Page 36 of His Prize

Bonnie pointed. “I’m going to go check the back door. Maybe it’s been left unlocked.”

I dialed his number. “You can try, but I lock down every square inch of this place whenever I leave.”

The phone rang in my ear as Bonnie disappeared around the corner. And I had half a mind to go after her. I didn’t like her being by herself, especially if her bodyguard wasn’t with us. But, at some point in time, I had to let her function on her own, especially since that’s what she wanted.

“Hello there, Israel.”

“Dad. The keys don’t work in the locks. Do you have a spare I could come get?”

“No, son. I don’t.”

I paused. “So, do you want me to break a window or something?”

“If you break it, you pay for it.”

I reached for a rock. “Suits me.”

He growled. “If you break that window—”

“Why don’t you tell me the reason why the keys don’t work then, yes?”

“Because so long as you’re going to be staying in one of my homes, she’s not allowed in them.”

I turned my back to the door. “And byshe, you mean Bonnie. Correct?”

“Who the hell else would I mean?”

My mind put the pieces together. “Let me get this straight: you came to our rescue and offered us this home to stay in until I can figure out my next move with the penthouse when really you’re just using it as a chance to push Bonnie out of my life? Seriously?”

“You know damn good and well she’s no good for you. She’s a rival family, for crying out loud.”

“What, and the Esposito’s aren’t?”

“Not with the kind of money they’ve got.”

I rolled my eyes. “Money, money, money. That’s all it ever is for you. Well, you might want to go ahead and pull the deed to this house. Because I’m pretty sure the person who owns this house isn’t you, but the head of this family. Which is me.”

“A title I can strip you of at any point in time.”

“A title that you haven’t stripped me of yet because you know damn good and well Gio could never do this job, so you’re trying to see if you can manipulate me the way you can him.”

“I’d watch your tone of voice, son.”

I snarled. “And I’d watch who you piss off. You might be the eldest in this family, but you aren’t the head of it. You’re treading in dangerous territory—”

“Israel. Don’t.” Bonnie’s voice came out of nowhere before her hand fell against my forearm.

I slowly looked over at her, my body vibrating with fury, and I saw her slowly shaking her head.

“It isn’t worth it right now,” she whispered.

I sucked air through my teeth. “We’ll find somewhere else to stay. You can keep what we’ve put in it so far.” Then, I hung up the phone and took Bonnie’s hand.

“Come with me. We’re getting a hotel suite for the night,” I said.

She paused. “Wait, really?”

I pulled her toward the car. “Yes, really.”

---