Page 144 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

Rage tore through her, but she forced herself to remain in control. “Seeley is ten times the man you’ll ever be,” she hissed. “I had a nice chat with Ana, by the way. You two deserve each other. I hope you treat your son with her better than you treated me.”

“Ah, yes. Ana. She’s a well-behaved one.”

“You make me sick,” she fumed, shaking with anger. “Get out of here, and don’t ever come near us again.”

“I see you’re still overly dramatic.” He lifted his chin, speaking around her. “Lucas, how are you feeling, son?”

“Don’t you dare speak to him.” Juliette moved to block his view, but Lucas stepped around her, getting in her father’s face.

“Don’t call me son,” Lucas seethed. “I know what you did to my parents, you lying bastard.”

Her father didn’t even flinch. “You poor boy. She’s poisoned you with lies to cover her own tracks,” he said with the lethal calm of a venomous snake.

“Like hell she did.” Seeley stepped in front of Juliette and Lucas, towering over her father. “This is going to end in one of two ways,” he said through gritted teeth. “You’re either going to walk out of here and never come near my family again, or they’ll wheel you out of here on a stretcher. I suggest you choose wisely.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed. “This isn’t over.”

“Watch your back, old man. Because it’s about to be.” Seeley put his arms around Juliette and Lucas, leading them away from her father. “Are you okay, babe? Lucas?”

“Uh-huh,” she said, trying to regain control as Lucas said, “I’m fine. What a prick. He called you a lowly biker.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

“You’re going to let him get away with it?” Lucas snapped.

“He’s not getting away with anything. Right now, what I care about is that you and your mom are okay.” He led them to a row of chairs far from the other people in the waiting room.

“I’m fine,” Juliette reassured him as she and Lucas sat down. Seeley remained standing, like their personal bodyguard. “Just shaken up. I’m sorry you had to see that, Lucas.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” she said. “We didn’t go after him because I didn’t want to put us back on his radar. But we’ve been on it the whole time. We have to do something.”

“I’ll handle it,” Seeley said firmly. “He’ll never get near either of you again. I’ll make sure of it. But we have more important things to think about right now. Lucas, are you okay to get your treatment? Or are you too upset?”

“I’m not upset. I’m pissed, but I’m not going to miss my treatment because of him.”

“Juliette? Do you want to stay with us, or are you too shaken up? Do you want me to have Cowboy come take you home?”

“No. I’m fine, and I can drive myself home.”

“You’re not going anywhere alone.” Seeley pulled out his phone and started thumbing out a text.

“Who are you texting?” she asked.

“My old man, to get some of the guys over here to make sure that cretin doesn’t get anywhere near this room while Lucas has his treatment and to set up extra security at the ranch, and Lucas’s school.”

“At my school?” Lucas asked.

“Don’t worry, Lucas. This isn’t our first rodeo. Nobody’s going to notice our guys.” He continued thumbing out more texts.

“I’m not worried. I think it’s badass.”

“We don’t need all that,” Juliette said.

Seeley looked up from his phone, his dark eyes as serious and commanding as his tone. “Yes, we do. Your father thinks he’s above the law, and now that he’s been shut down, he’s got something to prove. I’m not taking any chances.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight