Page 12 of Heartless (Scathing Hearts #1)
Jake
I followed the hostess across the gleaming marble floors and homed in on Morrison, who was seated at a table in the alcove of the restaurant. When I got close, his chin jerked.
“Rhodes.”
As soon as I settled across from the grey-haired man I was going to destroy, a young server came to our table.
After ordering a beer, I slanted back. “Morrison, what was so urgent?”
His jaw clenched. “Cut the bullshit, Rhodes, you know exactly why you’re here. For Christ’s sake. She thinks she’s in love with you.”
Fuck, I wished I’d been there.
“Stop using her to get to me. I’m her father, and she belongs with me.”
“Drop the paternal act, Morrison.”
A muscle ticked in his cheekbone. “What do you want, Rhodes?”
“You know exactly what I want.”
The old fucker’s veneer cracked. “You think your father is the first moron I put out of business? He was weak, and he got what people like him get. Nothing. Let this be a life lesson.”
My elbows hit the table. “You’ll give me back what’s mine and until you do, I’m going to take Sienna somewhere you can’t reach her. Then, I’ll marry her and make her fucking pregnant. How’s that for a life lesson?”
“That’s kidnapping.”
“It’s called marriage, Morrison. After three of them, you should be familiar with the concept.”
“Fuck you, Rhodes.”
When I got up, his chest jerked forward, rattling the small vase on the table, and drawing the attention of the two people sitting at the bar.
“Don’t.”
Standing beside the table, I smiled. “That’s no way to talk to your future son-in-law.”
“Please,” he gritted between his teeth. “Please, sit down.”
When I did, he grunted. “I can give you more money than that piece of land is worth. I’ll double my last offer.”
I rolled the base of the bottle between my fingers. “I’m thinking Vegas. Quick and easy.”
The face I fucking hated turned green around the gills, and I knew I’d gotten to him.
“Your move, Morrison.” I headed out of the country club. While waiting for the valet to bring my car around, I called Sile.
“How did it go?”
“The motherfucker was scared. We need to act fast. The feds are vulturing around The Family, so we’ll have to wait for the file. We’re taking her tomorrow and reassessing when we hear from Zook.”
“What’s the story for Sienna?”
“Birthday surprise trip. I’ll get her out of her house early, so our crew can pack her shit and bring it to the house, and I’ll take the scenic route. Once she’s there, I’ll explain the situation.”
“I’ll be there.”
“To help, or for Cam’s cooking?”
Sile chortled. “I can multitask. See you there.”
The plan was to take Sienna to my house outside Lake Arrowhead. It was big and isolated.
In my absence, Camila Farrell, one of the few people Sile and I trusted, took care of it.
She knew about my history with Morrison, and when I told her that Sienna might come to hide from her father, she immediately volunteered to cook for her and be the feminine presence the Morrison girl might need.
I called Morrison’s daughter from my car.
She picked up at the first ring. “Hi, Jake.”
“Hey, sweetheart, I’ve got good news.”
“Tell me, tell me.”
The girl was downright giddy.
“I’ve freed up the next three days to take you on a surprise birthday trip. Somewhere private. Just us.”
“I’d love that,” she replied.
Beautifully predictable.
“I’m up North, and I’ll take on the road tonight. I’ll send a car to your place early in the morning to take you to the penthouse. Mort will let you up, and I’ll pick you up from there.”
“Aren’t you going to be too tired?”
“Not for you, sweetheart.”
“What time in the morning?”
“Five.”
More excitement weaved through her voice. “What should I pack? I mean for what weather?”
“Same as here. A little cooler in the evening. There’s a pool, so pack a suit.”
“Okay.” She cleared her throat, and her voice lowered. “Um... Jake, I-I’m on birth control.”
It wouldn’t make any difference, but she didn’t need to know that just yet. “That’s good, sweetheart. Fucking great.”
Her giggle was soft. “All right, I’m going to pack.”
Before she hung up, I said, “Can’t wait to have you all to myself, Sienna.”
“Me too, Jake.”
****
Sile slanted his back against the fridge in the penthouse. “Cam’s okay with the plan?”
“I told her the Morrison girl will be at the house to get away from him.”
He lugged his empty beer bottle in the trash. “That’s two women you’ve been lying to.”
“Cam will understand. The Morrison girl is in love. We’re good.”
My friend smirked. “You might want to stop calling her the ‘Morrison girl.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah. Slipped up last week.”
“Not good, Jakey. How did she take it?”
“I smoothed it out. The girl is so gullible it’s almost too easy.”
He shook his head. “Brother, she’s a na?ve kid who just lost her mother. She can’t help who her father is. Go fucking easy on her.”
“I can almost taste it, Sile. She’s the one who’s gonna fucking break him.”
“Just keep your shit tight, Jake.”
“Did your guy install the additional surveillance system in the house?”
“Yep. The quarters are covered. No cameras in the bedroom and the bathroom.”
We were good to go.
****
I arrived in the penthouse around nine, and Sienna, who was sitting on the couch with a book in her lap, grinned and jumped on her feet. “Jake, hi.”
Eager puppy. “Hey, sweetheart. You’re ready?”
The enthusiastic nod brought her curls across her face. I bent down to kiss her, and she hooked her arms around my shoulders.
I drew back and grabbed the small bag set neatly against the wall beside the elevator.
“You’re packing light.”
Biting on her bottom lip, she tilted a little frown up. “It’s only for two nights, right?”
My jaw clenched. Fuck. I pulled her into a kiss, and when she peered up at me, her expression abated some of the tension in my neck.
“Thank you for this weekend, Jake. It’s very special to me, and I know it’s going to be wonderful.” She touched my chest. “Jake... there’s something you need to know. Two... two things, actually. I have uh... I’m... My body’s—”
“Sweetheart, don’t make me think of your naked body when we’re about to be on the road for the next three hours.”
Her face flushed before she beamed. “All right.”
She hurried toward the couch to grab her shoes. Great tits, exceptional ass and legs. Shame about those fucking peepers.
In the elevator, her cell beeped. Her thumbs flew over the screen before she dropped the phone back into her purse. Her face was pinched.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s Nigel,” she said quietly.
My hand clenched around the handle of her bag. I needed to get her out of the house. “Is everything okay?”
After I’d loaded her luggage in the trunk, she shifted to face me. “Can I share something with you?”
“Let’s talk in the car.” I opened the passenger door. Once we were on the road, I said, “Talk to me, sweetheart.”
She tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. “I’m not his only illegitimate child. A woman came to my house and told me how Nigel paid her and her family to never disclose his affiliation with them.”
Roe worked fast. “What did she say to you?”
“She warned me off Nigel.” She cleared her throat. “There’s something else... He’s... When I told him about you, he got really mad. Are you two deadly enemies or something?”
I kept my tone easy. “Nothing that dramatic. We’ve been competitors in business.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “And that’s it?”
“Sweetheart, we can have this break later if you want to clear things up with your father.”
When she shook her head, I loosened my grip on the wheel. “Oh God no. I’m so excited, I barely slept, and I couldn’t eat. It’s my first weekend getaway. I know it’s not technically the weekend yet, but...”
She kept talking, and I half switched off the white noise of her ramblings. After droning on about books and more inane stuff, she finally fell asleep.
Sile texted her shit had been moved into the house.