Page 39 of The Renegade Billionaire
A tension headache connects with a right hook to my skull. “What now?”
“She was escorted out of the shelter for refusing to engage with a woman in need of a shower and a bed. She’s on probation and can return next week…with restrictions. She’ll probably be put on kitchen or cleaning duty now.”
Freaking hell. Why are they all so fucking selfish? “Okay, does Mr. Coop know?”
“He does. He was about to call you when I called him for some paperwork. I said I’d relay the message.”
“Thanks, Grey.”
“It’s you and me against the world, right? What else am I going to do?”
Grey and I made a pact when we were eleven years old—brothers first and always.
“Always.”
“See you tomorrow, Brax.”
“Bye.”
He hangs up, and now the panic sets in. What’s Madison going to say about this?
She’s going to find it shady as hell, because it is.
I don’t have an explanation for my behavior. I’m out of control, and it’s a feeling I haven’t had since…well, since the last time I ran away and tried to blow through my parents’ money to spite them.
That was different.
Last time, I went on a bender doing good deeds up and down the West Coast because my parents didn’t deserve what they had. This time, I’m using my own money but the sentiment isthe same—I’m trying to correct shitty behavior by anonymously throwing money at people who deserve the good things in life.
My therapist would have a field day with me.
Madison Ryan won’t accept a handout, but will she turn away paying guests?
Probably.
I can see her stubborn streak a mile away, but she’ll have to get used to a helping hand because I’m incapable of walking away—not when the dark circles smudge her eyes every day. And not when my grandfather’s final wish was for me to find happiness here.
Hopefully, my help won’t end up as it did this morning ever again, though.
Tossing my phone onto the bench seat of the truck, I hurry back to the Hideaway to square things away with Pops before Madison can say no.
I just need to make a quick stop at the high school first.
“George saidhe’d be here in about an hour to upgrade the wiffee for you,” Pops says. I stop taking the bed apart and look up at him.
What the hell is wiffee?
“Isn’t that what you said you needed for those TV calls? I don’t understand why business ain’t done in person anymore.”
Wi-Fi. I chuckle and go back to unscrewing the headboard from the frame. We can only fit a twin bed in here if I’m going to convert it into an office. If Grey and Sage end up staying for any real amount of time, I’ll have to make some sort of a deal with Madison because I already know she won’t let me pay for another room.
Maybe I should’ve just rented four to begin with.
“Wi-Fi, Pops. It’s an internet connection. Grey is handling a lot of accounts for us right now. This will help him be able to do that.”
He takes a seat in the desk chair I picked up at Walmart. “And why’s he gotta be here again?”
I shrug and look away. I hate lying to his face. “It’s our company. We work best as a team, so it’s better if he’s with me, and I don’t want to be out west right now. This seems like the perfect solution. I want a slower pace, but we still have a company to run, so this is a win-win.”
