Page 4 of Billionaire Daddies Next Door

I stomped my foot in anger. “I’m so sick of you men showing up and trying to make decisions for me. The diner is mine. If Chase wanted to talk about it, he should’ve come to me. You two aren’t involved, yet you’re here to back up his stupid choices. It’s bullshit.”

Smith sighed and tipped his head back to start up at the sky. “Chase was right about your attitude.”

“What about my attitude?”

A third voice joined us from around the side of the house. Chase. “It’s shitty.”

I groaned. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’m visiting my best friends.” He didn’t stop until he was standing right in front of me. “You have a problem with that, too?”

“She’s got big problems with all of us, apparently.” Bear grunted. “I’ve never felt so hated, so quickly.”

“What about that time with Chase’s ex? The steak thing?” Smith frowned. “That was faster, I think.”

“Oh, yeah.” Bear looked up at me. “Sorry. You’re no longer at the top of my list.”

I growled under my breath and glared at him. “Screw your list.”

“Can’t you play nice for even one night, woman?” Chase sank into one of the chairs closest to me and smirked. “You know you want to.”

“I’m going home. Send your friends back to wherever they came from and fuck off, Chase.” I spun around and started marching towards my house. “Oh, and apology not accepted! Keep your kids and your dog out of my house.”

“My dog does what he wants, Princess, and it looks like he wants to go home with you. With your current attitude, I almost feel like you should take him up on his offer. I can’t see anyone else getting through all that anger.” Smith chuckled. “After the show earlier, I can see how a man would be tempted, though.”

Chase snorted. “A fucking crazy man.”

I turned back around. “Go to hell.”

“No, thanks. If Mack wants to go with you, that’s his business, but we’re happy here.” Bear lifted his beer at me. “Bye, Princess.”

“How are there more assholes just like you?” I spit out at Chase and then started marching home again.

“You’re the one acting like an asshole, woman.” Chase was walking after me, his hands shoved into his pockets. “That’s how you treat people new to town?”

I huffed. “They’re your henchmen. I don’t need to be nice to Chase Daniels’ lackeys.”

“That’s how far your hatred for me goes, huh?”

Mack cut in front of me and I stumbled to the side, nearly going down but Chase caught my elbow and steadied me. I grunted at him and pulled my elbow free. “It’s how far my hatred of your plans for my business goes.”

“Our business.”

I scowled. “What?”

“Our business. As in the business that we own together.” He stepped over the logs which lined the edge of my property. “Are you still denying that little fact?”

I seethed. “I’m denying this whole reality. I took money from an anonymous investor who promised to remain a silent partner five years ago, Chase. I had no clue it was you or that you’d show up with a million opinions and an ego big enough to sink the Titanic.”

“Well, deny it all you want, sweetheart, but it’s happening. You may as well be nicer to me and my friends.” He swore when he saw me open my door without having to unlock it. “Did you seriously not lock your door? This is why you ended up with a bathroom full of people this morning.”

I stomped inside and didn’t think twice about him following me. “Are you blaming me for what happened? Those girls broke into my house! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Don’t change the subject. You need to lock your door. Anyone could walk in here and murder you in your sleep.” He saw my wide-eyed expression and rolled his eyes. “I’ve heard you listening to all those true crime podcasts in the office instead of working. You should know how dangerous it is to leave your door unlocked.”

“You can’t just say stuff like that. It makes it sound like you’re going to come in here and murder me in my sleep. Creep.”

“If I was going to murder you, it would’ve been within the first week of working with you, sweetheart. You’ve been nothing but a headache, but somehow I’ve managed to contain that urge.” He trailed along behind me as I walked into my kitchen. “Can we agree that you need to lock your door?”

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