Page 38 of Broken Grump

“Is that so?” As she stares back at me, I see a fire ignite in her dark eyes.

“Yes.”

She folds her arms and pops her hip. “Oh, okay. And your title would be?”

“Well—” My brain is scrambling as I try to think of one.

She just chuckles. “Exactly. Earth to Addie, but I’m still in charge of the parent company. And that means that I could cut access for you anytime I want.”

Before I can say anything else, Hayden, looking gorgeous in a gray suit, white undershirt, and deep purple tie, comes walking in.

Removing his sunglasses as if he’s inBaywatchor something—complete with the beaming sunlight behind him—he asks, “What seems to be the trouble here, ladies?”

Not even my heartless mother is free from his charm, and she simply just looks at him before I notice her swallow hard.

“She’s trying to change everything,” I explain.

The sound of my voice seems to make her come to her senses again, and after blinking hard a few times, she remarks, “Which I have the ability to do as I see fit.”

“You do not!” I growl.

Hayden then pulls out his phone, clicks a few buttons, and then says, “Steven? Hi. We have a situation. We need you to get down here right away.”

When he’s finished, I encourage him, “Tell her! She doesn’t.”

He comes over next to me and stiffens his shoulders. “I guess I need to remind you, Rosalinda, that I’m a partner in this company. And not just a part-time one until someone better,” he pauses and winks at me, “comes along and fulfills the conditions Salvador laid out for her to inherit what’s rightfully hers.”

His confidence in me does make me feel good. But that doesn’t mean that I need him to fight my battles. And then there’s also the little detail about her knowing exactly who Luna’s real father is.

“Hayden.”

I try to stop him, but he continues, “No, I really think you should leave, Rosa. Before I have to forcibly remove you from the property. We have a lot to get done here, and we don’t need your nonsense and venom muddying the waters.”

She scoffs. While she may have been under his spell at first, now, she seems to see him as part of my team. Which means one thing. He’s also an enemy.

“Well, isn’t that just precious.” She sneers. “Even after all of these years,hestill shows up just at the right time to be your knight in shining armor.”

“No, she doesn’t need me. Addie is perfectly capable of fighting her own battles.”

My mother laughs mockingly again. “Yeah, okay.”

Hayden widens his stance, grabs his hands together, and says again, “I think it’s time for you to leave.”

She holds her ground and gives him an evil look before inevitably giving up and throwing her hands in the air.

“Fine. I’ll go. But don’t come crawling to me when this one,” she looks at me, “can’t hold her own. You need another, stronger Flores to work with.”

My teeth grind together so hard that I’m afraid they might break.

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary. Now, come on.” With his long, strong arms, he ushers her out.

Ugh.I hate that after all these years, she can still rattle me like that. But once she’s gone, I feel I have no choice but to unleash my anger out on Hayden.

“Whew.Okay, now that she’s gone—” He looks down and readjusts his cuff links.

“I didn’t need you to do that.”

The small patch of skin above the bridge of his nose and in between his eyebrows wrinkles as he glares back up at me. “I know.”

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