“Ethel,” the headmistress said, “as we discussed on the phone, there is a protocol. We cannot allow you to just take the girls from this school.”
“Take the girls where?” I asked, bristling. “They’re mine. You can’t have them.”
Now that my sisters had finally been rescued, or rather rescued themselves, I wasn’t letting anyone take them.
Ethel drew herself up to the full extent of her diminutive stature, though the hair did add an extra half a foot or so.
“I am the grandmother of these two girls,” she said in an upper-class Connecticut accent, “and I am exercising my grandparent rights.”
“I am their brother,” I said, putting on my best I-am-a-billionaire-and-I-will-fuck-your-shit-up persona. “They are in my custody. And I will not allow you to have them.”
“I’ll go to a judge,” the older woman threatened. “I am very well-connected in this city. I have lunch with the Carnegies every Wednesday, and I donate generously to politicians. After your father stole my daughter, I will not allow one of your ilk to steal my granddaughters too.”
Desperation crept up in me. My family was the most important thing to me. Even though my brothers and I fought, we always had each other’s backs. My family always came first. The thought of losing my little sisters was unbearable.
Keep calm.
“I assure you, ma’am, they are very well taken care of.”
“I can’t see how!” Ethel was indignant. “You’re a single man with two girls. They need a woman in their lives, a mother’s touch.”
I could not lose my sisters. I would not lose them. I looked back at the girls, who were half hiding behind Tess.
I would do anything to keep them—cheat, steal, even lie.
“They have a strong female influence,” I said, the false words slipping out. “My girlfriend, Tess.”
14
Tess
Uhhhwhat? His what?Girlfriend?Who,moi?
No.
Nope.
Tess does not date.
I will be single forever. No men. I hate men.
Beck was sorely misinformed if he thought I was going to be his fake love interest.
But my boss’s eyes were slightly wide and desperate when I glared at him.
Ugh, curse him for being handsome and caring!
For as much shit as I had given him, now he wasn’t the asshole billionaire. Now he was the underdog fighting desperately to keep from losing his sisters. I couldn’t be the bitch that cost him the girls. I would never climb out of the karma deficit, and I needed good karma.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to act cheery.
“Absolutely,” I chirped. “We’re totally in love, and I’m just waiting for the proposal. Isn’t that right, sweetie?”
Sweetie? Is that what you called a boyfriend? Seemed a little off. Maybe I should have used “babe.” But that made me think of the talking pig movie. Shit, I’d never had a boyfriend. I mean, what were you even supposed to do with one? Feed him once a day then lock him in a closet until you needed to get off?
The girls’ grandmother looked between us. She didn’t seem convinced. Probably because Beck was standing next to me, frozen. Of course he was. Typical man, absolutely useless in a crisis.
Leave it to the assistant to make sure things don’t fall apart.
