Page 41 of Bound For You
I sit down and lean against my chair, my heart fucking hurting.
Basil gives me a sad smile. “I won’t keep you all any longer, I’ve got to go. I have a dinner tonight with someone.” He gives Phoebe and Maria a kiss on the cheek, and he and a sore looking Peter leave.
I look at Juan, who just shrugs. “You owe me a meeting, and I’m here to collect, but I’ll wait until after you’re done with your other family.”
Both Damian and Al narrow their eyes at him. He raises his hands, shrugging again.
“TioJuan, not cool, this family has been there for Sergi since he was ten years old, so pack it in or you’ll end up ruining everything before you have a chance with him.” Phoebe has always been my champion. She looks at my parents. “Now, what did you two do?” Her badass bitch has come out to play, making Al, Damian, and me smirk. Got to admit, we do love the Angel of Death, and her no nonsense.
Maria stiffens and Dimitri sighs, running a hand through his hair.
“It was more me; your mother just sat back and let me run my mouth.” He looks at me with grief. “I basically threatened her; I knew she was hiding something.” Phoebe stiffens, and I furrow my brow. Phoebe knows more about Avery’s past than she lets on, and by the look of guilt on Maria’s face, so does she. “I told her, she could either tell me what she’s hiding or leave, I wouldn’t allow someone to hurt our son.” I hear Juan grumble something about my being his son not Dimitri’s, but I ignore him; he didn’t raise me, this man right here did, and I’m fucking pissed.
I stand up and throw the paper weight at the door as I shout, “You havenoright!”
Both Al and Damian look pissed, while Phoebe hangs her head in disappointment.
Maria cries out, “We had every right, we love you, you may not have our blood, but youareour son, we only wanted to protect you.” She starts to cry, and I feel guilty; I never want to make her cry. She has been every bit of a mother since I lost my own. Dimitri must see the war in my eyes, wanting to be mad but also wanting to comfort a woman who took in an angry teenager all those years ago after his mother died. Dimitri tilts his head, knowing he raised me right, and I sigh and walk over to her. Itake her in my arms, and she cries in my chest and sobs, “I’m s-sorry, I just want you happy. I’m sorry.” I squeeze her tightly to me.
Juan jumps up, looking pissed, “You’re not his parents.I’mhis father.”
My face goes red. “How fucking dare you? These people raised me.”
He looks at me then shouts, “But you shouldn’t have been!”
I place Maria in Damian’s arms, and I shout back, pointing at him, “Then where the fuck were you all my life? Where the fuck were you when I found my mother dead on the couch?”
Phoebe sighs. “Fuck’s sake, Juan.”
Juan sighs, knowing he let his jealousy get the better of him, and just as I’m about to lay into the man who didn’t fucking want me, there’s a loud knock on my door.
I growl, then shout, “What!”
The door opens slowly and my heart stops. I blink a couple of times to make sure I’m not seeing things. Wearing a baggy blue sweater and jeans, with her hair up in a messy top knot is my girl. Her face is pale and concern wretches over me.
She looks around the room, eyes full of terror, and she swallows hard.
I rasp, “Avery?”
She quickly turns her head at the sound of my voice, and everyone in the room has stilled.
She whispers, “Your receptionist wasn’t there, so I thought I’d just knock. I have an appointment to see you.”
Phoebe is the first to snap out of it and walks over to her, she hugs her tight, then places her arm through Avery’s. She’s trying to give her the strength she needs to be here.
“What do you need, sweetie?” Phoebe asks gently, and Avery clears her throat. She’s looking everywhere at once.
She says, just above a whisper, “I need a moment alone with Sergi.”
Juan twists toward her, in full Don mode. “Sorry, darling, no can do, I understand you’re somewhat friends with my niece there but we’re family, which means Sergi will come before you foranyone of us, and if you want to talk to him, then you can do it in front of his family or you can turn around and leave. And don’t bother looking at Phoebe for help, because she won’t. You’re probably just using her because of my son anyway. I don’t know who you are, but I know women who want power, and its written all over you.”
I grind my teeth. I want to win this girl back not fucking push her away. I glare at Juan, then look at Dimitri, and I see him nod his head in agreement.
What the fuck?
Maria glares at her husband but he shrugs unapologetically, and she moves away from him, making him frown. I look back at Avery and she she’s staring at Juan, not breaking eye contact. She slowly moves away from Phoebe, who frowns, pain lacing her eyes, knowing she’s just lost a friend—no thanks to that fucker.
Avery nods, and I’m about to rip him a new asshole, when Avery grabs my attention. I whip my head around so fast, I’m pretty sure I have whiplash.