Page 25 of Awakening the Beast
I swing the door closed before trailing behind them until we’re all in the living room. I observe my mom first, and of course, she plays her part by standing with a small smile and a hand stretched out.
“It’s nice to meet you both; I am Arlo’s mom, Carmella,” she says warmly.
They all shake hands, and I glance at Wren, who is looking between them all, none the wiser. For the first time since all this started, I feel guilt laying miserably in the pit of my stomach. She has no fucking clue what the hell is going on, and we’re all acting around her for what? Ghost must know his daughter took over New York when I was dead, and I left everything to her. So why the fuck shouldn’t she not know now? If you’re going to trustanyone with your identity, it’s going to be your fucking daughter, right?
I hate lying to her; it kills me inside. She’s not just my business partner, but she took my last name because she loves me for the insane cunt I am. She stepped into this world when I wasn’t here like a fucking queen, and above all, she mothered my son. She never left his side, caring for him no matter how shattered she was over my supposed death, even though she didn’t have to.
Cree isn’t hers by blood, but she has always loved and treated him like her own. That’s why I love her. She is selfless; she doesn’t give a damn about the finer things in life. She cares about making everyone else happy, spreading her light into everyone’s souls, even if it means her own dims in the process.
I owe her everything, including the truth, but when she finds out I’ve kept something so big from her, I don’t know how she will fucking react. I need to find some time with her dad today to speak to him about all this. I need clarification that this wasn’t all because of him before I make my next move.
I attempt to shake my fucked-up thoughts before I explode and concentrate on what is going on here. When things have calmed down and her parents have had time with Lumi, Phillip stands near me, and I side-eye him.
“We need to fucking talk,” I mutter under my breath.
He looks down and then his eyes meet mine as he peers over at me. “Not here; can’t you see I’m meeting my granddaughter?” he retorts firmly and my nostrils flare with annoyance.
I stay silent for a moment, watching between Cree, Wren, and Hazel. “You either speak to me right now, Phillip, if that is evenyour real name, or I’ll tell your daughter exactly who her daddy is,” I grit out quietly.
I hear him inhale deeply beside me, and I side-eye him as he stands straighter. “Don’t fuck with me, Arlo.”
Feeling my fury bubbling to the surface quickly and untameable, I find myself stepping forward, and when Wren looks my way, I raise my chin at her with a smile before turning around to face Phillip, blocking her view.
I cock my brow as my face drops instantly. “Drink, Phillip?” I say loudly enough for everyone to hear, giving him no choice.
I watch him glance over my shoulder at Wren or Hazel before his jaw tightens and he looks me in the eyes. He searches them, clearly pissed off, but eventually, he gives a small nod.
I smirk, raise my hand, and pat his broad shoulder. “I have some great bourbon that I would like to show you.”
My face falls more serious once again before I stroll past him, pressing my hands in my pants pocket, and I hear him follow behind me to the kitchen. I walk straight to the cupboard and grab what I need before gesturing with my head for him to follow me somewhere quieter.
He traces my every step until we’re outside in the yard, and I set two glasses down on a table at the outside bar.
As I begin to pour us each a glass, he speaks sternly toward me. “Don’t ever do that again, Arlo. I told you I don’t do business around my kids, and I am here for Wren and Lumi, not your bullshit.”
My jaw tenses, and I feel like slicing his throat, but I remain calm as I pick up a glass and hand it to him. When he accepts it, I hold up mine. “To not giving a fuck about what you think.”
His lips purse in annoyance, and I lock my eyes on his while shooting the whiskey back in one gulp. I hiss as it burns my throat, then continue to pour myself another.
“You really must have thought you had me, Phillip, but now look at the position you’re in,” I say, my gaze meeting his, noticing he still hasn’t drunk his drink.
“Just say what the fuck you have to say so I can put you in your place, boy.”
I can’t hold my rage anymore, and I find myself taking a step into his space. “Your men were the ones who dumped me in Mexico.”
His brow lifts taking a casual sip of his whiskey before giving a small nod to confirm it.
“You motherfuck…” I grit out, ready to kill his ass.
“I would be very careful, Arlo. You know I’m always watched,” he warns calmly.
I pause and turn my head, noticing a red dot dancing around on my shoulder, and it dawns on me, this cunt has a sniper on me. My eyes flash to his, and he gives a small grin before slapping his hand down on my shoulder.
“Let’s talk about this like real men, and I will give you my reasons.”
I shake my head once before lifting my chin. “Nothing you say can justify what the fuck you have done to your own daughter.Do you know what it has done to her, thinking I was fucking dead for six months?”
He inhales deeply again before looking away, and I continue. “You obviously know she has taken over New York as my replacement; is that what you wanted, hm?”
