Page 619 of Hell Hath No Fury
What. The. Hell.
CHAPTER NINE
Titan
I take another long swallow of bourbon. I don’t usually drink hard liquor with dinner. Hell, I don’t usually start drinking in the afternoon either. But Addie’s got me fucked up enough to almost turn into an alcoholic.
My exquisite fireball appears dazed. She sits rigid in her chair watching silently as Mrs. Zirkelbach slides a plate of food in front of her. She murmursthank youto the housekeeper but doesn’t dig in. Unlike my sister who jacks around with her baked potato turning the spud into some kind of masterpiece with avocados, feta cheese, and salmon that she’ll probably only eat one or two bites of after she takes a picture to post.
No sense in arguing with her about how pointless her supposed social media career is. She thinks she’s an influencer, which at least keeps her safe at home rather than a job exposing her to too much risk. I let her work while I watch Addie again.
Wide eyes follow Mrs. Zirkelbach carrying a huge platter of steak to Pete’s spot. Even the dog seems shocked, glancing from the meat to Addie and back again as if uncertain about attacking the premium beef. I nod and click my tongue at him. “Go on, boy. You deserve it.”
Powerless to resist, he dives in gulping up the thin slices. I don’t think he chews half of them but he’s delirious and Addie’s content. At least I assume so from her soft laughter.
She glances from him to me. “Thank you. He’s never had anything so good before.”
All of her defenses are down, making her even more gorgeous. I wink, which makes her blush the way I love. “Just the beginning, baby girl. Pete will always eat that well.”
A slow nod is the only answer I receive from her. I know she thinks she’ll be gone soon. That’s never happening. Besides me not allowing her to leave, I need to figure out how to make her want to stay.
After four flashes from Chelsea’s phone, I tap the tip of my knife on her plate. “Stop fucking around and eat your food.”
Addie watches our interaction, and another small smile brightens her face. She probably doesn’t know our parents died when Chels was little, so I’ve had to be a father to her more than a brother. My sister’s spoiled and immature, but overall a good person. At least right now anyway. I’m just grateful she’s not bitching at me for being so bossy.
Seemingly pleased, Addie picks up her fork, only getting in one bite of salad before my sister jumps out of her seat and slides into the chair next to her.
“Look! These are the outfits I bought for Pete.” Crazy fast, she swipes across the screen. “I’ve got sweaters, jogging pants, even matching pajamas. Aren’t they adorable?”
With a slight frown, she finally looks up from the images to Addie, seeking her approval. As much as a goofball as she is, she loves Pete and Addie already and wants to make them happy.
My woman’s from the street. She gets people and vibes quickly. Well aware she’ll crush Chelsea if she disagrees, she grins and points to the picture on the glass. “They’re really cute. He’s never worn clothes before, so I don’t know what he’ll think.”
Chels, on the other hand, is in her own world and gets nothing. Unaware dressing up dogs is ludicrous, she shakes her head. “He’ll think they’re fabulous, of course! We’ll do a photo shoot and call it…”
Her gaze flits to the chandelier as if answers hide there. “Pete’s Posh…Hmmm…what’s another word that starts with p?”
With her dinner totally forgotten, she pounds her keyboard searching. I roll my eyes and open my mouth to call for Mrs. Z to bring me some Tylenol. Addie’s soft voice cuts me off.
“How about poses? You could call it Pete’s Posh Poses.”
Chelsea’s head flies up. Her mouth hangs open as big as her eyes. The phone tumbles to her lap, and she slams her hands on the table. “Oh! My! God! Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. That’s perfect!”
Her chair scrapes across the hardwood as she jumps up and shrieks. “Perfect is perfect too. Pete’s Perfect Posh Poses!”
Three of the guys sprint in from her scream with their weapons drawn, and Pete starts barking and running in circles with excitement. Fucking peas in a pod those two. Damn it.
I flip up my palm to the guards and shake my head. They holster their guns and retreat, giving each other knowing looks. At least they remain on the alert despite her almost nightly outbursts.
“We need a sign. And a backdrop. No scratch that. We’ll move him around depending on his outfit. We’ll need some swim trunks and maybe an apron.”
She swipes her cell from the floor and wanders off, lost in her new adventure. At least it’s an innocent one that will keep her out of trouble for a while.
Besides, I like being alone with Addie. “I have something for you.”
Addie doesn’t meet my eyes. Instead, she points to Chelsea’s full plate. “She didn’t finish her food. Should we go get her?”
“Nah, Mrs. Z will save it for her. When she wanders back hungry, she’ll warm it up for her.”
