“So, where’s the little brat so I can put him straight?”
Daniel’s lips curved at the corners as if he knew something I didn’t, which of course would be the case seeing as he had already met this son who had been excluded from school.
“I told him to wait in his room. I’ll call him now.”
“Wait! In his room? He’s living here?”
“Yeah. I felt bad for him. He has no one. So I told him he could stay here until he got back on his feet. I kinda think he needs a father figure.”
I shook my head. “Daniel Scott’s home for stray kids. You can’t save us all you know? Sometimes parents are just wastes of space.”
“Yeah, my own was like that, so I guess it hits a nerve when I see it someplace else. Anyway, I’m thirty-five. I’m too young to be your dad or his dad. I know you always considered me as a stepfather, Kayla, but your mom and I were never married, so I wasn’t really.”
The door banged as Tom Hardy walked through it. Well, he looked like Tom, dark hair shaved close to his head, doe eyes and a wide pout to his mouth. Obviously some employee of Daniel’s. He needed to watch his manners. He was acting like he owned the place.
“So sweet, listening to the old family reunion, so I thought I would come join in.” He held out a muscled arm. This guy was stacked and seriously worked out. I figured he could lift me with just one of those arms.
I stood up and took his hand, looking toward Daniel for clues then back at the Tom Hardy lookalike.
“I’m Kayla.”
“Aww, so formal, little...well…what should I call you? Your mommy is married to my daddy, so… stepsister?”
I stepped back. “What the heck.” I turned to Daniel. “This is Parker?”
I was expecting a boy recently excluded from school. This guy was not that young.
“Yes. Parker, meet Kayla. Kayla, Parker.”
Parker grabbed my hand and shook it. A little too firmly. I felt uncomfortable as my first thought had been how sexy the hired help was. Now I found out he was kinda my stepbrother.
“I’m sorry,” I said, flustered. “I was expecting someone a little younger.”
“I’m twenty-one, so I’m not
that old.” He replied. “How about you?”
“Twenty-four.”
“Well, now that those pleasantries are out of the way, I need you to come with me back to Los Angeles to get your whore of a mother away from my father.” He sneered.
I sighed. “If only life were that simple.”
“Are you kidding me? It is that simple. We go back home. You tell my pop her history with men. He kicks her out. Job done.”
“My mom hasn’t wanted anything to do with me for the last six years, so if you think I would get anywhere near her, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“Well, you need to try. I’m on the outs here. She’s bleeding him dry. That’s my inheritance we’re talking about.”
“Oh, it’s great to see that it’s your Pops you’re missing.” I sneered. “I’ve about had it with all you money oriented bastards.”
“You can’t be doing too bad. Dan says you live in New York.”
“I live in Brooklyn. I have a share in a rented apartment. I work round the goddamn clock to meet my rent. Don’t come here playing the victim because it doesn’t work with me. Do you want a nice life? Go out and earn one. I won’t be helping you with your daddy issues.”
I turned to Daniel. “Thanks for the coffee. I’m gonna head back up to my room and unpack. Maybe lie down for a bit. I’m feeling a headache coming on.”
“Okay, Kayla.” I could see in Daniel’s gaze that he wanted to say more but couldn’t.