Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Gina pulled out the chair at the end of the table closest to me and sat down with her cup of coffee. “I was thinking that we should get out of the house today. Boys are back, and the nurse will be here soon to stay with Angel. We could go shopping,” she said to me, looking hopeful.
“No,” Blaise replied before I could even open my mouth.
Gina didn’t argue, but I turned my head to look at him.
“I can’t stay in this house forever.”
His jaw flexed. “I know. I’ll take you somewhere today. Wherever you want to go.”
I liked the idea of going somewhere with Blaise much better, but I felt bad for Gina. Did she have friends? Or was her life always taking care of Angel?
“Gina could come too,” I said.
Blaise narrowed his eyes at me. He didn’t want anyone going with us. That was clear.
“Gina has friends. She can do something with them. We need to go to the ranch. Look into getting you set up in the office again.”
He was going to let me work? Without a fight?
A smile crossed my face. I was relieved that he was giving in to it without being difficult.
“Really?” I wanted to grab his face and kiss it.
A grin tugged on his lips. “Yes.”
I started to say something, but a loud clatter interrupted me, and Blaise moved back, quickly jerking around to see what had happened.
Angel was standing up, and her plate was on the floor, shattered. Then, she began to scream. Blaise shot up and reached for her, and she clung to him. My heart was racing as I watched the scene. No one else was speaking, but all eyes were on them.
Gina walked around me and went to Angel. “That’s all for this morning, sis. If you can’t control yourself, then no breakfast down here,” she said to Angel.
When Gina reached for her, Angel batted her hand away and held on to Blaise. He and Gina exchanged a silent look, and then he took Angel’s arms from around him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“I’ll go with you,” he said.
Angel visibly relaxed, and they walked out of the kitchen. My chest felt tight, and I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to handle this or feel about it. Angel needed him. That was clear. She felt as if he belonged to her, and she didn’t like sharing. How was I going to get her to accept me?
“Sorry about that,” Gina said as she came back with a broom in her hand.
“It’s okay. I just don’t know what I can do to make her feel okay with me,” I said, turning back to my plate of food.
“Shit, that ain’t gonna happen. You’re the first female she’s had to see him with. Blaise never brought women here. Angel isn’t used to him touching another woman,” Gage drawled, leaning back in his chair, his eyes on me.
That wasn’t promising.
“Shut up,” Huck said to him.
Gage shrugged. “What? She lives here. She needs to know. Hell, she’s family. Time she gets to hear all the shit.”
Thank you, Gage.
I agreed. If this was to be my life, then, yes, I needed to know what was going on around me.
“Blaise tells her all the shit. Not you.” Huck’s tone held a clear warning.
“Listen, he’s going to be up there awhile. She’s missed him, and that’s her way of demanding his attention. Want to go watch the new season of Yellowstone with me?” Gina asked as she finished cleaning up the mess Angel had made.
The truth was, I didn’t want to watch anything, but I also didn’t want to go downstairs by myself for however long he was with her.
I nodded and stood up, then took my plate. “I’ll clean up the kitchen. You cooked,” I told her.
“You sure?” Gina asked me.
Huck cleared his throat loudly, and I looked at him. He was focused on Gina when he shook his head. Aggravated by this entire situation. I glared at him.
“Listen, Huck. If I want to clean this kitchen, then I am damn well gonna clean it. Stop telling people what to do where I’m concerned. I don’t belong to you.” My voice rose as I spoke until I was close to yelling.
His eyes widened, and I heard Gage chuckle. Spinning around, I went to the sink and decided I would ignore them all. Except Gina.
“Let me help,” she said, coming up beside me.
She wasn’t their damn maid.
I shook my head. “I refuse to let you clean after you cooked and served everyone. Go start your show, and I’ll be in there when I’m done.”
A smile touched her lips, and she shrugged. “Okay.”
Fifteen
Blaise
Garrett was getting what he wanted. Simply because I couldn’t tell her no. She wanted a job, and this was all I could allow without losing my fucking mind, worrying about her. Garrett wanted Madeline as tied into the family as she could get. He was doing it for Eli, and I understood that. Eli would fucking love knowing his granddaughter was here. Working within the family.