Page 42 of The Merger

I raised my hand. “I second that. I might not be your daughter,” I pointed to Colt, “but I am your sister. Pretty much.”

He turned his attention to me. “What do you mean by ‘pretty much’?”

Shrugging my shoulders, studying the tabletop. It became really fascinating. Yep, super interesting.

“Sabrina.” I forced my head up and looked at him. “Explain,” he demanded.

Licking my lips I thought about what I wanted to say. “Waverly is your sister. I’m just her mother’s daughter. At least biologically.” I muttered the last part, but he heard me.

“She’s our sister, and blood or not, you are also my sister.”

An image of Waverly bent over my sofa being railed by my best friend, sort of possible boyfriend, popped into my head and I frowned. Sure, I’d planned to put an end to the potential for us to be together, but he didn’t know that. He was the one who pushed for us to date each other. I thought he would have had enough respect for our friendship to at least have a conversation before screwing my sister.

Colt circled his finger in front of my face. “That look right there. What brought it on?”

Jana winced, and Evie scowled down at the table. I ignored them and prepared to give Colt a sanitized version of the truth, then I remembered he knew. “Stryker already told you.”

Colt nodded. “He did, and now I want you to tell me. I am tired of hearing these things from other people. Why doesn’t anyone talk to me about the way Waverly treats them?”

I filled him in on the events of the night before. Not adding anything of substance other than how I felt when I caught them.

His hazel eyes seemed to darken while his dark brows pulled together in a severe line. “Was this before or after you and Malcolm had that discussion about not seeing each other anymore?”

I snorted. “Still haven’t had that discussion. I think it’s assumed at this point though.”

He inhaled slowly, forcing his anger down. He always did that, took a moment to control his emotions. “When you say hooking up—”

“I know you’re a grandpa now, but you’re notthatold,” Jana poked fun.

“Brat, don’t make me take you over my knee.”

Evie gagged. “Everything about this is weird. My dad is making weird sexual comments with my best friend while my aunt is trying not to tell him that my other aunt was bent over the couch getting boned by the manwhore who tried to help take Jana’s company away.”

“Say what now?” Colter’s voice had hit that level of calmness that told me he was anything but calm.

“It’s pretty much what she said. I would add that I’d like to torch my couch, and a hazmat team needs to sanitize my apartment, but that’s pretty much it,” I replied.

Jana shook her head. “No, that isn’t it. First, she went after Evie when Gracie was born trying to stir up trouble. She threw a diva fit when she found out we were together. Even still you tried to be there for her. Sabrina has tried to be there for her, and we all know that she treats Brina like dirt.”

“Dad,” Evie interrupted. Everyone held their breath. She was still trying to get used to calling him that, and I know he loved it, but right now she was trying to get his attention. “I didn’t say anything when she came to the hospital and told me about you and Jana. In that moment, nothing could ruin how wonderful it was to meet my little girl. But, this is different. She knew Sabrina and Malcolm were seeing each other. Not only did she decide to sleep with him, but she did it in a way that guaranteed Sabrina would find out in the most hurtful way possible. I know you wanted to help her, but she’s hurting everyone else.”

Colt nodded. Once upon a time, he would have defended her, but it seemed the fight had left him. “I’ll take care of it.”

“She’s my sister too,” I argued.

He held his hand up. “She doesn’t treat you like a sister should. I pushed her on you, and you shouldn’t have to defend yourself in your own home. I will take care of this. Can you find a place to stay for a few days? I’ll get her out, but I need to do something I hate doing first.”

“What?” I asked bewildered.

“Talk to my father. It’s time he stepped up and handled his own daughter. I can’t do it for him anymore.” His jaw was clenched, and I felt for him.

They’d barely spoken a handful of words for years now. But, he was right. He had his own family to deal with, and neither of us could continue to be our sister’s keeper. It was time Waverly learned to stand on her own two feet.

ChapterSixteen

Stryker

All morning it had been one interruption after another. First, it was my secretary, Mrs. Bennett hovering, asking me every few minutes if I needed something until I shouted at her. Then when I actually did need something I found her hiding in the supply closet. I gritted my teeth and apologized.