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“Because I know for certain that both of you would never let him near me, much less allow him to hurt me.”

I glanced over to see B with a smug expression on his face and when he noticed the ire still sparking from my entire form, he reached over and squeezed my shoulder.

“You worry too much, love. I was prepared to sweep his legs out from under him if you hadn’t grabbed him when you did. And Petal is right, we will always have his back.”

Sunshine’s attention snapped back to the phone. “Yes, ma’am. The man is my father, and he was upset when I didn’t fallfor his lies about having a heart attack and rush to the hospital to take care of him,” there was a pause before he said, “I called his doctor on the day he checked himself into the emergency room and he confirmed Hale’s tests all came back negative. I’m listed as his next of kin and emergency contact, and it’s why I could speak to the hospital staff about his condition.”

The next few minutes were a whirlwind of activity. Detective Sandoval beat the ambulance to the scene. He screeched up and threw the car in park before he was trudging up the driveway and glaring at Hale, passed out with his dark mustard cashmere coat spread out around him.

“What the actual fuck?”

Phoenix hung up with the dispatcher after thanking them and hugged the detective hello. I caught B’s gaze, and he laughed, shaking his head, which gained him a smile from me. The detective laughed and leaned back after returning the hug for a moment.

For the next fifteen minutes, Sunshine explained everything that had happened from the time he received the call from Suzy Aalto up to Hale Aalto being knocked out in our front yard. He gave him all the pertinent information and then Sandoval glanced my way before raising his eyes to search for something around the perimeter.

“Yes, I also installed security cameras and will provide the footage, along with clear audio, for your investigation. His wife confirmed Hale sent the thugs to Phoenix’s bakery to destroy it. You can see Hale swing at his own son before I intervened,” I said.

B sidled up to the detective and asked, “Charlotte, huh?” B continued to tease by wriggling his eyebrows at the blushing detective.

“Why, Detective Sandoval, do I detect a slight blush on your cheeks?” I asked.

Before he could answer the question, Hale groaned and caught our attention. He worked his jaw, and I heard it pop. So the hit I landed wasn’t as hard as I wanted. He confirmed it a moment later when he screeched and held his wrist against his chest.

“You assaulted me, you asshole. Officer, I want him arrested!”

Hale gulped as Detective Sandoval leaned toward him, waiting for recognition.

The detective interviewed him several times over the past two months, and I hoped the loudmouth would incriminate himself. Rather than stop, he continued on with his belligerent outrage.

“Stop standing around and do something! He broke my fucking wrist without provocation.”

Sunshine laughed and shook his head. “You wouldn’t know this because you’ve only loved yourself your entire life, but Luka and Burton are protective of me. They care that I’m fed, make sure I’m happy with our relationship and my career, and keep me away from the abusive shit I dealt with my entire life from you. So when you moved to punch me in the face, Luka took exception to the fact and defended me. Besides, Itoldyou, with witnesses present who will testify in a court of law, you are no longer allowed on this property.”

I flinched as Hale’s voice rose. “Well, you can’t order me off the property. You don’t have your name on the title!”

We all froze and stared down at the man, who didn’t seem to realize how life worked.

“He’s… dumb. Cheese and fucking crackers, the man who runs a multimillion dollar real estate empire is a fucking idiot,” B mumbled, shaking his head as he stared at a still protesting Hale.

Phoenix’s bark of laughter made all of us jump. But as he steadied his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath as his laughter grew out of control, Hale once again lunged for the younger man. With a speed I didn’t know he possessed, Sunshine grabbed the wrist I broke and squeezed, leaving Hale to flail and scream with the pressure.

Disgusted, Sunshine threw his arm down and glared at the man.

“Despite whatever bigoted mindset you have, I’m free to live my life with the two men I love. For instance, we all have matching surnames. An actual judge granted our request. I’m part owner of their business and they are co-owners of our successful bakery. And the claim that I don’t have legal footing since my name isn’t on the title? Well, sorry to say it pops, but you’re wrong again.

“How does that feel? To fail at gentrifying a neighborhood you never wanted, and running like a weasel when you threatened Luka and Burton at their place of business? Oh, you didn’t think I knew that? Drew, my friend, sent me the footage of you running like a scared rabbit. I didn’t think you could run that fast, but what do I know?”

Phoenix shrugged.

As Hale opened his mouth, our younger lover cut him off with quite an impressive growl.

“All of this hatred and anger. For what? Your associates have left in droves and people treat you like a pariah. Based on Detective Sandoval’s expression, he will arrest you as soon as I’m done lecturing you. Your wife left you and trust me, with the information I passed along, she’s not coming back, not even to bail you out of jail. You’ve done nothing but burn bridges, and at fifty-five, you no longer have a single friendship or relationship you can rely on. And because you paid three thugs over tenthousand dollars and wired the money from your own bank account, there’s no escape for you.”

I watched in amazement as Hale understood how desperate his life just became. The scowl faded from his face and he looked up with pleading eyes at his only family.

Sunshine shook his head and stepped back, looking at the Detective and said, “He’s all yours.”

“What? I’m your father. You can tell him to drop the charges, no hard feelings.”