Page 63 of Jake

“You aren’t going to tell me what to do, boy,” Mr. Hawkins shouted.

They were starting to draw a crowd as the scene continued to take place. Mr. Hawkins had never been a quiet man in the time that Jake had known him. Unfortunately, that now meant that everyone on the sidewalk near them had a clear idea of what he was saying.

“Jake.” Evan sauntered over.

“Evan.” Jake nodded.

“Anything I can help with here?” he offered, completely ignoring Cade’s father standing there.

Ignoring him was intentional, but it only served to anger him further.

“Oh, I bet you’re in on it too. Have you had her? Maybe she started with you.” Mr. Hawkins scrutinized him, looking him up and down as though it would be written somewhere on his person that he had slept with Lauren.

“Had who?” Kayla joined them, linking her hand with Evan’s. She smiled sweetly up at Mr. Hawkins.

“Who are you?” he challenged. “You weren’t part of this conversation. Neither were you!” He pointed at both Evan and Kayla.

“You invited everyone on the street with your yelling,” Jake told him.

Jake made it a point to scan his eyes around at the growing crowd. Mr. Hawkins finally took the time to remember his whereabouts.

“I want you out of my daughter’s apartment and away from my son,” he told Lauren before turning his attention back on Jake.

“Don’t even finish what you are about to say. Let me explain to you that who Cade hires and fires is Cade’s business, not yours. You lost the ability to say a damn thing about it when you stepped down.”

Mr. Hawkins open and closed his mouth like a fish as his face got redder.

“I’m not done.” Jake cut off whatever he was about to say. “As for Catherine, whoever she chooses to have as a roommate is her business as I assume she pays all her own bills. You need to let them both go, or don’t, none of us really care about that part, but you will leave all of us out of it.”

“I also don’t appreciate you talking to my friends this way. The last thing you need at this point is bad publicity because at any moment it could come out—” Evan lowered his voice and leaned forward so only the group could hear him. “—that your own son is so tired of your shit that he banned you from the offices and blocked your number.”

Evan stood tall after finishing what he had to say and kept his gaze on Mr. Hawkins. Jake let the corners of his lips lift at his friend proudly defending them.

“I will not take advice from you boys and your whores—” That was the end of whatever he was going to say. He was cut off by Jake, who punched him square in the face.

“I warned you.” Jake shrugged as he pulled back, and the older man stumbled backwards as he fell.

“I’ll have your whole company for that,” Mr. Hawkins yelled from the ground.

“You’re welcome to try. I’ll sue you for defamation as you have done nothing but stand here loudly name-calling and throwing out unsubstantiated claims.” Jake slipped his free hand in his pocket, attempting to find his casual posture again.

His hand throbbed. It had been a while since he’d connected his fist to someone’s cheek. Hell, if he wasn’t Cade’s dad, he would have connected with his nose. This was him being restrained.

Evan didn’t move; he stood still next to Jake, his body tense but his look casual. Lauren had gasped and covered her mouth but quickly lowered her hand. Kayla was standing next to Evan on the other side, and he didn’t see her reaction, but she didn’t say a word.

“You’ve lost your mind, boy.” He pointed at Jake. “And you, keep it up and I’ll prove to the world who you really are.” The last threat was directed to Lauren.

Jake had enough. “Get out of here and leave her alone. I promise you I will spend every bit of your money in court if you say or do anything to her again.”

He didn’t wait for a response, instead pulling Lauren with him, and he walked back toward the restaurant, Evan and Kayla not far behind.

“He’s certifiable,” Evan said as they entered the restaurant.

Kayla nodded. “What’d you do to piss him off like that?”

“I exist.” Jake shrugged. Mr. Hawkins had never liked him for some reason. “She is his son’s assistant, and his son has recently barred him from the building and quit talking to him. We had nothing to do with that, but since the blame lies with him, he has to find someone else to take it.”

“I’m going to call Catherine,” Lauren said, fishing for her phone in her purse.

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