Page 51 of Avenging Azalea (California Made Men #2)

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

TITUS

The shrill whistle made me drop my pen as my head jerked up. Nathaniel stood in my office doorway with his fingers between his lips.

“Fuck, brother, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I rolled my shoulders as my heart rate began to slow.

“If you don’t want to be startled, then don’t daydream at work,” Nathaniel teased as he walked in and sat down across from me. “Besides, I was standing there for five whole minutes trying to get your attention. Hell, I even knocked.”

“Sorry.” I looked down at the contracts I’d been trying to concentrate on and closed them, knowing it was a futile effort at this point. “Why are you here anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon after that very exciting reception?”

Nathaniel laughed. “I didn’t know Ronan had it in him. He may be redeemable after all.”

“Told you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we decided to go away for the whole month of December and right into the new year. We’re heading to Italy, and you should know that I’m laying the groundwork for a future deal with Mr. Genovese to move some of the business there.”

“Wow, you really are going for our father’s throat.”

“Well…you did ask me not to hit Mikhailov Industries directly.”

“True, I did ask that. Mom is going to be devastated that she won’t see guys over the holidays.”

Nathaniel sighed and looked down.

“She needs to leave him. I constantly beg her to, now more than ever, but…she says it will cause more drama than she’s ready for.

The thing is, I can’t sit through a Christmas dinner across from him.

Watching him say a prayer and talk about the unity of family while he would stab us all in the back if it suited him. ”

“Tell me about it.”

“What’s going on,” Nathaniel asked.

I tapped my fingers on the desk as I stared into my brother’s eyes.

“Do you really want to hear about how right you are?”

Nathaniel’s eyes darkened. “No, I probably don’t. But if he has you up in your head this much, then spill. What did the POS do now?”

“POS?”

He lifted his shoulder and let it drop casually. “Piece of shit. I found it to be a rather fitting acronym for him.”

Smirking in agreement, I stood and walked over to the coffee maker in the corner.

“Want one,” I asked, pointing to the fancy machine.

“Sure.”

Setting the espresso machine to make two, I turned and leaned against the counter.

“I’m not only being bombarded with texts from him and Vera, begging me to continue with the wedding, but he threatened Fawn.

He knows…” I looked at Nathaniel and decided this was as good a time as any to tell him how I felt.

“That I have feelings for her, and he’s having none of it.

He conned Fawn into going for dinner and then ordered her to move out or he would make sure she paid.

I was ready to rush the house and kill him when she told me,” I said.

“First, your feelings are obvious. I’m not sure why it’s taken you this long to admit it, but aside from that, why didn’t you kill him?”

“Because I want to be smart about my response and as much fun as it would be in the moment to shoot him…”

“I get it. It’s complicated. I’ve had a front row seat to this exact issue for a while, so join the club. But you can’t let this slide. He will see it as you conceding and a sign of weakness. Whatever you do, it has to be a statement of power.”

The espresso machine sputtered as it finished, and I doctored mine before taking the cups over to the small table and chairs I had set up for meetings. Nathaniel joined me and took his black coffee.

“What do you have in mind? You always have a plan.”

“This is true. You need to hit him where it hurts. Either with something he loves or covets.” Nathaniel took a sip of his espresso and relaxed back into the leather.

“That’s difficult when the only thing he really loves is the company, and I don’t want to put innocents in the line of fire.”

“I feel you, brother, but sometimes it’s inevitable.”

“Fine…what is your idea. I know you have one.”

He smirked, the look bordering on evil. “Oh…I do. He’s interfering with your relationship, so maybe it’s time you interfered in his.” My brow furrowed as I tried to figure out what he meant. “I’m talking about his mistresses, not Mom. Ruin something he covets.”

“You want me to kill them?”

“No…but now that you mention it, that would definitely send a message,” Nathaniel drawled. The look on his face said he was contemplating doing it just because. “I’m sure you can come up with something other than shooting them.”

“It’s not a bad idea. I’ll think about it.” I glanced at the large clock on the wall. It might have been old school, but I’d always loved a traditional clock in my office. “I better go. I dropped Fawn off at work and need to pick her up.”

“Are you worried that Dimitri will snatch her off the street,” Nathaniel asked as he stood with me.

“Honestly, I don’t know what he’ll do anymore. I never pictured him setting up Savannah and almost getting his grandson killed or going so far as to threaten Fawn and her brother.”

“I did,” Nathaniel said, and drank the rest of his coffee in a shot. “But I’ve always seen him differently than everyone else.”

He handed me his cup and then buttoned up his suit jacket.

“If you need help, let me know.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Watching him leave, it amazed me how much he’d grown since Savannah came back into his life. Nathaniel was like a whole new person, and I loved this more mature version that wasn’t pulling his gun every day. Being a father and a husband suited him.

Putting the cups on the dirty tray for Levi, I grabbed my coat and walked out of the office. Hailey and Holly were right behind me, waiting as I locked the door. I stopped when I spotted Levi still at his desk.

“What are you still doing here?”

Levi pointed to the never-ending pile of paperwork from me.

“Believe it or not, I’m almost done and I’m on a roll. I’m not stopping until these are all dealt with.” He’d always been an incredibly hard worker.

“Well, don’t work too late.”

“Don’t worry, I’m billing you for overtime,” Levi said, and smiled, making me laugh.

“Listen before you go…” He looked around, even though the office was pretty much deserted after five.

“I didn’t mean to overhear your conversation with Nathaniel.

” I arched a brow. “Okay fine, who am I kidding, I was totally eavesdropping. My point is that I like his idea. And…I just so happen to have the phone numbers and addresses of Dimitri’s mistresses, past and present. ”

“How the heck did you get that? I don’t even have that information,” I said in astonishment.

“Oh please, what kind of superhero assistant would I be if I didn’t have the dirtiest of dirt, hottest of tea, and juiciest gossip on everyone. You know…for those just in case moments.”

“Well, I’m impressed and I’m not sure what I’d do without you, Levi.”

“You’d be lost. Completely disorganized. Do you remember the disaster I walked into when you hired me? Lord, have mercy on my soul.”

I laughed hard. There had been nothing wrong with my filing system or anything else, but Levi had acted as if he’d walked into an OCD nightmare.

“You’re right, I would be. Have a good night and order your fave takeout on me.”

“Already done,” Levi chimed back. “Don’t forget the cookies for the girls,” he said as I picked them up off the desk.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling as I walked to the elevator.

After the quick ride down, I waved to security and practically ran to my SUV. The girls hopped in the back, and I gave them the biscuits from Levi.

“Don’t worry, we’re going to go pick up Fawn. You don’t have to look at me like that,” I said, giving them a scratch. They seemed to relax and happily ate their treat.

My phone dinged, and I pulled it out of my jacket. I was very tempted to change my number when I saw Vera’s name. Fuck, she was persistent.

V: Titus, I’m so sorry. Please just speak to me so I can explain.

T: There is nothing to explain. I don’t care how it happened. What matters is that it did. If it happened with my brother, then I can only imagine how many others you’ve been with. The wedding is off. I won’t be changing my mind.

V: Don’t be like this. It was a mistake. I agree, but we weren’t married yet. Have you never had sex until now?

T: Vera, I’m not arguing with you about this. Just accept that it’s over and find someone else to marry. The contract has been burned, and there is no going back.

Thankfully, she didn’t bother to respond.

I climbed into the front seat and dropped the phone in my cup holder.

Wheeling out of the building, I headed for the vet clinic.

With each mile, the excitement grew until there was no keeping the stupid smile off my face.

Traffic was light for a Monday, and I made it to Little Pawsin only twenty minutes.

I didn’t like Fawn working with Dr. Taylor day in and day out.

But that had to do with Matthew Taylor, not Fawn.

I didn’t trust most men, and I was pretty sure I had my father to thank for that.

Pulling up to the red light, I spotted Fawn standing outside with Winston and Sheba by her side as she spoke to Dr. Taylor. I studied him closely as I waited for the light to turn green and the line of cars to clear.

His posture said he was sad, but I didn’t trust that or him.

He suddenly hugged Fawn, and she hugged him back.

I growled, stirring Hailey and Holly. They went fully alert, searching for threats.

Taylor kissed Fawn’s cheek as I drove through the intersection.

By the time I pulled into the parking lot, Taylor had walked back into the clinic, and Fawn was waiting for me.

I’d already prepped the back with extra seats lying down for the four dogs to fit comfortably. Sheba jumped in when I opened the hatch, but Winston still needed help. Fawn bent to get him.

“I’ll do it,” I said, picking Winston up and placing him inside.

“Thanks. It’s great that he’s putting on weight, but now he’s almost too heavy for me,” Fawn said.

She didn’t get any further before I cupped her cheeks and kissed her long and slow, wanting to wipe all memory of Taylor from her mind.

When I broke the kiss, my lips curved up at the glossy and dazed look in Fawn’s eyes.

“Come on, I can’t wait to get you home.”

Walking around to the passenger side of the SUV, I opened her door and looked around. I was being extra vigilant after what she’d told me about my father’s threat. I knew his men and their cars, and scanned every single vehicle on the street before getting back in the driver’s seat.

“Did you have a good day?”

“It was good. Matt had me scrub into his morning surgery.”

At the mention of his name, my hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“That’s great. Is that what the two of you were talking about when he hugged you?”

Fawn turned to look at me as she crossed her arms.

“Don’t give me that look. I know how he feels about you, and it’s a valid question. Most bosses don’t hug their employees.”

“Do you not trust me?”

“It’s not you that I don’t trust,” I said, giving Fawn the full weight of my stare.

Fawn sighed, and I could tell she thought I was being ridiculous. But she couldn’t convince me that Matt wasn’t playing on her good nature.

“No, that’s not what we were talking about.

I told Matt that I couldn’t go out with him.

I let him know it wouldn’t be right because I was with someone else.

He was upset, but told me I deserved to be happy.

Yes, he hugged me and kissed me on the cheek, but it was a have-a-great-life type of thing, not anything romantic,” Fawn said.

I believed that she believed what he said. I didn’t. Not a fucking word. In fact, it was exactly what I thought.

“Did he make you feel guilty?”

“I feel bad that I hurt him, but not guilty about us,” Fawn said, reaching out, she grabbed my hand on the center console. “Never about us, you don’t need to worry.”

Bringing her fingers to my mouth, I kissed each one. I would drop the topic for now. Fawn wasn’t the issue here. Matthew Taylor and I were going to have a conversation…tonight.