Marrying My Billionaire Hookup - Nadia Lee Page 0,94
organization. Even if somebody hates us, they don’t dare show it out of fear.
The economic benefits the company brings to the town are, of course, a big plus. It’s how Blackwood Energy should be, and the people work hard for their pay. But I resent Dad’s attitude that it entitles us to be more—a sort of untouchable aristocracy.
“Are you being petty because of the project yesterday?” he asks when I don’t respond.
“Do you think you did something to make me react pettily?” My tone is utterly controlled, even though resentment is surging back at the reminder.
“I put your favorite boy on the team after we spoke.”
Let me kiss your feet in gratitude, then! “Heath earned it.” I hired him four years ago because he’s a literal genius. “Why did you reject Nora?”
“Her again?” He breathes out loudly enough for me to hear it over the line. “Are you screwing her?”
So like him to assume her sole merit exists between her legs. “For the tenth time, no. I simply think that she’s good at her job and deserves better.”
“One of her kids is in a drama club, and she’s busy with that. She doesn’t have the time to do it,” Dad adds, sounding mildly conciliatory. He isn’t totally oblivious to my mood.
“Why not let her decide that? She asked me specifically for the opportunity.”
“Because she overestimates her ability to manage her time!” I can hear the eye-roll in his defensive tone.
“Nora was supposed to mentor Heath on the team,” I point out.
“There are others. Actually, he’ll be more comfortable with men.”
I almost snort. “The same men who call him ‘boy’ or ‘kid’?”
“So? He’s barely thirty. Who cares?”
“I do. And he does. It’s disrespectful.”
He scoffs. “Loosen up, Edgar. You’ve changed ever since you started spending so much time out in California with your brothers. Is this Court’s doing? I told him he should’ve studied economics or engineering.”
“Leave him out of it.”
Despite the fact that he has a great deal of aptitude for financial management, Court majored in gender studies to spite Dad. He assumed that having a degree in what Dad considers a worthless liberal art would keep him away from the drama of the family and Blackwood Energy. And who could blame him?
“And I’m not spending much time with Tony or Court. I’m busy with other things,” I say, not wanting Dad to blame my brothers. They’ve put up with enough family bullshit. Dad would be careful about approaching Tony, but he isn’t so circumspect with Court.
“Like what?”
“I bought a penthouse in the city.”
“An investment?” Dad throws it out immediately, apparently refusing to entertain any other possibilities.
“No. I met the woman I’m going to marry.” I might as well tell him now. He’s going to find out sooner or later.
Stunned silence. Then he lets out a strangled sound as though he’s been unable to breathe for a while. “Then why are you buying property in California? You should be bringing her home. To Tempérane! This is where you both belong. She’ll need to take her place in the family and the town.”
I thought I’d take Jo to Tempérane at some point, before our wedding ceremony, provided her doctor clears her for travel. But not now. Dad couldn’t have turned me off from the idea any more effectively or permanently. Mom assumed her place in the family and town, for sure, and how did that turn out?
I’ll be damned if I let Jo become a cold, heartless shell of a woman like my mother. She’s too vibrant and beautiful to be wasted that way.
“She has a career here in Los Angeles.” I keep my voice mild but firm. “She isn’t going anywhere.”
“Is her career more important than her station in life?”
“If it can help her avoid becoming another Margot Blackwood?” My lips twist. “Yes.”
“You’ll show some respect. She’s your mother!” he thunders.
It isn’t like him to react so strongly. We both try very hard to be civilized. We have certain images to maintain.
“Is she there with you?” I ask. My phone screen said “Dad,” but that doesn’t mean he’s in the office…or alone.
“What if she is?”
“How could you let her back into your life? You owe it to Tony and Ivy to keep her as far away from the family as possible,” I say, my voice tight with anger and shame. Anger that he forgot, and shame that I didn’t do more for my brother and Ivy. “What Mom did almost cost them their lives. People died.”