Page 24 of The Alpha's Assistant & The Dom Next Door
“I’m gonna think of the best name ever!” she declares, and I lose it,snickering.
“Okay, come on, you guys. Go play and get to know each other. It’ll get cold soon.” I keep a careful eye on them as they dash across the lawntogether.
I have to admit that watching the two of them wrestle and chase each other does me a hell of a lot of good on this dreary day. It puts all thoughts of Mary, what she did to herself, and what she almost did to my baby, right out of myhead.
Jenny and the pup are finally starting to wind down when I notice a gold Mercedes screech to a stop outside of Emmeline’s house. An overdressed woman in a scarlet suit—who looks a little like Emmeline, if she’d had seven years of cocaine abuse to age her—gets out and stalks up to bang on thegate.
My eyes narrow suspiciously.Shit. What is thisnow?
After a minute or two of nonstop, insistent banging, Emmeline emerges from the front door, a dark coat wrapped around her and a wary look on her face. I keep half an eye on the little ones while I eavesdrop, ears pricked for trouble in myneighborhood.
“What are you doing here?” Emmeline sighs, barelyaudible.
“You left in the middle of our conversation. I have news from the lawyer. I wanted to make certain that you received it before the day is over.” The woman’s voice sounds a little like Emmeline’s as well, but with an alarming, icy snootiness toit.
“The lawyer?” Emmelinehesitates.
I can tell that whoever this relative of hers is, she’s an unwanted visitor—probably because she’s a complete bitch. But family legal matters are important. I wince in sympathy as she reluctantly opens the gate and leads the womaninside.
A cold, wary feeling tightens my stomach. I look over at the two new playmates, who are dozing off on the lawn despite the cold. “All right, you two,” I announce in a cheery voice as I scoop a kid up with one arm and a puppy with the other. “Let’s get you inside to finish watching cartoons. I’ll get the doggie crate in aminute.”
“Can we have hot chocolate later?” Jenny yawns as I cart herinside.
“You and me can have hot chocolate, sweetie, but this little guy can’t. Chocolate’s bad fordogs.”
I drop them off in front of the TV, make sure I’ve puppy-proofed everything enough that they’ll be fine for a few minutes, and then slip back outside, ears pricked for trouble nextdoor.
I’ve barely shut the dog crate and scooped it up to take it inside when I hear raised voices over there. One is hard and harsh; the other shakes and is full of sadness and outrage. The very thought of cute little Emmeline sounding so unhappy pisses me off, and I set the crate down and head for the side yard that separates ourproperties.
Walking alongside the stone fence on my way to the front yard, I can hear the argument growing so loud and impassioned that I’m starting to be able to make outwords.
“Only let you in because you said the lawyer—” comes Emmeline’s voice. I speed up a little. My gut is telling me that she’s notsafe.
I trust my instincts. Back in my old business, they kept me alive more thanonce.
“Bullshit! You were going to the convent and were giving up your share! That money should be mine!” The other woman’s screech is so clear that I can only imagine how ear-splitting it must be face-to-face.
“That money was left to me by Mom and Dad, same as yours was to you, you greedy bitch! Get out of my face and get out of my home! I never planned to give it to you anyway; you’re rich enough, and you have ourhouse!”
I break into a jog, the muscles in my shoulders tightening. As proud as I am that Emmeline’s standing up for herself, I know what the long silence that follows her angry statement means. I can feel the tension building next door, like the calm before astorm.
Whoever this other woman is, she’s selfish and greedy, and from the unbalanced screech in her voice, there’s no limit to her rage. I don’t want her alone with Emmeline right now, even though I barely know thegirl.
I’m at a dead run by the time the screaming starts up again. I take the front steps two at a time, and start banging on thedoor.
Chapter3
Emmeline
“Get out of my home. Get out!” I don’t know where this courage is coming from, but I’m chasing Shayla out, step by determined step, while she gives ground slowly toward the door. Her face is dark red with anger, almost the color of her suit, but I can see the fear in hereyes.
I’m going to throw up once she’s gone. My stomach churns with each step I take and I’m shaking, my hands cold. But I refuse to show any of these signs of weakness to her. She isn’t used to me fighting back, and her surprise right now is the only weapon that Ihave.
“I’m the oldest!” she’s yelling nonsensically. “I’m the heir, and I don’t care what their will says. I’ll contest it incourt!”
“What the hell do you think this is?” I demand as I continue to herd her back into the front hallway. “Medieval Britain? The ‘firstborn’ thing only mattered then if you had a penis, anyway! And you can contest whatever you want, but all it will do is waste your time and the money you love so much on lawyerfees!”
That makes her hesitate, which disgusts and angers me even more. “I’m not going to let you bully me into giving up what Mom and Dad left to me like you bullied me into leaving our house! It’s my money, this is my home, and you’re not my superior. For God’s sake, Shayla, you need to go back to therapy andstop!”
