Page 25 of Avenging Azalea (California Made Men #2)

Chapter

Eighteen

FAWN

My brain was set on torturing me. No matter how many times I scolded myself and begged it to stop, last night played on a loop. Every humiliating moment flashed across my mind like a nightclub light show, as if I didn’t have enough trauma to deal with already.

What had I expected to happen? That was the biggest question because the idea that I’d be satisfied with once and never pine for him again was absurd. My heart longed for his love.

The scene played out like a rom-com when I was alone in my room at night.

The newest version even included the arranged marriage and Titus walking away from the contract that bound him and choosing me.

It was a happy ending that left us kissing as the credits rolled. But what happened after the credits?

What happened when his family found out and didn’t approve of me, my zero wealth, power, or prestige?

I had nothing to offer him. What happened when I couldn’t hide what was done to me?

How would I explain waking up in a cold sweat multiple times a week?

What would Titus think of me when he found out how I’d so casually let my stepfather use me?

I’d hardly put up a fight. The very first time he drove me to a motel, I’d resolved myself to being whored out to keep my family alive, as if that was normal…

something all kids dealt with in their lifetime.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I sucked in a deep breath, the shame once more clawing at my throat.

Tears stung my eyes, but I bit my lip to keep them at bay.

There was no going back and fixing things.

Hell, even if I could go back in time, the reality was…

I didn’t know if I could or would do anything differently.

That was the most disturbing realization.

Sheba’s cold nose touched my neck, startling me out of my thoughts. She laid her head on my shoulder like she could sense that I was spiraling.

“Thanks, girl. I love you, too,” I said and scratched her neck.

“You think I should talk to someone? Do you really think a therapist could help me?” Sheba remained quiet.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, my heart felt better just looking into her amber eyes.

They were almost identical to Titus’s. “I’m not sure anyone can fix the dead space inside of me, girl.

The only person who fills that hollow ache is marrying someone else. ”

As I drove closer to Small Paws, I kept my eyes peeled for the strange car, but it was gone and replaced by the typical BMWs and Land Rovers.

Pulling into the parking lot, I got out and opened the back door for Sheba.

There was no need for leashes with Titus’s girls.

They were insanely trained. I had no idea how he got them this way.

When we got Holly and Hailey, he took them everywhere with him, but at home, they were allowed to sleep, eat, and roam the backyard like any regular dog.

Not once did I ever see him working with them, and yet, they had dozens of commands and never stepped out of line. It was like he spoke to them telepathically. As ridiculous as it sounded, it was the only thing that made sense.

Unlocking the front door, I stepped inside and turned on the lights. We didn’t open to the public for another hour, and the overnight tech would be long gone by now. I was counting on the quiet time to introduce Sheba to Winston.

We walked into the back, and I froze. The motion sensor light was activated. I listened for unusual noises but didn’t hear anything.

Sheba picked up on my sudden tension. She pressed herself up against my leg and waited for a command. She might be an older girl now, but she was a German Shepherd still in great shape and knew her job.

“Hello?” No one answered.

I crept past the kennels and toward the employee area, searching for anything out of place.

Just when I was ready to blame an overactive imagination, the bathroom door opened right beside me.

I screamed, and the man rubbing his damp hair with a towel yelled as Sheba jumped into action, tackling him to the floor.

At the last second, I recognized Dr. Taylor.

“ Xet . Ryadom !”

Sheba stopped just short of sinking her teeth into Dr. Taylor’s neck. His eyes were as wide, and his chest was heaving as Sheba pushed off and sat beside me.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry.” Squatting, I checked his head to make sure he was okay.

“She’s trained to protect me. I didn’t think anyone was here,” I said, rambling.

Then I realized that Dr. Taylor was still damp and only wearing a towel around his waist. It had fallen open and showed off everything. “Oh my god, you’re naked.”

Jumping up, I slapped my hand over my eyes.

“Fawn, it’s fine. I’m covered again,” Dr. Taylor said. I scissored my fingers open to be sure.

“I am so, so sorry. Please forgive Sheba,” I begged, terrified he was going to tell me that I needed to destroy her, or he was going to press charges, or whatever else he thought of to punish us.

He smirked and shook his head. Sheba was staring up at him like the perfect soldier.

“No harm done. I just saw my life flash before my eyes, that’s all,” he said, and my cheeks heated.

“What are you doing here this early? I didn’t see your truck, which is why I thought I was alone.”

“I ran to work. I’m training for a triathlon, and this way, I get a ten-mile run in twice a day, even on busy days.” I cringed, and Dr. Taylor laughed. “I take it you’re not a fan?”

“I’m not a fan of running that long for anything,” I said, and my blush made my ears burn.

“So, I answered your question, now it’s my turn. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to introduce Sheba to Winston while it was quiet and I had time to spend with them. I thought she could help him feel more confident.” I shrugged and ran my fingers through the midnight black fur on her soft head.

“Titus always trains his dogs in pairs. Sheba lost Shadow a while ago. She’s never gotten over the loss, and I thought it could help her too. ”

It was easy to see why he’d been dubbed Doc Hottie. He was more toned than I’d imagined under his scrubs. I forced my eyes to stay on his face.

“I see. Well, I better get some clothes on before anyone else arrives,” he said, and the mortified feeling flooded my body.

“Yes…sorry.” Turning, I made a beeline for the back room. “Could you be a bigger idiot,” I mumbled under my breath, wanting to crawl into a hole and just stay there for the rest of my life.

“Hi, Winston,” I called out as I walked over to the bag of kibble and scooped some for him. Sheba took her cue when I pointed to a spot near Winston’s kennel. She looked regal, like Anubis, with her legs out straight, head up, and overly large ears.

Winston didn’t cower away when I opened his door, but he didn’t come out to visit either. Setting his bowl down, I left everything open and joined Sheba on the floor. Humming the song that was on the radio, I stroked her head and smiled at the sound of him eating kibble.

It took ten minutes before Winston stuck his nose out of the kennel.

I kept my head down and didn’t look at him, but I could see him out of the corner of my eye.

It took another ten minutes for him to step out and slowly come toward us.

Sheba put her head down on my leg like she was encouraging him to trust me.

I held my breath as he got close enough to sniff me and then slowly laid down, pressing himself against my leg. Once he was settled, I gently rubbed his head while tears ran down my cheeks, and he closed his eyes.

A tapping sound caught my attention, and I looked up to see Dr. Taylor on the other side of the door window.

He signaled for me, and as much as I didn’t want this moment to end, it was probably best to let Sheba and Winston get used to one another on their own.

Sheba was great with new dogs and even acted like a ref when someone was getting out of line.

“Stay here with Winston and keep him company, okay?” Sheba lifted her head as I got up, but I managed to sneak out without Winston stirring. I slipped out the door, took a deep breath, and then smiled.

“Looks like things are going well so far,” Dr. Taylor said, and I nodded.

“It’s not an overnight fix, but trust me, if anyone can help Winston, it’s Sheba. I’m so sorry again for her almost attacking you.”

“Don’t worry about it. She was doing her job. Mind you, that was not how I pictured you seeing me naked the first time,” he said.

I nodded before catching on to what he said. My face flamed hot as I stood there stupidly staring at him. My mouth opened, but no words came out. Dr. Taylor cleared his throat before pointing to the front as the bells chimed.

“I better go see who that is,” I said, practically running away. I looked back and smiled as our eyes met. This had been the strangest twenty-four hours.

TITUS

Nathaniel and Savannah looked over at the same time when I softly rapped on the open door.

“Hi, I brought you these,” I said, showing off the large vase of flowers tucked under my arm.

“They’re beautiful, thank you, Titus,” Savannah said, wincing as she tried to push herself up higher in the bed.

“Let me help you.” Nathaniel jumped up, his face twisted with concern. Savannah grabbed his hand.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re hardly fine. You were shot. If you think I’m not going to hover, then we’ll get your head examined while we’re here.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. “Titus, can you take him with you when you go? My husband needs a project that’s not me.”

“Oh, don’t look at me. I’m not getting in the middle.” I held up my hands and smiled.

“I can’t find an ally anywhere,” she said, sighing dramatically, before she kissed Nathaniel’s knuckles. Savannah was as tough and maybe even more stubborn than my brother. I could only imagine the fights over the next few weeks.

Walking over to the bedside table, I set the flowers down and gripped my brother’s shoulder.

“How are you feeling, Savannah?”

“Like I was shot. I don’t recommend it.”

“Well, I’m happy that you’re going to be okay and don’t worry about Cutter. I talked to Mom earlier. I’ll take him after work every day until you and Nathaniel are home. That way, he can see the girls, and it’ll keep his mind busy.”

“Thanks, brother,” Nathaniel said as Savannah nodded.

“Can I speak to you for a minute?”

He looked at Savannah, but she waved him away. “Go, and you can get me a cheeseburger with a strawberry shake for lunch while you’re out.”

“But….”

“I promise I won’t get up without a nurse. I’m going to rest until you get back, and you have guards outside the door.”

“Fine,” Nathaniel growled, grabbing his jacket. Savannah winked when Nathaniel turned his back to her.

“So, what do you want to talk about,” Nathaniel asked as we walked down the hall.

“I saw Goran and the movers this morning,” I said.

“No point in dragging it out. I won’t step one foot inside that house again unless it’s for Mother. Have you changed your mind about joining me?”

“No, but I need to offload a few things first. What are you thinking of using for new offices? Father owns the building, and there is no way he’s going to let us use the space.”

“Already handled.”

I laughed. “Of course, only you could have a wife in the hospital with a gunshot wound and still manage to arrange movers and a new office space like a boss.”

Nathaniel laughed as we stepped outside into the late morning sun.

“I cheated. The building was already purchased and being renovated. It was a rental investment, but now it will be our new headquarters. I’ll have the partnership paperwork emailed to you tomorrow.”

“Are you sure you want me involved?”

“Why? Can’t I trust you,” he asked, crossing his arms.

“Of course you can. I just want to make sure that this is what you really want. We both know you don’t need me as a partner. I’m good at what I do, but I was never going to run Mikhailov Enterprises.”

“Yes, it’s what I want. The fact that you’re not going to stab me in the back to take over is actually very appealing,” Nathaniel teased, nudging my arm with his fist. “What else is bugging you? I can see it in your eyes.”

I looked away and put on my sunglasses. “I went to Father this morning to tell him I couldn’t marry Mr. Vilanova’s daughter. He told me something really disturbing.”

“Jesus…do I want to know?”

“No, and I’m sure it’ll only make you want to kill him more.” I nodded toward my SUV. “Come with me. I don’t want anyone overhearing us,” I said, even though the only people nearby were a pair of doctors sitting on a bench.

Nathaniel’s face darkened like he was already picturing wrapping his hands around Father’s neck.

I waited until we were in my idling vehicle before speaking. “Father and Mr. Vilanova were apparently at odds. He wouldn’t say why or what happened, but whatever went down, they ended up in the sights of the Curators.”

Nathaniel’s face paled. “The Curators? Why? What the fuck does he have us involved in?” The fact that Nathaniel seemed as worried as I was didn’t make me feel any better.

“All I know is that a Curator got killed. How they are involved, I have no idea. He wouldn’t tell me. According to him, my marriage to Vera will help smooth things over. Does any of that make sense to you?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “Not at all. I didn’t even know they were in the same circles, let alone how a marriage could make something that large go away.”

“Me either. Anyway, we are all on notice, and…I don’t like waiting for a hammer to drop.”

“For fucks sake. Can this man not stick his fucking foot in every pile of shit? I’ll see what I can find out.

Thanks for the heads up.” He turned in the seat and looked at me.

“So, you wanted out of the marriage? Not that I blame you. It just seemed like you were willing to marry whoever Dimitri arranged.”

I rubbed at my chin. “I had my reasons for wanting out, but it doesn’t matter now.”

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it?”

Sighing, I looked back at Hailey and Holly and shook my head.

“No, talking isn’t going to change anything, and I made my bed. I can’t go back now.”

“You’re a bigger man than I, Titus. I would’ve told him to go fuck himself and shot him to save the Curators a bullet.”

I laughed, even though I knew he was serious. Right now, it would be great to be more like him.

“I’ll text you the address of the office building,” Nathaniel said, getting out. He stopped, holding the door open as he locked eyes with me. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Lifting a shoulder, he let it drop.

“For being my brother.”

With that, he closed the door, and I watched him walk away.

“You too, brother. You too.”