Page 55 of The Heir

That's something I won't tolerate

I'm hanging from the bars above me, giving my back and arms a much needed stretch after two hours of constant movement when my gym bluetooth signals a call from Donna, Isobel's mother. I let go and hit the bamboo floor with a thump, picking up a towel and instructing the system to answer.

"Donna," I greet her with a nice slow drawl. "How nice to hear from-"

"WHAT THE HELL DOES PABLO MEAN YOU HAVE MY DAUGHTER AND Y'ALL ARE GETTING MARRIED?"

My eyebrow arches. Well, clearly by her tone I majorly fucked up and should have told her myself.

"Now Donna-"

"Don't you dare 'Donna' me. I knew there was something up with the way you looked at Isobel when we were on that trail! I told Melody that you weren't just a friend.NowI get a phone call from Gwendolyn-"

"Who?"

"CHRISTOPHER'S MOTHER!"Donna screeches, and the sound echoes throughout the gym. I walk over to the tablet attached to the wall and turned the volume down slightly. "And Hendrix-"

"Yes, Ma'am?" I stand there and fold my arms, giving her every bit of attention as if she'd been standing right in the room with me.

"I don't know if you know this, but Ihate that woman!"

My eyebrow arches, not expecting her to say that. "Well, I'm sorry to hear-"

"And to have to sit here and listen to her bitch at me about how her son hasfivebroken ribs, a broken tibula, a fractured collarbone and a dislocated shoulder due to some 'man' that Isobel was with the night of the art show-"

"Again, I am sorry-"Not really, to be honest.

"Oh you havea lotto apologize for." She breaths hard through the speaker, and for a second Iama little apologetic that I didn't include her, but I can't chance it until the deed is done.

I pause. "We're just taking some down time to get to know each other." She's too silent, and I hurry to try to help right the situation. "It's not what you think-"

"Don't be so arrogant, Hendrix," Donna snaps. "You don't know what I think."

"Well,what do you believe happened then?"

"I think you'reforcingmy daughter to marry you somehow,that's what I think-"

"And you'd be correct-"

But Donna is talking a mile a minute, her speech is so rapid that she's not even pausing to breathe much less hear that I've validated her.

"-She'dnever everdo something this brash on her own. I know my baby. She was with Christopher fortwo yearsand didn't give a damn he'd hadn't proposed in that ennnttiiirreee time, and you want me to believe that she just agreed to up and marry you afterone freaking day?"

"Ms. Brookes, will you please give me a minute to talk?" I ask sternly.

"No! Tell me what's going on!"

Ironic.

I clench my jaw and take a deep breath, thanking God I just spent two hours calming myself down.

"It wasn't one day.Your daughter and I have known each other for over nine months now," I say in a matter of fact tone. "This business with her father and the mafia requires for her name to be changed and for her to have the protection of a powerful family behind her. My name isn't just for decoration,Donna.She will at least have a fighting chance-way more than sheever did with Christopher. Furthermore, I am in love with your daughter, and have been since the moment I met her so yes, I took complete advantage of your ex-husband's situation, and the fact her ex-boyfriend was cheating on her and took theone chanceI had to snatch her up and make her mine. And I make no apologies for that whatsoever because I'm a man who goes after what he wants, no questions asked or excusestolerated."

We both sit on the line, breathing hard. But I don't back down.

I meant every word.

"I want to talk to her!"

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