Chapter 41 RING A BELL
THANE
The whole drive back felt suffocating.
Of all the damn times for this to happen, it had to be today, right when I had finally started something real with Rachel. Something that took me growing some damn balls and actually admitting how I felt.
And now this had to happen?
I barely survived that fucking embarrasement at the convenience store, but the call that came in next had my blood boiling and my mind spinning with worst-case scenarios. I knew I’d been a total dick back there, cutting her off like that when she was only trying to help. Hell, I shouldn’t have done that. But the anger and fear crawling through my veins made it impossible to think straight.
I didn’t even know if she hated me now ‘cause she stayed quiet the entire ride, staring out the window like she couldn’t wait to get away from me. The silence stretched between us until I finally pulled into the driveway.
I unbuckled my seatbelt slowly, trying to chug down the rage crawling through my veins. Right now all I wanted was to storm into Pops’ office and tear the place apart. He was the root of whatever mess was about to explode through me right now.
But first, I had to make sure Rachel was okay. Even if I knew damn well I couldn’t give her the attention she deserved right now.
She looked like she had a lot to say. Maybe about the way I’d reacted… or whatever it was she wanted to tell me earlier at the motel. But honestly? I’m not in the right headspace for that kind of conversation right now.
All I wanted was to get out of the car before she saw how messed up I was feeling. Seeing her watch me like this already made it worse.
I watched from the corner of my eye as she unbuckled her seatbelt. For a second I almost reached over to help her, but I stopped myself. Touching her now would only make everything harder.
When she finished, she exhaled sharply and turned toward me. I could already tell she was about to try again.
“So…” she started, her voice tight with both worry and irritation. “I guess this isn’t the best time to say this, but…”
“Please, Rachel,” I cut in quietly before she could continue.
Fuck. The last thing I wanted was to snap at her.
“Now’s not a good time.” The guilt of saying those words to her, twisted painfully in my chest as I looked away.
“I’ll call you later.” I resorted.
I shifted the gear, pretending to focus on it because looking directly at her right now felt like a damn knife to the chest.
“Okay.” She pressed her lips together, the movement sharp and tense. “Fine,” she added, her voice colder now. “Go deal with whatever’s more important.”
Before I could say anything else, she shoved the door open and climbed out of the car hurriedly, like she couldn't wait to get away from my air.
The door slammed hard behind her. The sound echoed through the driveway, carrying every bit of the anger she was trying not to show.
I watched her walk quickly toward the house. God, I wanted to pull her back at that moment. Kiss her and tell her none of this was her fault. That she had nothing to do with the storm brewing inside me. It was all me and the mess I had to deal with.
But I didn’t.
The moment she disappeared inside the house, I gripped the steering wheel and slammed my foot on the gas. The tires screeched as I sped out of the compound and onto the road, like the devil himself was chasing me.
The second I pulled up outside the building, I dug out my phone and dialed Tyler again, telling him to bring the stuff I asked for. The guy was one of the many people I couldn’t stand in that office, but today his generosity came in handy, even if he had to blackmail me for it.
A few seconds later, I saw him rushing toward my car through the side mirror.
I unlocked the door and let him get in. He carried a fancy paper bag in one hand and a file in the other.
“Huff.” He exhaled sharply as he shut the door. Then he handed me the bag. “I didn’t know your exact size, so I just ordered one in mine. You’re welcome to say thank you.”
I scoffed. “Yeah. Thanks.”
I peeled off my damp singlet and quickly pulled on the shirt he’d brought.
Tyler watched me with a raised brow. “Your dad doesn’t look like he’s in a good mood today,” he said. “And from the way things look, you’re about to make it worse.”
He nodded toward the card on the headboard. “You might want to take it easy with him about the credit card.”
I didn’t answer. By the time I finished buttoning the shirt, I shoved the door open and stepped out.
Tyler shook his head as he watched me storm toward the building. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” He called after me.
But I was already halfway inside.
One knock on Pops’ office door and I pushed it open without waiting for a response. I already knew he wouldn’t answer anyway.
He lifted his eyes briefly when I walked in, then returned his attention to the papers on his desk like I wasn’t even there.
“I know you hate it when people don’t do what you want, Pops,” I said, trying to keep my voice low and edged with the anger I could barely contain. “But you didn’t have to get back at me through her.”
He kept writing.
“She didn’t deserve to lose her job.”
My fists clenched so hard, I could feel the spark shooting through the intense twitch under my eye lids. I hated that he just made me feel like I was talking to a damn wall.
“I didn’t pay your sorry ass to walk into my company whenever you feel like it.”
He finally looked up, fixing me with the same cold stare I’d grown used to nowadays.
“And to think you’d show up in my office looking like that.” His eyes flicked over me dismissively. “I see you’re really proving how manly you’ve become.”
The words almost hit the wrong spot if I wasn’t determined not to fight him. He lowered his head and went right back to his paperwork.
I scoffed under my breath. Pops didn’t enjoy many things, but watching people crumble in front of him? That was his oxygen. And I hated giving him that satisfaction. Hated letting him see me like this. Weak. Like I still needed him just to survive, when the truth was I’d already spent years surviving under the same damn roof with him.
“Nina and I aren’t hooking up anymore,” I said, stepping closer to the desk, refusing to back down. “So drop it. She’s been your assistant for five years, Pops.”
This time he stopped writing. Slowly, he leaned back in his chair and looked at me.
He studied me for a long moment without saying a word, like he was trying to figure out how I’d managed to walk into his office without a brain.
“Look, young man,” he said calmly, almost bored. “I don’t know where you got the ridiculous idea that I fired Nina because of you.”
He shook his head slightly. “That’s a very stupid assumption. Especially considering you’re supposed to be my son… and my representative in the Denmaco case.”
He leaned forward slightly. “Ever heard of the youngest casino owner in Milan? Luca Denmanco?”
He was doing it again. Changing the subject like my words didn’t matter. My blood roared hotter in my pulse.
“Are you even listening to me…”
“No.” His voice cut through mine sharply. “You’re the one who needs to listen.”
He stood up and walked around the desk toward me. “I don’t owe you a damn explanation for the decisions I make.”
His voice lowered, colder now. “You had one job, Thane. Just one.” He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell the faint cigar smoke on his suit. “And I’m not surprised you decided to snoop around behind your father’s back while still using his name.”
His eyes hardened. “Do you know how that makes me look when I get a call from the station about the stunt you pulled yesterday?”
I swallowed hard, but the anger kept rising, hot and incredibly sharp. This is exactly how I sounded when I shut Rachel down in the car. The realization hit like a punch to my ribs. I always feared having any of his damn traits.
I tried as hell not to but fuck… I was slowly becoming him. Acting cold, controlling, and pushing away the one person who was starting to actually matter to me. The same way he pushed everyone away until they broke or obeyed. “That’s not what we’re talking about.” I managed. My voice, breaking through the tightness inside me.
“Yeah,” he said dryly. “That’s what I thought too.”
He folded his arms. “So I’m not waiting for you to fix anything again. I assumed you came here to talk about that Noah kid… or maybe your credit card situation.”
He tilted his head slightly. “But I guess sleeping with the wrong pussy has really messed with your ability to think.”
He went quiet, waiting for my reaction. Did he just say Noah? My stomach tightened.
“What happened to Noah?” I demanded, my voice rough, refusing to let him steer the conversation.
Pops didn’t answer immediately. He walked back to his desk, picked up a pen, and signed a document like the question bored him. Only then did he glance up.
“I should be asking you that.” His eyes held mine. “Considering you showed up at the station acting as his lawyer for an illegal street race.” He paused before he added. “Ring a bell?”