Page 68 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part 2

“Hell, yeah, brother.” Jensen slaps his giant hands to his abs and beams a smile. “I’m starving.” He picks up a glass Riggs just poured, making it seem tiny in his giant hands. Without a word, Riggs collects another glass from the cupboard and fills it.

“Point me to the mugs, please. I think I’ll have some coffee,” Mr. Tucker says.

Riggs reaches back in the cupboard to grab him one. It’s the same one from a set J had when he was here. We have to replace those. I want something a little fancier if I say so myself. Normally I wouldn’t care, but this is my place, so I’m actually kind of excited to fill it with things of our choosing.

Riggs is a great host, but he lets Mr. Tucker pour his own coffee, letting him know that milk and creamer are in the fridge. I dive into my pancake, intending to get as much in before the conversation starts because I just know it’s going to turn my stomach. The surrounding silence is comfortable, easy. Surprisingly so. There are a few compliments to the chef, which Riggs gracefully takes.

I can’t believe how much he has changed. He’s not one hundred percent and I don’t know if he ever will be. Not sure if he will be as confident in life as he is in bed, but he is fulfilling his promise when he said he would try his best to make me happy.

The only thing I need from him is to find his happiness. As long as he continues to do that, I’ll be gold.

Mr. Tucker is observant, because as soon as I finish my last bite of pancake, he rips the Band Aid off. “So, what the hell happened last night?”

I launch into a long-winded story, recalling the dialogue word for word. I even take the time to tell him how they were acting, their reactions to the things I said. He takes it all in stride, but the more I tell him, the more his frown deepens, the lines around his mouth and eyes crinkling with strain.

“That is more than troubling, Charlotte.”

“It’s Charley. Please, call me Charley.”

“Charley. How are you this morning?” He takes a casual sip of his coffee. I’ve taught Riggs the brands that I like, and he makes a mean cup of coffee now, but Mr. Tucker is a bit of a coffee aficionado. If he doesn’t like it, he gives no clue.

“I’m just so confused, ya know? There has to be something else going on.” With that, unease shifts in Mr. Tucker’s weight and he bounces his gaze around the room, meeting all of ours. “What is it? Do you know something?”

His sigh is heavy and brings a sliver of fear and doubt to stab my guts. I swallow hard to keep my pancakes where they belong.

“I stumbled upon an open FBI investigation”—by stumbled he means he has connections, but don’t ask who—“into your parents and the Myers family.”

“What?” I shriek, unable to contain my voice.

Mr. Tucker nods. “Now, this may come as a shock, but oh, about fifteen years ago or so, the Myers were living in the town with us. Along with the Edmonds, the Cummings, and a few others that are no longer in the state. Ashton Myers proposed joining our companies, creating this elite corporation.”

“He wanted to take over the world?” Jensen interrupts his father, sounding amused. To my surprise, Mr. Tucker cracks a smile.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yeah, he wanted to take over the world. While the plan was solid, Ashton seemed a little mad. A little off and I knew as much when he suggested that we all have children to lock in the family business.”

“As inwewould all take over?” That didn’t seem that off. A lot of companies did that. Kai is planning to take over my father’s business.

“But it was to be contracted that our children will be arranged to marry in a way he planned that no family gained more power over another. Kai with Layla Cummings. Ashley with Jensen. Shawna Cummings with Brett.” The swallow he takes, more like a gulp, has my stomach churning. There are plenty more children to be married off in pairs, but I’m catching his drift.

“Let me guess, Jonas Myers with me,” I finish for him.

“Yes. Now, I turned them all down. No child of mine was losing the option to choose who they marry. Merging the companies, raising the children to take over, that was all fine. But arranging marriages, even if with a slightly noble cause, was not something I was interested in.” Tension slips from Jensen and he looks at his father a little easier.

“Did my parents take him up on his offer? Did others?”

“It’s possible, but don’t jump to any conclusions, Charley. Jonas may have caught wind and took it seriously. He could believe you belong to him. The Myers men aren’t ones to be toyed with. They are a special breed, dear,” he reminds me as if I don’t already know that.

“Are you trying to say that Jonas is crazy enough to actually claim me?” Riggs shifts, placing his cup of coffee down on the table and taking my hand in his.

“I’m saying that you need to be careful. Nothing is off the table here.”

“Holy balls,” I mutter my thoughts out loud and slap my hand over my mouth. Things have changed between us, but I still want to respect Mr. Tucker. The men offer me compassionate smiles.

My mind is toppling over with all the thoughts of what my parents are up to. What have they gotten themselves involved with? Did they mean to? Is that why they won’t admit to Jonas being crazy? They’ve already promised me to him and can’t say a bad word about their future son-in-law?

News flash, that asshole is going to be in jail before he’s ever close to me again. No way in hell would I agree to marry that.

But worst of all, the betrayal of what my parents could have done sits heavy on my heart. What is it with me and parents? I’ve struck out in that department. Will I ever have a set that loves me for me? Who don’t want to abuse me or sell me off for the benefit of their business.

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