Devious Intentions (Carson Cove Scandals 3)

“You could try talking to him.” My mother tilted her head slightly.

“Really?” I bit down on my tongue and kept my composure. “He just threw you out of your home and married someone else. You’re still defending him…”

Frustrated didn’t even begin to describe what I was feeling. I don’t know why I thought my mother would suddenly open her eyes—they had been shut for too damn long. He stomped on her heart, and she still thought all three of us should drag ourselves back to Sinn Manor and ask him to kick us again. If she wasn’t going to sign the paperwork or do anything to keep Jenny away from the devil, then I needed a new plan. I walked downstairs and called Addison. I was hoping for a miracle. She didn’t have one. If my mother wasn’t on board with it, then there wasn’t much I could do on the legal side of things.

“I’m home.” Jenny leaned her head into my office. “And so are you. No hot date tonight?”

“I was just about to head out.” I looked up at her and smiled.

“Okay, I’ve got homework anyway. Mom okay?” She raised her eyebrows inquisitively.

“About the same.” I shrugged.

I didn?

?t have plans with Leigh, but I couldn’t sit at home. I was too angry and frustrated to do that. I drove around for a little while before finally deciding to stop in at the Chateau Prime for a drink. I needed the kind of distraction that a stiff drink could offer. I regretted that decision as soon as I walked through the door because there was an executive from Sinn Technology sitting at the bar—and he noticed me before I had a chance to make my exit.

Fuck, I really didn’t want to spend the evening with someone who knows my father—I was looking for the exact opposite.

“Damien.” He stood up and offered me his hand. “It’s been a while, man.”

“It has.” I nodded. “Good to see you again, Jordan. How’s the family?”

“They’re doing well.” He motioned for me to join him at the bar. “My daughter is in high school now—I think she has a few classes with your sister.”

“Damn, I didn’t realize they were the same age.” I took a seat and ordered a drink.

“Yeah, she’ll be leaving for college before I know it. I don’t know what I’m going to do after that.” He took a sip of his drink. “How are things going for you over at Alcott Inc.? Still not ready to come back to the family business?”

“No—and you know why.” I reached for my drink as soon as the bartender put it down in front of me.

“That’s too bad. The two of you would be a force to be reckoned with.” He chuckled. “Your father is a tough man to work for, but he gets results—it’s a little more intense than it was when your grandfather was running things, but we’ve adjusted to it.”

“I adjusted too.” I nodded and sipped my drink.

I fucking left.

Jordan only stayed long enough to finish his drink, and I got to spend the rest of the evening in peace. I had something gnawing at me that the alcohol couldn’t stop. The universe seemed to be sending me signs that I didn’t like. The woman I cared about more than anything else in the world was living at Sinn Manor. My father was making plans to bring my sister back into the fold. My mother was telling me that I should try to reconcile with my father, even after everything she went through. Then along came Jordan—hinting that things would be even better at Sinn Technology if I was there—working alongside my father to take the company to the next level. It was a damn good thing I stopped paying attention to that sort of thing because it would have made me question my direction if I didn’t know any better.

I don’t forgive and forget that easily—not when it comes to him.

I spent the next morning nursing a bit of a hangover from the drinks I had at Chateau Prime and trying to come up with another plan for dealing with my father. The only direction that would work was blockaded by my mother. I decided that the only option I had was to try again—and bring reinforcements. I hated to put the weight on my sister, but she needed to know there was an option my mother refused to consider. I didn’t know if my mother would listen to Jenny, but I had to try something. My mother just saw the bitterness in me, but Jenny had her own reasons to despise our old man, and being his emotional punching bag didn’t make either of us stronger—despite what my mother thought.

Damien: Are you going straight home after school?

Jenny: I can. What’s up?

Damien: I need to talk to you about something.

Jenny: Okay, I’ll see you this afternoon.

Leigh had the evening free, but I wasn’t sure that I would get an opportunity to meet her at the villa. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to convince my mother to sign the paperwork—I gave up too easily the day before because I got frustrated. Jenny wouldn’t be able to hold back her frustrations if my mother balked a second time, and maybe that was the right direction to take. If my mother saw how upset Jenny was over the prospect of returning to Sinn Manor, she might be swayed to sign the paperwork. Either way, every day that passed was one that we wasted—and my father would be steps ahead of us before we realized it if we didn’t do something quickly. I drove home after work, and I was dreading the conversation after the last one I had with my mother, but it was unavoidable.

“Jenny, are you here?” I walked in the door.

“Damien!” Jenny came running down the stairs. “Mom’s gone!”

“What?” My head snapped back in surprise. “What do you mean?”