Chapter 106 Infuriating Presence
THEODORE
Sure enough, they called.
Of course, they did. I knew they would.
Alice was so happy that it broke my heart, but I was determined not to get involved.
One day, she'd realize the truth about them. She would see them so clearly that she would never be able to unsee them again.
I thought that my return to the company meant that I had seen the last of Felix, but I strode into the office earlier than everyone else and there he was, lounging around with a cup of takeaway coffee in his hand. He was leaning against the front desk, staring at me like he wanted to start a fight.
I ignored him like the insignificant shit he was.
"Good morning, cousin."
I kept walking but my jaw was clenched.
"I don't get a greeting back? Wow, Theo. Honestly, I'm surprised. You've never been the petty kind, and we both know that you were raised better than that. But of course, when you start equating yourself to garbage..."
I stopped and whirled around, frowning. "What the fuck do you mean by that? Who's garbage?"
"I'm not mentioning anyone in particular. I just—"
I started toward him, telling myself the whole time that he wasn't worth my fucking time and just the thought of touching him repulsed me. "You better be fucking careful, Felix. I've had it through here with you. Don't speak to me. Don't look at me. The same applies to my partner."
"Your partner, is it? I thought you were engaged already. That rock on her finger sure does send a message."
"That's got nothing to do with you. Stay in your fucking lane and mind your business. If you have one, that is."
"You know I don't have one," he remarked as I walked toward my office, eager to get away from him. If I didn't, I'd have blood on my hands before the day even started. "Until then, all I can do is sit around here and wait for a bone to be tossed at me. Like a dog, eh, Theo?"
I reached my office and placed my hand on the door handle. What the fuck was his problem?
"I'm the family's dog," he continued, getting louder. "I go where they tell me to go! I do what they tell me to do! And the whole world—and I mean the whole fucking world—bows down to the great Theo Linden-Hawthorne! He's the king of the world! He breaks the rules but there's no punishment! No, he gets away with everything!"
I looked at him pointedly, waiting for him to finish this ridiculous spectacle. "Do you know what I think, cousin?"
He raised both his arms. "Tell me."
"I think you should double over and suck your own dick."
Felix laughed, but his eyes told a different story. "Ah, Theo. You were always the comedian. Don't worry. I get my dick sucked daily. I don't need to do that. I got an experienced mouth right at home. It's got years and years on it."
What a fucking weirdo. I took this as my cue to head inside my office and ignore him. Hell, I even locked the door behind me just in case he wanted to storm in here and continue this pointless conversation that took a chunk of my life force.
Hopefully, he'd go away before everyone else came in. I wanted today to be just like yesterday. I'd breathe a lot easier if he weren't around. He was angry and stupid enough to pick on Alice, and that was the last thing I wanted.
Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse, I got a call from Todd's representative.
He wanted to talk.
"No," I said right away. "I have nothing to say to Mr. Steimer. You can go ahead and tell him that he can do whatever he wants with that information."
"Mr. Linden-Hawthorne, I'll have to remind you that you have business together. Partnerships."
"I'm not interested in them anymore. If he wants to pull out, he can do that."
"Pulling out would mean Mr. Steimer would have to face the legal consequences, and I don't believe that I need to remind you of what's in the contract you both signed," he explained. My jaw tensed and I ran a hand down my face. Yeah, I forgot all about that. Whoever pulled out first would have to pay a shit ton of money to make up for it. Severing the partnership wouldn't be worth it.
Unless we found someone to buy our shares, but that would take time.
Shit. "I'll have someone else go in my place. I insist that I don't want to see him."
"And who will you be sending?"
"My lawyer. Clyde Delaware."
"Right. I'll let him know. Good day."
I ended the call and put the phone down a little harder than I intended. Todd. The asshole had a lot of audacity. When I told him that I didn’t want to see him again, I meant it.
At last, the employees began arriving and Alice was one of the first ones. She walked into my office with a steaming cup of coffee and I took it from her gratefully.
“Thank you, baby.”
“I didn’t finish organizing your schedule. I have to finish before the end of the day. You’ll have a busy month.”
“I was away for one week and that asshole made this place his fucking playhouse.”
“Don’t worry about him too much. Don’t even think about it.” She kissed me and already, I felt better. “I gotta go.”
“Wait.”
I held her wrist to stop her and she looked at me with amusement gleaming in her eyes. Her free hand went to her hip. “What is it this time?”
“I was thinking...”
“What?”
“I could take you back there.”
I didn’t elaborate and apparently, I didn’t have to. Alice understood it right away. Her cheeks became a light shade of red. “When?”
“Friday night?”
“Done.”
That was my girl.
This whole situation would probably drive me mad with rage and I’d end up killing someone if it weren’t for her presence here, grounding me.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do without her.
I didn’t want to think about it either.