Business and Pleasure (Book 1)

Chapter 30- Kennedy

We conducted small talk until we got our food and ate. Molly was pretty silent but she had this smug look on her face that made me think something was up.

"We need to talk about something." Bryce said pushing his empty plate away. I got a unsettling feeling in my stomach.

"Kenny dear. We have made some decisions regarding our family." Molly guest urged between her and Bryce. "And you." She pointed a red fingernail at me.

It always amazed me that Bryce fell for a woman like Molly. She looks like a model, walks like a model and dresses like one. Bryce seemed to like girls who were tomboys, into sports and fishing and camping. Everything Molly was not into.

"We think it's best if we keep a distance for our families after the holidays. Particularly this one." Molly said. My stomach dropped to the floor and nausea rose up. Since they got engaged she had been doing everything in her power to poison Bryce against me. I looked at Bryce but he was looking down at his crossed hands.

"You sucked the life out of my Bryce. You ruined his future for your selfish pursuits. And it's become clear to us that you only seem to care about what we can do for you. You have contributed nothing to this family and Bryce's worries more about you than our son. His real family." She said in a low measured tone. I could feel the tears coming.

"Molly, that's not how we agreed to talk about this." Bryce snapped at her. He finally looked at me and I saw the pain in his face. "Kenny. I never felt like you were a burden and I'm glad I was able to be there for you during those years but um, I-." He paused. He looked down again but I saw his eyes watering.

"We are more important now and he needs to focus on us." Molly filled in.

My tears dropped and so did Bryce. I don't know what she was holding over his head but it was enough to make him pick her over me. I stood up so abruptly my chair fell back and hit the ground with a loud crash. Bryce stood up and his gaze flew up to something behind me. His facial expression changed and his eyes went wide. I had a feeling I knew who it was before I turned.  I heard the chair being picked up as I stared at Bryce with blurry eyes. I blinked them away and noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off whoever was behind me. I looked at Molly and what I saw in her eyes made me want to murder her.

"I think it's time to go home Baby girl." It was Dante's voice. But I already knew that. He placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"We aren't finished here Mr?" Molly said waiting for his name. Dante was silent as he pulled me back against his body.

"Sorry to interrupt, we came to pick up Kennedy. She's not supposed to be out to long. She has to rest." It was Parker. "I'm Parker Kingston we spoke on the phone this is Dante De Luca" He reached out to shake Bryce's hand.

"Mmhm This was not what I was expecting." Molly purred. Bryce cut his eyes to her but remained silent. She was clearly undressing my men with her eyes and I wasn't going to stand for it. I tried to take a step forward but Dante's grip around my waist was firm.

"Not here." Dante said in a low tone only I could hear.

"We look forward to your company tomorrow. Kennedy has been preparing a feast for us all." Parker added. His accent was very noticeable as he talked. As if he was putting it on thicker than usual. It was so Americanized normally you couldn't tell sometimes he even had one.

Bryce nodded and finally looked at me again then Dante. He remained silent though.

"We have taken care of the dinner bill. Dinner tomorrow will start promptly at 5pm. Good evening." Parker turned and walked past us. Dante spun me and led me out the restaurant. As we walked out I heard Molly asking who the hell these men were but we were walking too fast I couldn't hear what Bryce said.

"Parker's pissed. That's why his accent is coming off so strong." Dante murmured down in my ear. He walked me over to the back seat of the SUV. Andy was in the driver seat waiting. Parker climbed in next to me and immediately pulled me into his arms. I let the tears fall again.

"What the hell happened in there?" Andy all but barked.

"Not sure but we were coming up to the table when Kennedy stood abruptly. It didn't look like a good conversation. So we got her out of there." Dante said. Parker pulled me into his lap and Andy drove away.

"You should of let one of us be there with you." Parker muttered. The ringing in my ears and the throbbing in my head made it impossible for me to say anything as I cried.
When they realized I wasn't going to talk they fell silent.
My tears finally stopped and I closed my eyes. I couldn't even process what had happened at dinner. Every time I tried to think about it I could feel the tears coming back so I just emptied my mind.

I don't know how long my eyes were closed but I knew I wasn't in the car anymore. I was laying down on something soft and there was a warm chest against my cheek. I slowly opened my eyes and knew it was Andy by the ink I saw. His breaths weren't deep so I knew he was awake. He shuffled me over and reached to grab something and handed it to me.
It was my medicine.

"Here Angel. We couldn't wake you when we got home but you need to take this." He pulled a pill out and placed it in my hand then grabbed a bottle of water off the nightstand. I noticed we were in my room and only the TV was lighting the room. I took the medicine and handed the bottle to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked me. I looked into his grey eyes, they were filled with concern.

"I have a feeling this will be the last holiday I see them. Molly told me that they want to cut ties." I told him. He inhaled a sharp breath.

"Your brother agree?" He asked firmly, his eyes growing cloudy.

"Molly didn't let him talk enough for me to know what was really going on. She's been controlling him since they got married. Now somehow he's going along with whatever it is she wants." I paused because I could feel the tears coming again. "He's the only family I have." I croaked out before the tears rolled down my cheeks.

Andy wiped them away. "I don't like when you cry Angel. My Angel never needs to cry. You have a new family now, I don't know how it feels to lose the only family you have left but Parker and Dante have. So we made a family and we are never going to leave each other. You are part of our family now. Not only is but you have Maddie, Dale and Kyle. We stay together because we know how important family is." He brought me over so that I was straddling him.

"I'm a new addition. How do you even know I'm what you want?" I whispered placing my hands on his chest. For the first time I realized he had Dante and Parker's names tattooed over his heart in a intricate design of a actual heart. I traced my fingers over their names.

"It was the first one I ever got. Started my crazy addiction." He chuckled. I looked up at him. His face got serious again.
"I don't know how much more proof you need to know how much we want you with us. How much we need you, we are never letting go. And I'm possessive as fuck. So tomorrow they are going to have to deal with the fact they you are with all of us."

I didn't say anything but I couldn't hold his gaze anymore so I looked back down at his tattoos. He lifted my chin up so that our eyes met again.

"Do you understand?" He asked slowly, his voice growing deeper. My stomach fluttered with that feeling I got whenever I knew we were about to get physical. I smiled softly and nodded. I knew he wanted verbal confirmation but I didn't give it. His gaze flickered to me lips them back to my eyes, I saw the desire in his eyes.

"Words." He growled out.

"Yes, I understand...Daddy." I said slowly. His nostrils flared and a smirk appeared on his lips.