Page 11 of His to Have
“Yeah, yeah, you’re always busy,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “But you know Pops doesn’t like to be ignored, especially when there’s some important shit going on. It’s business.”
I narrowed my eyes, sensing he knew exactly what ‘shit’ was. “And what kind of business?” I held up my hand ready to stop whatever nonanswer he was about to fix his lips to tell me. “And don’t feed me no bullshit either Sebastian.” My hand flew to my hip.
He looked at me like he wanted to say, but I knew he wouldn’t. He was loyal to my father, even if it meant keeping his secrets. So, he went with, “It’s not my place to say Ayanna.” He looked uncomfortable. “You just need to come to dinner tonight.”
I blinked. “Tonight?”
Bash’s smirk returned.” Yes, family dinner, Ayanna. You know how it goes. We’re all required to attend. No excuses.”
I groaned, leaning back against the desk. “Of course, I should’ve known.”
“Yeah, well, you can avoid Pops if you want,” Bash continued, pushing himself off the desk. “But you know damn well you can’t avoid Mom. You skip out on dinner, and she will be at your home bright and early tomorrow morning.”
I chuckled at that. He wasn’t wrong. As much as Dad could be demanding, Mom was the real boss when it came to family dynamics. No one said no to her—especially not when it came to family dinners.
“But this is so unexpected. Dinner is normally on Sunday. Today is Thursday,” I whined, even though I knew it wouldn’t change anything.
I was going to have to cancel my dinner date with Corey, and I was already dreading the conversation. He didn’t quite understand my family dynamics, but he knew who the Reeds were on paper. They were the family with a multi-million-dollar empire. Of course, he only knew about the legal stuff. But he hated the fact that I hadn’t introduced him to my parents or invited him to the required family dinners. The fact that we had been dating for a year and only met my brother a handful of times, made him feel like an outsider. Especially when he saw the way my brother, and I interacted with our childhood friend Teo. Who was welcome to all family events.
As much as I wanted to keep my worlds separate, it may have been time to bridge the gap.
“Alright,” I sighed, “tell daddy I’ll be there. And make sure there’s an extra seat for Corey.”
“Nah, baby girl. You know the rules. Family only.” Bash grinned. “I’ll see you later tonight,” he said as he rose from the desk, his usual swagger back in full effect.
I sighed, running a hand over my face, already dreading dinner, but before I could dwell on it, I noticed Bash pause at the door, his gaze shifting to someone coming in.
Great.
As if my day couldn’t get more distracting, in walked Teo Donatelli.
I didn’t even need to look around to know the effect he had on the women in the shop. I could hear the faint gasps and see the bridal party googly eyes in the reflection of the mirror. It was the same reaction every time. Which I had to admit he looked good. Like always.
Today he was in his usual attire — a tailored navy suit perfectly cut to fit his frame, a black button-up shirt, and a pair of very expensive Oxfords. The cufflinks were made of gleaming platinum, each engraved with an intricate design that hinted at his family’s wealth and status. He flashed a charming smile as he sauntered over, making a beeline straight for me, but not beforedappingmy brother up. Then he flashed his dark eyes over to me, like he always did.
“Yanna.” His voice was smooth, almost a low rumble as he acknowledged me with a nod.
Before I could respond, Constance, my assistant strutted over and cooed. “Hey, Teo.” That damn girl was in heat. I tried to bite back my smile but failed miserably. Poor girl. She always got like this when he came in. I keep telling her she should shoot her shot. As far as I knew Teo was single. But the girl was so shy, she couldn’t handle a conversation with a man like Teo. Hell, she just recently graduated to speaking to the man.
Teo’s lips twitched into a small, charming smile. “Hello, Miss Constance. How’re you doing?” he asked, his tone easy but not flirty. He’d been in the shop enough times to know her, and he always made a point to be polite. I got the feeling he knew she was attracted to him.
“I’m good, really good.” Constance was almost beaming. “You here to check on Ayanna?”
Teo glanced back at me, his dark eyes giving nothing away. “Yeah, just checking in.” His voice was casual, but there was something about the way he said it today that gave me pause.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. “Do you always have to pop up unannounced?”
Teo shrugged, stepping closer to the counter, his eyes scanning the shop. “Just making sure everything’s running smoothly. You good?” His eyes quirked. “Any strange shit happening around here?”
I sighed, leaning back against the counter. “I’m fine, Teo. The shop’s busy, but that’s a good thing. And no, nothing strange. You know I ain’t into the family stuff like that.” I whispered harshly.
His gaze softened slightly, and for a brief moment, there was something in his expression—something protective that I could never quite figure out. But then it was gone, replaced by that familiar calmness.
“You been running yourself ragged again?” he asked, his tone casual but edged with concern.
I blinked, a little caught off guard. “Why?” I asked, a little self-conscious. “I look bad?” I patted my face, hoping I didn’t have any bags under my eyes.
I knew he would tell me. He was like my brother. Overprotective, brutally honest, and always looking out for me. “You look fine, Ayanna,” he reassured, his voice steady. But I didn’t know if I believed him. So, I reached for the handheldmirror I kept under the counter. Just to see for myself. “Just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. That’s all.”
