Page 161 of Priceless

The number of times we’d asked her to call us by our given names was probably in the thousands, but she still called us sir. It was a joke now, and she laughed as I gave her a look. Still, her face was serious.

“Mrs. McCabe is here. I didn’t want to leave her standing outside, but she’s in the foyer.”

“Did she say why she’s here?”

“She wants to see… Mrs. Caldwell?” She smiled. “I’m not sure what she would like to be called.”

I hadn’t asked, but I looked forward to the inevitable blush on my wife’s cheeks when I did. Reminding her of who and what we were had a tendency to do that, since believing it was all new to her. “I’ll ask her and let you know. Or you can ask if you see her first. But I’ll take care of Laura, thank you.”

With one backward glance at the workers, I headed into the house. I was the best one to deal with this. Because, of the three of us, I would probably come out unscathed. Though if Laura decided she wanted to play with me, she wouldn’t like the consequences.

Ocean’s aunt stood looking around the foyer in a severe green suit, her hair pulled back into a style far too tight for her face. She often wore it like that, and it was none of my business. Though, in my designer’s opinion, the number of styling mistakes she made regularly was mind-boggling.

A pair of workers carried an older wooden trunk through the front door. Not many of Ocean’s possessions had been left, but there were a few things of her mother’s she’d asked us for. Laura’s face twisted as she watched the trunk pass, in disgust, not any sort of grief. “That needs to go back to the Caldwell Estate,” she said. “Right now.”

The men stopped, and I stepped into view. “No, it doesn’t. Carry on, please.”

Laura spun toward me. All the disgust she showed before was gone, but there was anger she couldn’t hide.

“Hello, Laura. We didn’t expect you.”

“I’m here to see my niece.”

“That won’t be happening, but if you need something, I’m happy to help you.”

Her eyes narrowed a fraction, and I noticed her fingers twitch, like she was itching to smack me across the face. The feeling was mutual, and I couldn’t remember ever wanting to hit a woman. “I need to ask her why the hell our house is being emptied and brought here. She’s taking things that don’t belong to her, and it’s unacceptable.”

Sliding my hands into my pockets, I approached, keeping an eye on the movers. The chest seemed to have been the last thing. “From my understanding, the few things which were retrieved today either belonged to Ocean or her mother. Is that incorrect?”

“She needs to ask before she takes things. Like that chest. Like all the jewelry. Like my sister’s fucking portrait.”

I tilted my head and watched her. Growing up the way I had, with so many people in my pack, I was good at watching people. It had been helpful over the years. Laura was good at hiding the truth about what she was feeling, masking it with anger and other negative emotions.

“Your husband was informed that we would be taking everything Ocean considered hers,” I told her. “After he physically assaulted her. If you have an issue with what was taken, bring it up with him.”

“Why go to all the trouble? She’ll just have to move it back when you finally kick her to the curb after your agreement is up.”

I allowed myself to smirk. Little did she know. I wasn’t going to tell her. No, I wanted to be there when Ocean delivered the news that we weren’t ever going to kick her to the curb. She was ours forever, and there wasn’t any changing it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A reminder. “Like I said, you’ll have to speak to Frank if you have an issue. My wife is busy and has no interest in speaking to you.” I gestured to the door. “But I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

“I’m not leaving until I speak to her.”

“You will, or I’ll have you removed.”

Laura stared at me. “You can’t be serious.”

I smiled, trying to stifle my true, genuine laughter. “I am entirely serious. For some reason you seem to think you still have a claim on Ocean’s time and control over her life. You do not. Now get the hell out of our house, Laura.”

She stood there, and I silently begged her to try to fight back. I would happily watch our brand new full-time security escort her off the property. But she seemed to sense my eagerness and left. Good riddance, though I was sure it wouldn’t be the last time we saw her.

My phone buzzed again. I needed to get to Everett’s office. Aiden was set to call us with what he found. I hoped it would be enough for us to take care of things, or start to.

Everett’s face was frustrated when I walked into his office. “You’re glaring at that screen so hard it’s going to crack.”

“I wish it would,” he muttered.

“Why?”

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