Page 16 of Healed
“Bye! And be sure to check out Vince’s when you get some time.”
Charlie nodded and quietly made his way back out to his car. By the time he got in his car, Daisy had already closed the door to the studio. He sat there for a few minutes wondering what he’d said to set the pretty artist in defense mode. He liked her. He really did. And his son adored her. But for some reason, he couldn’t seem to get past small talk. Each time he tried to make their conversation a little more personal, she slammed him back into the business zone in the most polite friendly way he’d ever seen. Sighing, he started his car and backed out, his mind now shifted to the mountain of work waiting for him on his desk.
~~~
Brandt glanced several times toward a still drunk Remi riding beside him in the passenger side.
Remi’s eyes were closed, his head resting against the window, one hand over his eyes. He gave every indication of being asleep, but Brandt knew without a doubt that his Dragon was wide awake, though, Remi rested.
Remi’s phone buzzed for the second time since they’d started for home, causing Brandt’s hand to reach out and refuse the call yet again.
“Leave my phone alone,” Remi croaked in a scratchy, cracked voice.
“So, you are awake.”
“Been awake. Don’t touch my shit.”
“Thought I was doing you a favor, letting you get some rest, Remi. That’s all.”
“Yeah, right,” Remi mumbled.
“Look, I’m not sure how I became the bad guy in your pity party, but I haven’t done a damn thing to you that wasn’t called for.”
“You know exactly what you did.”
“Fine. For the sake of argument, enlighten me. What is it that you think I did?” Brandt said condescendingly.
“You came into my house — uninvited I might add — insulted my girlfriend and told her she wasn’t allowed in my own private fucking house,” Remi growled, turning his head to stare at Brandt.
“I went to your home, which is built on land provided by me to each of our clan members to get your ass up and to work — you know, that thing we do to be able to continue paying the bills. Your friend decided to be completely disrespectful and insulting. At that point I most certainly did tell her get off our property and that she is not welcome there. For the record, and make sure you pay attention to this, Remi; if she continues to be rude and provoking of the rest of our clan members, she will answer to me. If she does it on our property, I will personally ruin any sense of self-confidence she might have ever thought she had.”
“She don’t even speak to any of them!”
“She makes offensive comments under her breath, making sure for them to hear. She shoots dirty looks at anyone whose eye she catches, and makes it her point to try to intimidate anyone connected to you.”
“You’re out of your mind. She’s kind, and she’s sweet and everybody loves her.”
“Remi, you’re completely blinded.”
“I won’t stand for it. You give her the same grace you give me or we won’t be a part of whatever it is you think you’re doing.”
“You are a part of what we’re doing. You were raised to be part of it. She was not. She will not be accepted into this clan, this family, or even a friendship among us. She is not trustworthy.”
“You just don’t know her!” Remi bellowed.
Brandt shook his head slowly, as he turned onto the road leading through the clan property. “Remi, you don’t know her. You’ve for whatever reason seized upon the idea of building a life with her, and you think we all have to accompany you. News flash… you can build a life any way you want, but no one else has to accompany you. She’s draining your bank accounts, driving wedges between you and your friends, and I’m pretty sure the last time you went to see your parents was the day after the night y’all met.”
“Don’t bring my parents into this. I’ve just been busy, they have nothing to do with it.”
“Have they met her?”
“No,” he answered sullenly.
“Listen, you can’t turn her into Bailey, or into Cristie. Going off the deep end with her isn’t going to fix things with either of them.”
“You sit there so high and mighty, telling me what I can and can’t do…”
“I’m trying to keep you from losing all you’ve got. You don’t even bother to pretend to come to work. The bank called me this morning about your account. You want to know why? Go on, ask me why…”
