Page 46 of Baby Duke

I can't stop my top lip from rising like an angry mutt as my blood boils in my veins.

"Iam your heir," I growl.

He claps his hands with a wide smile. "Now,thatis what I like to hear.”

We spend the next hour going through the accounts. Or I did, at least. He was on the phone for the majority of the time. Some problems at Mazzuchelli's in Perth. There is a lot of swearing, yelling, and bullying on my father's end. I stop listening pretty quickly, blocking out his angry tones while I go through the books. He wants me to see whatkind of income we get from each of his businesses. Wants me to see if any business is losing money and wants me to decide on whether they are worth fixing up or if we should sell up while we can and buy elsewhere.

So far, the numbers are solid. I am finally onto the last business; Mazzuchelli's. Now this is where the majority of his income comes from. The hotel is a money magnet.

I run my finger down the columns; bar, restaurant, hotel. They are all raking in the cash.

I pause when I get to a row titled "The Den." I have no idea what it is, but the money coming in from it is almost triple that of the previous columnscombined. I frown, running my finger along the page to double-check that I am reading it correctly. I am.

I glance up at my father. He is already staring at me. Studying me.

I raise my eyebrows in question. "What is The Den?"

He reaches across the desk and slides the paper from under my hand. I resist for a moment but release the page.

"That," my father says, "is something to talk about on another day. You are not ready." He waves a dismissive hand. "Go. You are excused."

I hesitate, itching to know more, but in the end, anxiety for East has me hightailing it out of the office.

I check my phone on my way to the car to find a dozen texts from the group chat I share with Brett and Law. Sighing, I slow my steps to read them.

Law: Good luck with daddy

Brett: He keeping you back on purpose?

Law: Dude, we have a problem. A glittery little sister problem.

Law: Did you not understand my last message? EAST IS HERE!

Brett: Get your ass here ASAP

Brett: Roe just arrived

Law: Holy fuck did she arrive

Law: Dude, you better hurry up. Your girl is looking like a snack over here, and she is practically waving a sign that says, "Down to fuck!"

"Fuck!"

Chucking my phone into my pocket, I break into a jog. Reaching my car, I turn it on with the click of a button and am screeching down the drive before my seatbelt is on. Shit, Dad was going to give me all kinds of hell for marking the driveway again.

Ignoring the speed limit, I floor it down the road. Law's house is only a few minute's drive away; I make it in one.

Slamming the door closed behind me, my ears are assaulted with the trashy tunes ofSkoolz Owt. Why the fuck did we hire them again? I storm towards the front door, passing a couple dry humping on the steps, the girls over dramatic moans making my eyes roll. Can't he tell she’s faking it?

Entering the already open door, I pause to scope the room. The band has paused in its screeching and is inviting some red-haired girl onto the stage. Ignoring them, I spy Law and Brett staring at the stage with goddamn hearts in their eyes. The fuck is wrong with them?

I push through the crowd of drunken teens and reach the boys as the band comes to life with a new song.

"Where the fuck is she?" I demand, unsure if I am asking about East or Roe at this point. Likely they are together anyway.

They don't even acknowledge me. My muscles tense as I prepare to punch one of them in the arm when three things happen at once:

Three: an angelic voice breaks through the speakers, drowning out the awful strumming of the guitar.

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