Fisher (Prince of Tigers, #3) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,65

with the family. I have a feeling you’re going to be stubborn no matter how much I beg, so let me just say that you’ll have dinner with us, all of you, or your father is out of a job. I’ve been looking into things while I have been talking to you, and I know all about your family, Emmie. I’m sorry, but I must insist that the three of you come here so we can talk. That’s nothing that is going to hurt any of you.” Dad nodded but looked defeated. The hatred for this woman was piling up more and more. “Don’t do that. Don’t judge me for something I’m trying to help you with, Emmie. Deliver the other two loads and come back here for dinner.”

There wasn’t any way she could turn her down when this job was needed. They didn’t need the money. They were doing just fine. But in order to get a home loan if they went that way or even a construction loan, she needed to have some sort of job to prove she could make the payments. Being self-employed, even with making the money she was, there wasn’t any way the bank would lend them money.

“We’ll be there. It’s not going to be a friendly or a happy occasion for either of us. Just to give you a heads up, I don’t like to be blackmailed any more than I’m sure you would.” Piper asked her if they had anything they were allergic to. “My daughter doesn’t eat meat. Of any kind.”

“I can work with that. By the way, there is something you need to know. The males of this family are all tigers. They do eat meat. So is your daughter going to be upset if those around her eat meat?” Olivia answered her for herself. “Right. Just you don’t eat it. Good to know. I’m happy to be meeting the three of you. I know we’re going to be the best of friends. In saying that, I’ve sent along a little person to help you three. His name is Pudge. Just don’t squash him when you see him.”

“I’m sorry. What?” Piper explained how he was a faerie. “Why are you sending us a faerie? This is getting more and more complicated all the time. Why don’t we just call it quits, and I’ll find someplace else to work.”

“There aren’t any openings for you, Emmie. We both know that. You’re much too smart for the people you work with, and you don’t have the patience to deal with stupidity. I believe you’re smart enough to realize we can help each other in what we both have going on. My family could use a good attorney, and you might just fit the bill in that department.”

“I’m not a practicing attorney anymore.” Piper pointed out she’d just renewed her license, so that told her she was an attorney. “You’re very informed for someone we don’t know. I want you to stay the hell out of my head.”

“As I said before. I would if you were more forthcoming than you’ve been.” Emmie started the truck and moved out into the traffic again. She was going to get this shit done, then go to the house and tell them all to fuck off. “I think we’re going to get along just fine, Emmie. Just fine indeed.”

The next place they stopped knew that she was the one driving. Not only did they make a better time than she had anticipated, but Pudge showed up. He was in the truck, entertaining Olivia when she got back on the road. Her dad had been silent since the phone call ended an hour ago.

Emmie didn’t mind the long silences that came with driving a truck. She’d worked her way through college doing this, and was debt free by the time she’d gotten her doctorate in law. Olivia had been her road partner since the day she’d been born, and Emmie got her license to drive the big rigs.

While her dad dealt with his thoughts, she thought about what had happened since the day she’d been able to escape the monster that held her for those terrible, nightmarish three days when she’d turned fourteen.

Like any other teenager, Emmie loved to ride her bike. Her dad and she had had a slight disagreement about her birthday that was coming up, so she’d taken off to blow off some steam. She’d wanted to skip it, and he wanted to go all out.