Page 29 of Valentine's Kisses
Gazing over at the picture makes me smile. My three step uncles tower over everyone including my dad. They are so similar they could be triplets; they are dark haired with tan skin. The total opposite of our Liliane who is fair haired with alabaster skin.My uncles are businessmen themselves, but not really sure of what. Their businesses are all located in Atlanta. Everything they do is very hush hush. Liliane handles all their legal stuff for them. We are very much no one outside of our family handles anything around here. Next my eyes land on my three step cousins, Billie Jean, Hickory Belle, and Marion Gypsy. All curvy, beautiful, and my best friends. They also have meetings with Gran Odessa today. She's on a roll with the young members of our fam. Our group chat was very colorful after we received our summons.
I hope this meeting isn't about me attending that private university again. If last Valentine’s Day taught me anything, it’s that Hunter and I should be separated by as many miles as possible. Crestwood was beautiful but it’s not where I need to be. We've discussed in great detail why I won't go there, even if the reasons I gave her were superficial ones. She's not crazy about my choice to attend UGA. In fact, she's hell-bent on getting her way for whatever reason. As much as I respect her, it's not happening.
Furthermore, I don't particularly appreciate having to sit on the edge of my seat right now waiting on whatever she has to say. Dislike isn't a strong enough word for how I feel about surprises, however, hate is. I hate them. Would rather have an eye removed than be surprised, it's that serious.
Just when I've almost reached my boiling point and the threat of me losing it is a real possibility, her very British secretary walks down the hall to retrieve me. "Hello, sweet Lynx.Your grandmother is available to see you now." I smile fondly at Mrs. Eugenia. She's a total babe, beautiful inside and out, not to mention smart to boot. She's also single and ready to mingle. Hickory and I just set her up on some dating apps we use from time to time. Well, before Hunter, I used to go on dates with people all the time, however Hickory always backs out on her dates at the last minute. Eugenia's gone on ten of them so far, she's killing it!
"How's the swiping?" I ask.
She beams at me. "I have a date tonight that may just end in breakfast." I squeal, which earns me a look of disdain from my grandmother. Her graying hair is in a messy ponytail today. Mrs. Eugenia gives her an apologetic look as she closes the door behind me.
I smile sheepishly. "Hey, Gran. How's it going?"
She rolls her blue-gray eyes. I'm amused, but I keep my game face firmly in place. She's in a mood today. That makes two of us. “If the bellowing with Eugenia is over, we can get started with our business meeting. Then I'll take you and your cousins shopping, and to get dinner."
"Shopping and dinner sound great, let's just skip this meeting and get to the good part?" I shrug.
She scoffs then smiles. "You and I both know you're not a coward.
I roll my eyes. She's not wrong. "Thanks, but hit me with the hard stuff first."
Gran Odessa purses her lips. She's dressed fashionably as always, in a black and white pinstriped jumpsuit. She's in her early sixties but doesn't look a day over 35. "I won't insult your intelligence by beating around the bush, Lynx. Your life plan is less than satisfactory. You're a part of this family, just as much as your cousins are, and quite frankly, each of you have disappointed me for the very first time."
My eyes blink consecutively for a solid minute, my mind is still working on believing the words coming out of her mouth. They've made me beyond irritated, it's none of her damn business what we want to do. "Gran Odessa, I respect you, but at the end of the day, what I deem necessary for my life is what will happen."
She smirks, like it's not, but is smart enough to not say otherwise. "Don't you crave anything different? I'm tired of the lot of you. When your life is said and done, you'll regret not living. Each of you, are playing life too safe. You'll never make history that way, my dear."
I fold my arms and give her my best bitchy stare. She gives me one right back. Hers is more menacing she's had more years of practice. "Safe never hurt anyone."
"It never helped anyone either. Life is what you make it, don't be such a bore." She arches her well-manicured brow at me.
"Okay, but you're wasting your breath. I won't change my mind or my plan. However, I'll take a bite. What's your offer?" Because let's be honest, she's got something good, or we wouldn't be having this conversation until she did.
Gran Odessa smiles big. This is where she thinks she's got me. Not even close. "As you know, Liliane lost custody of her son when she left her abusive billionaire ex-husband. She took him with her then when it was Hunter's turn to visit his dad, she lost custody shortly after. What you don't know is the specifics and the lengths he went to prove she was unfit to be in his life. He filmed her drunk, drugged, and prostituting herself one weekend. Hunter was in the pictures from the PI and was filmed almost drowning. Her ex-husband's brother is a federal judge. He had more connections than even I did back then."
Liliane would never do those things. “Who drugged her, Gran? She would never do any of that.”
She's lost in thought, and it takes her a while to answer. "The person responsible for injecting her with that filth met his demise shortly after, but the most important thing is that now we finally have our revenge."
I hope that revenge hits Hunters dad right between the eyes. He's a bastard and Liliane missed out on being Hunters mom because of him. My mind travels to the night we shared together not too long ago. The memory is never far from my thoughts. My heart speeds up every time I think of the forbidden things we did. No one has ever made me feel as special and cared for like he did. "What's happened?"
Her smile is devilish. "He's been indicted on criminal charges for forgery, insider trading, and fraud. Also, he may or not have been found with 5 kilos of cocaine in his basement."
I've long since stopped wondering if our family business was on the up and up. Part of me just doesn't want to know. "Has anyone been in contact with Hunter?"
She nods. "Yes. Both Liliane and me. He's been told the truth and shown the evidence of his father's betrayal. We need to give him time to adjust to the news that he has never been forgotten, and that we want him. We're making progress."
My heart is close to exploding. They've been in contact with him. Guilt eats at me when I think about all the times, he's tried to get in contact with me since our rendezvous. I've never returned one text. I've blocked him on every platform at least twice. However, he’s not tried to invade my life in well over a month. Maybe he just needed a friend. I was scared because of the history with Liliane, and the fact that he's my stepbrother didn't help. "What do you need?"
She's matter of fact, just like always. "He was driving under the influence his senior year of high school, in which his best friend died in the process. The judge ruled that he was banned from ever playing sports again, and that he needed parental orguardian supervision until he turned twenty-one. He's a year shy of that, so I've stepped in until he's ready to be around Liliane fully. Her heart is breaking but she understands. There is a new hockey coach at Crestwood University, the private school I told you about. He has connections there and the sports ban has already been removed from Hunter, but he can only play if he has a full time Guardian."
That makes me happy for him, one mistake shouldn't cost you everything. "That's good, but where would I come in?"
"Well, you're one of the most responsible people I know. You work hard and you love your family. And your family needs you to help them." She smiles at me, because this time she does have me in her militant grip. Damn it.I'll do anything for my family, for Liliane. She's been through hell, and I didn't even know the half of it. That doesn't mean I'll just roll over. Playing hard to get is a specialty of mine.
“Facts, but that still doesn't explain what you need from me."
She gives me the stank eye. "It's blatantly obvious, but since you want it spelled out, I'll give it you. I can't watch him 24/7, however, you can. You've already been enrolled into Crestwood. He's been in attendance there awaiting the season. You'll come live in my townhouse and be his babysitter. No drugs, boozes, or tits. That's what I've explained to him. I'm counting on you to make sure my rules are not broken."
