Heartless (Random Updates)

Chapter 13

Jennifer managed to eat half a bowl of the chicken and dumplings before setting her spoon down, "May I be excused please?"

"Yes," Sean nodded watching as she stood. She reached for the bowl, but he shook his head, "Leave it. We will clean up after dinner. Go rest."

"Yes Sir," she said then headed to her room. Shutting the door behind her, she quickly rushed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. While she waited for the water to heat up, she grasped the sides of the sink and clenched her jaw while closing her eyes. Mantras of what her mother made her recite ran in her mind over and over. Once she was numb again, she slowly unclenched her jaw and opened her eyes. The blank stare facing her in the mirror was finally something she recognized. Releasing the sink, she went through the motions of stripping her clothes then stepped into the shower. Standing under the water, she closed her eyes and let the burning sensations work into her muscles.

Hearing her phone ring, she silently cursed and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her. Opening the door into her room, she grabbed her phone off the nightstand, she answered it then switched it to speaker so she could wrap a towel around her dripping hair. "Hello?"

"Meeting at 8am," her father said sternly.

Her body tensed up as she slightly gulped, "Father, I have class in the morning," she tried to explain.

"Skip it," he demanded. She opened her mouth then quickly shut it. He sighed angrily, "What?" his sharp tone made it very clear he did not like her silence.

"How do I explain it casting a bad image for my husbands?" She asked as if she chose each word carefully. "Owen has said in multiple interviews that they are supportive of my education and there are multiple photographs of them showing up at the university to have lunch with me as well as dropping me off and picking me up. I do not want it to look like I am not taking my classes seriously and they are just wasting their time. Owen has made it very clear that I am to continue my education so I can run the company successfully. Forgive me for being ignorant, Father, but how do I make both of you look good?"

"You are a dutiful daughter before you are dutiful wife," he said so coldly that she flinched.

"Yes Father," she sighed softly and looked down at her toes. She noticed the nail polish was starting to peel, she needed to fix that immediately. "I will figure out what to say to Owen to not upset him."

He sighed in annoyance then cleared his throat, "I will move it back to ten, but you WILL be there, am I understood? After the meeting you and I will be discussing your insolence. You need a refresher on your lessons about your responsibilities."

"Yes Father."

He mumbled something under his breath about her lack of respect before hanging up. She ran her fingers over the towel a couple of times.

"Mr. Lee, Mr. Toma, Mr. Morgan, and I will be joining you for that meeting."

Gasping in surprise, she turned around to see her husbands standing in her room with various looks of fury on their faces. Owen took a step towards her, "You will NOT be going to that meeting alone."

"Yes Sir," she whispered while barely nodding.

"You will not be having a refresher on your lessons either, am I understood?"

"Yes Sir."

"You did the right thing by refusing to skip your classes," he stated sternly. "Your education is very important to have."

"Yes Sir," she whispered refusing to look him in the eyes.

He placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her face, but her eyes were still casting downward. Mentally counting to ten, he took a breath and slowly exhaled. "Did you get to take a full shower?"

"No Sir," she said running her fingers of the towel again, "I had just stepped in when he called." She then realized that the shower was turned off and the water was running for a bath.

Owen reached behind her and removed the towel holding her hair, "May Mr. Coleman wash your hair for you while you relax in the bath?"

"Excuse me?" she asked in shock and confusion.

"It's fucking ready," Gabe said emerging from the bathroom.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Owen asked raising an eyebrow.

"No Sir," she said as he grabbed her hands to stop her from rubbing them against the towel. "I...It's just...I..." she took a shaky breath and released it, "thank you Sir, I a...appreciate it."

"Good girl," he barely nodded before releasing her hands and waved over to the bathroom.

She threw him a confused look but then entered the bathroom. A soft gasp left her lips when she noticed the bubble bath with the lingering smell of lavender. There were candles on the counter and there was a soft melody of piano and violin playing from the Bluetooth speaker that she didn't notice before. "So pretty," she whispered as she took everything in.

"Come on, let's get you relaxed," Gabe said watching her soak everything up. It was very obvious that this was new to her. Fury raged in him at the thought that she had never been cared for before. "I'll step out while you get in," he said trying to keep his emotions in check. "Let me know when I can enter."

"Th..th...thank you," she said softly as she continued to look around.

He stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. "What?" Luke asked concerned about the rage in Gabe's eyes. He was a ticking time bomb, "What's wrong?"

"She is looking at that goddamn fucking bathroom like it's not fucking real," Gabe whispered clenching his fists. "I bet you all of Vic's fucking money that she has never fucking been goddamn fucking pampered before in her goddamn fucking life."

"Mr. Coleman," Owen warned, staring him down.

Gabe clenched his jaw and twisted his neck as he tried to calm down, "I'm serious, Mr. B," Gabe glared at him. "She should not be looking at a fucking bubble bath, music, and some fucking candles like it's fucking magic. It's not fucking right, that should be a fucking weekly common thing for girls and yet she is looking at it like—"

"I'm ready, Sir," Jennifer called out softly.

"Time to shine, Man," Luke smirked.

Gabe looked at Owen, a silent conversation between them before Owen nodded, "All in due time, Mr. Coleman, just be patient a little longer."

Gabe sighed heavily before turning back to the bathroom while the rest of the men left the room. He smiled when he saw her, with her back to him. Her knees were brought up to her chest and her arms were wrapped around her knees.

"Is it okay if I wash your hair, Jennifer?" he asked gently as he knelt outside the tub. She nodded and he picked up the cup. It took some time but he eventually felt her start to relax under his fingers. Once he could no longer delay it, he sat the cup down and kissed the top of her head. "Enjoy the bath, Jennifer. If it's okay with you, I'll lay some pajamas out for you and when you are done, I'll braid your hair before you go to bed."

She looked at him over her shoulder and softly smiled, "Thank you, Sir."

He smirked, "Gabe."

Her smile grew slightly, "Thank you Gabe."

He nodded, "My pleasure."