Page 46 of Under Fire

Her smile dimmed slightly. “Have a seat. I’ll tell Mr. Shannon you’re here.” Her gaze shifted to Matt and Cade, a gleam in her eyes.

Delilah frowned. Shannon’s assistant was drop-dead gorgeous and knew it. Couldn’t she see that Cade and Sasha were a couple? Their wedding rings gleamed in the overhead light.

She glanced at Matt, expecting him to be enamored of the bold assistant. Men always paid attention to beautiful women when they were with Delilah. To her surprise, his attention was fixed on her. His lips brushed over hers, making Delilah’s heart skip a beat over the sweet gesture.

Sitting in the waiting area, Delilah studied the office space. The design looked familiar. When she noticed the bonsai tree, she understood the familiarity. Her mother had decorated Shannon’s suite of offices. The bonsai tree was her mother’s signature. The knowledge brought a smile.

Matt squeezed her hand, his eyebrow raised in wordless inquiry.

“Mom decorated the office. I recognize her handiwork.”

The outer office door opened again and four men walked inside. Dread knotted Delilah’s stomach. Walk might not be the right term to describe the four men. Randy looked sober. Delilah couldn’t say the same for her brother and cousins. They stumbled through the doorway, bleary-eyed with sour expressions on their faces.

Her stepfather spoke to the receptionist who gestured to the waiting area. The four men turned and scowled when they spotted Delilah and her friends. She wasn’t happy to see them either. Too bad the lawyer or his assistant hadn’t indicated her family would be attending this meeting as well. She would have been more prepared.

“Should have known you’d show up with your hand out,” Randy said to her, a sneer on his face. “Your mama ain’t been gone more than a few hours and you’re showing your true colors.”

Zach dropped into a chair across the sitting area from Delilah. “I guarantee you won’t see a penny if I have anything to say about it. You’re nothing but a gold digger.”

That was rich coming from a man with no job who’d been living off his mother. Matt stiffened, fury burning in his eyes. Delilah tightened her grip on his hand. When he swung his gaze to her, she shook her head. Punching out her stepfather and brother wasn’t worth Matt ending up in jail. Her family was vindictive enough to press assault charges and anything else they could come up with. In a few minutes, she’d have larger battles to fight when her family learned about the will.

The inner office door opened and Oliver Shannon stepped out. “Oh, good. You’re all here. Please, come in. I’m ready for you.”

Matt gave a hand signal to Cade, then walked into the office with Delilah.

“Get out.” Randy glared at Matt. Lingering fear spoiled his effort to appear strong and in control. “This ain’t none of your business.”

Delilah threaded her fingers through Matt’s. “He stays.”

“He’s not family,” Shane spat out.

“Yet,” Matt said evenly.

Delilah barely managed to hide her surprise at his statement. Did Matt mean that or was he trying to force her family to back off?

A scowl from her stepfather. “You’re engaged to this thug, Dee?” His gaze dropped to her bare left hand. “No ring.”

The medic bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile. “Coming soon.”

“Let’s get started, please,” Shannon interrupted. “I have another meeting in less than an hour and a court appearance after lunch.” He retreated behind his desk, opened a file folder, and scanned the document inside. Tension in the room built by the second.

While her family huffed and fidgeted, Delilah relaxed against Matt’s side on the couch in Shannon’s office. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, his gentle reminder of his presence and support raising goosebumps along the surface of her skin.

Randy broke the silence. “Can we get on with this? I have a lunch appointment.”

Shannon removed his reading glasses and laid them on top of the file. “First, I’m sorry to hear of your wife’s death, Randy. She was a fine woman and a good friend. As for her will, Michelle left very specific instructions.”

A scowl from Randy. “What are you talking about? We made our wills at the same time four years ago. I’m the executor and get everything except our agreed upon amount for the boys.” He waved at Zach and the cousins. “No provisions were made for Dee since she left Harmony and didn’t return.”

“Michelle made a new will six months ago. The terms changed.” The lawyer glanced at Delilah. “Were you able to speak to your mother before she passed?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you know what your responsibilities are?”

She nodded.

“Responsibilities?” Zach turned a suspicious gaze on Delilah. “She’s been out of our lives for years. Why would Mom ask her to do anything?”

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