Then he flipped the phone shut and tossed it on the unit where it clattered. Then he looked at me.
“Family meeting,” he said.
I was suddenly not feeling like having a family meeting.
I had no choice.
“He told you dick, didn’t he?” he asked.
I nodded and wished he’d take a step back but still, I answered, “I’m sensing I didn’t get a full briefing.”
“What’d that piece of shit tell you?”
“That I was to pick you up and take you where you wanted to go.”
“That’s it?”
I thought about it. Then I amended, “Well, actually, his words were that I was to pick you up at noon, call him when you were out and then take further directions from you.”
And I had assumed by directions he meant directions to wherever Ty Walker called home or wanted to make his home. But I was thinking I assumed wrong.
“That’s it?” he repeated.
Yep, I was wrong.
“That’s it,” I replied.
He pulled in breath through his nose. Then he crossed his arms on his chest and his eyes locked with mine.
Then he told me what I’d already figured out. “He didn’t give you a full briefing.”
“Great,” I muttered.
“He owes me,” Walker stated, held my eyes but tipped his head to the desk to indicate what was on it. “Big,” he finished.
I nodded.
He continued to hold my eyes and then he jerked his chin out at me and said low and quiet, “Big.”
Oh shit.
“What?” I whispered as I took a step back.
“Don’t move,” he ordered and I stopped because his order was firm and serious and I didn’t want to test how firm and serious he was. “He didn’t make it worth your while, I’ll deal with him. So I’ll make it worth your while.”
“What…” my voice sounded choked so I swallowed then started again, “Make what worth my while?”
“You and me are getting married.”
My head jerked again even as the rest of my body froze.
Then I said shrilly, “What?”
“I need a wife, you’re her.”
Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Fucking shit!
“Um…” I started, my heart hammering, the one room and marital status of check in explained, my need to flee overpowering, my sense of self-preservation keeping me rooted to the spot but I got no further, he started talking.