulling me out of my chair by my throat and shoving me back into the wall. He’s squeezing tight enough to make my head swim.
“I wasn’t done. Stop messing with my brother’s fucking head. You either feel the same way he does or you don’t, but this back and forth stupid shit stops right now.”
I glare at him as my fingers twitch. Finally, he loosens his grip enough so I can push the words out. “I’m not doing shit. He’s the one who keeps putting himself in my path, not the other way around. Now get your fucking hands off of me, Rowan.” My hands come up to his chest and shove him away.
“You’re lying, both to yourself and to Declan. His head is all over the place, and in our world that shit gets you killed. Talkto him. Figure your shit out. If my brother gets hurt because of you, I’ll make sure you beg for death and they never find your body.”
He shoves into me one last time before turning and storming out of my office. The exact same way he came in. I’m taking a moment to get my head on straight when Ally knocks on my door frame and pokes her head into the office.
“Hey, Boss. I have some Fischer’s here refusing to let anyone else serve them.” She tells me with playfulness glittering in her brown eyes.
“Okay, tell them I’ll be right there.”
She mock salutes me, “You got it, Boss man.”
She turns and marches back out into the bar and I’m left here with my heart seizing in my chest at the thought of the man that I can’t stop thinking about getting hurt because–as his brother just confirmed–he can’t stop thinking about me either. What the fuck am I doing? What are we doing? Just as I think it, Natasha’s name flashes across my screen, reminding me that he’s taken by the woman I despise. I have to keep him at arm’s length, or it may just be my undoing. We need to stay out of each other’s way, and he needs to keep his guard dog on a leash.
9
Chapter Nine
Rowan
No sooner than I cross the threshold of Jakob’s business is my phone to my ear. On the third ring, her soothing voice washes over me, settling the anger and annoyance that I was just feeling.
“Hello?” Her distracted voice pulls a genuine smile out of me as I slide into the back of my Escalade and my driver heads back to the estate.
“Hey, Pretty Girl. What are my babies doing?” Rhett’s eight years old now. He’s not a baby anymore, but he’ll always be the sweet baby boy that I fell in love with as quickly as I did his Ma.
“Well, Rhett’s struggling with his vocabulary words right now, and Maeve is not here.” Her shielded laugh telling me that Maeve can hear her and she’s playing along withsomething.
“Oh, really? And where is sister bear at?” I play along just in case I’m on speaker.
“I don’t know, but Princess Moana just showed up. Maybe she knows something.” She giggles, and in the background I hear Maeve’s little giggles too.
“I’ll be home in a few, baby. I’ve missed you today.” My voice lowers in that way I know turns her into a puddle.
“I’ve missed you too, babe. Come home to us.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll see you in ten. I love you.”
She mimics back the declaration and we end the call. I lean back against the seat and shut my eyes. My mind wanders to my first kids, as so many people like to call them ‘my oldest kids’. I never know if it’s meant as a jab towards me or not, but I never take it that way. They’re right. I’ve filled that role of Da that ours cannot fill. That’s not a jab or anything, it’s just what comes with the territory of losing your Da at a young age, I guess.
Declan’s been acting even weirder than usual. I’m pretty sure that it’s Fischer’s fault. I really wasn’t going to go in there guns blazing, but I cannot stand being dismissed and will not tolerate the disrespect. Declan’s been wound up over Jakob for longer than he’ll ever admit to himself. I noticed the change in body language when they were in high school. He just seemed more nervous when Jake would come around. Seemingly out of nowhere.
I knew that if he wanted me to know, he’d tell me. So I left it alone. Then Natasha became a thing a few years later, which all but sent me into a tailspin. I haven’t liked her since the first time I met her. She’s got this undercurrent of pure evil to her. I’ve never been able to put my finger on what’sso off about her, but she’s going to bring him to the pits of hell.
Recently, I’ve noticed Declan zoning out more. He’s making small, albeit careless mistakes. His head isn’t here with us. I can’t help but wonder if it’s completely because he and Jakob are popping up at the same places together more often or if it’s because he’s just fucking done with it all. He was always the most vocal when we were younger about not being in the BOCG, and instead being someone in the medical field.
Dec was never supposed to be working for the family. This wasn’t his endgame, and when our parents were murdered, he was completely uprooted. He went from dorm rooms, parties, and every medical textbook he could get his hands on to guns, suits, meetings, and running the biggest drug trade on the East Coast. He never complained, but I knew he would leave me once I got my feet under me.
To my surprise, he stuck around. For the past seven years he’s stood by my side. Both on a business and a personal side. He helped me with the younger ones and had my back while we transitioned power to me. I’ve been solid for years, though. I’m a selfish jackass for not sending him back to school years ago. He was never meant for this life. He’s meant to save people.
Pulling up to the estate, I push the thoughts that are plaguing me to the back of my mind before thanking my driver and going inside to love on my family. Just like every other day, the moment my feet cross the threshold I drop to my knees just in time to catch my babies around the waist, the echoes of ‘Daddy’ filtering through the entire downstairs.
Standing up with one kid in each arm, I’m greeted with the prettiest girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. We’ve gotten older in the five years since meeting and pretty quickly falling in love.We’re married, we raise our little bear cubs, and my brothers have stressed us out to no end over the past five years. One thing that’ll never change is the way those deep brown eyes captivate me and bring the entire world to a stand still when they lock on mine. Leaning forward, I press my lips to hers and can’t help but smile as she kisses me back. The kids giggle in response like they always do, and way too quickly she pulls away.
“You’re home.” She smiles up at me and wraps her arms around my middle. She sighs as she settles into my embrace.
