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Eluding both Burton and Luka’s attempts to reach for me, I chuckled as they missed and danced out of the way until there was another shout from the front door. This one, a familiar deep male voice that made me freeze in my tracks.

Without my coffee, the elixir of life, I scampered out of the kitchen, then ran full force toward the stairs. Before I reached the second step, Luka lifted me into his arms as I struggled.

Well, not too much. I wouldn’t hurt my man by flailing my legs and kicking his cock or something. I had plans for that delicious monster later.

“Phoenix, open this door! It’s fucking cold out here!”

As happened whenever I dealt with my father, I collapsed in on myself and hoped the entire experience would be over before it began. Instead of allowing me to hide away until our guests left, Luka and Burton marched, with me still wrapped in Luka’s arms, toward the front door, where Burton threw it open and glared at my father.

“Do. Not. Ever! Speak to Phoenix in that manner.”

The two pit bull terriers who followed us to the door growled at my father, sitting in front of our feet and staring at the man. I loved all of them.

Hale Aalto was standing on their front porch, stoic as ever, even being yelled at by a man twice his size and dogs who looked at him as though he might be a tasty breakfast. He wore a suit and tie with his arms crossed, tapping his foot, standing next to his pouty plastic wife, looking as put out as I was.

I ignored the two people I disliked the most before I turned my gaze toward the people I assumed to be both Burton and Luka’s parents.

I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers, mustering a smile despite me hanging from Luka’s embrace. “Hi. I’m Phoenix. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Aren’t you precious?”

My cheeks heated.

“It’s about time our boys found happiness.”

My father spluttered, and he glared at Luka and Burton’s mothers. “You mean you approve of this… disgusting display?”

An indescribable anger surged inside me, both unfamiliar and warranted in this situation. I leapt from Luka’s arms and faced the one person who didn’t deserve my respect.

“Let me tell you something,father? Whatever stupid, demeaning, misogynistic, homophobic, and whatever else that is about to spew out of your mouth; those thoughts can stay in your head. Our relationship isn’t something you can buy or bully to make you feel more comfortable with the situation. You arrived onourdoorstep without an invitation, and you’re not allowed to come in and desecrate our home with your bullshit!”

His mouth dropped open, and he stared at me like I was a stranger. And I was. We’d never conversed about me, nor did he ask about my life, much less my dreams. But in his mind, I fit in a mold of his making and other than purchasing the bakery; he became content with me in the background, out of his way.

“You shouldn’t speak to your father that way,” Suzy said.

With a slow head turn, my brows furrowed with my mouth pressed in a straight line as I glared at the woman who’d never spoke to me unless she deemed it absolutely necessary. Which had been, oh, yeah, zero times during the last seven years of my life.

“Uh-oh,The Exorcist, it’s happening again,” Burton mumbled.

I ignored him in favor of getting the two people I disliked most in the world away from me and my life.

“Suzy, since you’re standing on our porch without an invitation, maybe you should let me decide how I speak to my father.” I turned back to the man and asked, “What do you want?”

He shook his head and asked, “What do you mean?”

“You’re a terrible liar, and the innocent act never worked with me because your soul is as black as my soil. So I’ll ask again. What… do… you… want?”

“I want you to persuade the entire block to sell their businesses to me so I can develop… well, never mind. That’s my business.”

“No.”

“Phoenix. Stop being difficult. You know I’ll get what I want. I always do.”

I shook my head and glared.

“Before I have Luka toss you off this porch and ruin that gaudy suit, I would like to remind you that you groomed me into being a miniature asshole, AKA you, from the age of five. I know all of your tricks, deceptions, and the people who will fall in line when you threaten them. If you decide to go through with this, I’ll do everything in my power to ruin you and your business.”

Although the man scoffed, there was genuine fear in his eyes because he knew I was telling the truth. I might not fight formyself, because there was no use using logic with Hale Aalto. He’d put pressure on my insecurities until I broke.