Delivering His Gifts (Mountain Men of Liberty #10)- K.C. Crowne Page 0,50

that made me want to punch him right in the face. “I’ve already done the background check and everything on Ms. Baker. I even talked to the bank directly. I know there’s nothing shady going on. I don’t know that about you, Mason.”

“You can do all that for me as well. I can wait.”

“I’m not going to do that, and let me explain why,” he said pedantically, and again the urge to drop him had to be forced out of my brain. “If I made an exception for Ms. Baker, I’d have to make an exception for others as well. I run a business, and I have rules for a reason. But that isn’t the only reason you can’t pay it off today.”

“Oh yeah?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“The term on the contract states that I will not accept full payment before the end of the third month.”

“I don’t think that’s legal.”

“Are you a lawyer, Mason? Because I don’t get the feeling that you’re a lawyer.” Jim turned around and made himself another drink, calm as ever.

While I was ready to burst from rage. Hold it together, Mason. You don’t want to make it worse for Danielle by losing your temper.

“I don’t have to be a lawyer to know something is illegal. I’m sure I could look into the matter, or even hire a lawyer. I have plenty of money to do so.”

Jim turned back around, and if my threat bothered him, it didn’t appear to. His face was a mask, no emotion whatsoever.

“As I told Ms. Baker, I am ready to fight this - and if she wants to take me to court, it will likely take many months to get it sorted out. Even if she does win, she will have nowhere to go for months, and what would happen to that beautiful daughter of hers? I know her father is very eager to get custody of her.”

I didn’t even realize it, but I took a giant step toward Jim. My fists were now balled up at my sides, and it felt like my eyes were glowing red from anger.

“Is that a threat?” I growled.

“No. Just a fact.” He shrugged. “I expect the loan to be paid off, as outlined in our agreement, or the property will be mine. I will not negotiate this, so I think it’s time for you to leave.”

I lunged forward, couldn’t help myself. I shoved the smug asshole into the mini bar, glasses clanking at the sudden jarring. Several fell to the ground with a shattering crash. I had him by the collar of his shirt. He was a big man - round, at least - but not nearly as tall or as strong as me. For a second, fear flashed in the man’s eyes.

“Dad?” a soft voice spoke from behind us. “Is everything okay?”

I let go of his shirt, brought back to the here and now. I stepped backward and turned to find a child of about ten years old standing in the doorway. He had the same dark hair as his dad, but beyond that, there was little resemblance.

“Yes, Matthew, everything is fine,” Jim said, seemingly unperturbed. “Mason was just leaving. Weren’t you, Mason?”

I glared at Jim. Had his son not interrupted us, I might have done something stupid, but damn, it would have felt good to show this man that threatening Danielle would only to lead to trouble.

“Yes, I was just going,” I said, heading for the door. I grabbed the pile of cash from Jim’s desk and pocketed it.

Jim was right on my heels, with a hand on Matthew’s shoulder. He smiled smugly at me as we walked back to the entryway.

“Go get ready for bed, Matthew,” he said, patting the kid on the head. “Rosaline will be right up to read to you.”

Matthew hurried up the stairs, his footsteps disappearing as he neared the top.

“I trust we won’t be seeing you around here again,” Jim said, opening the front door to his house.

I turned on my heels in the doorway, blocking it so he couldn’t shut it until I was damned good and ready. “And I trust that you will no longer threaten Danielle. She will pay your loan off. No need to make any more house calls. Are we clear?”

“We’ll see about that,” Jim muttered.

I took a step closer to him; the man backed up.

“Fine, I will not stop by her home.”

Footsteps walked toward the door. “Should I call the police, Mr. King?”