Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

“We are not here to discuss Fynn.”

“No, we aren’t,” Holly agreed. “We’re here to discuss Logan. Ms. Ledford, did Logan tell you what started the fight between him and Fynn?”

“Yes, he did, but that makes no difference. The fact is, Logan started the altercation between him and Fynn. The fact that you think it does shows that we have a problem and you’re not going to properly address Logan’s behavior and hold him to the high standards I expect of my pupils.”

“I don’t agree with one thing that has come out of your mouth since I sat down. Fynn has been bullying Logan since last year. The teacher didn’t do anything about it then, and I can see you’re not going to either.” Dustin switched his focus from Logan’s teacher to the principal. “When school started, I came here and asked for Logan and Fynn to be placed in separate classrooms—”

“I didn’t feel it necessary—” Harrison condescendingly began to explain, but Dustin rudely cut him off.

“I did, and I still do. Monday, I want Logan in a new classroom. Hopefully with a teacher who doesn’t have a stick up her ass.”

The principal’s beefy jowls dropped. “You can’t demand—”

“If not, then I will make damn sure your wife finds out about those visits to the Jamestown Plaza Hotel with that uptight bitch”—Dustin nodded toward the speechless woman sitting beside the desk—“who wouldn’t know high standards if it bit her on the ass.”

Dustin stood up. “You ready, Holly?”

Mutely, Holly followed him outside. Jerking her purse open to take her keys out, she finally snapped, “I can’t believe you! Is this how we’re going to teach Logan to handle problems?”

“Hell yes! I didn’t punch him in the face, even though I want to. When I was a kid, I used to have to let people talk down to me because Pa didn’t want any of his customers upset. Then we had to take even more insults when our parents died to keep from making waves that could’ve had me and Rach taken away from Tate. But I’m a grown-ass man now, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone think they’re better than me or my son.”

“Dustin, they weren’t looking down at you because they thought they were better than you.”

“They were.” He gave her a pitying glance. “You’ve lived in Treepoint long enough to know that. You think because Tate and Greer are married and working respectable jobs that people don’t still consider us trash?”

“Not all of them.” She flushed in embarrassment when a teacher walked past them to her car, obviously overhearing Dustin’s and her conversation.

“You know the first question I get with a new client?”

“No.”

“Do I have to worry about you stealing from me? The second one is: How can I hide my money from the IRS?”

“Your business is growing every day.”

“They still don’t trust me, Holly. They never will. Just like they will always ask Tate for every receipt when they hire him to work on their landscaping or try to give Greer a twenty to get out of a ticket. They even think Rachel is a charlatan who’s trying to swindle them when they come to her for help.

“Ema is going to be in this school in two years, and Rosie will be, too, when she’s old enough. Elliot and Ledford are years away from retirement, and they might as well realize now that they’re going to treat our kids just like the rest of the others or they need to find another job, because my son and nieces aren’t going to be considered hillbilly trash, not as long as I’m living.”

Her angry expression softened. “Okay. You think they’ll put Logan in another classroom?”

“They will if they’re smart. I don’t bluff.”

“No, you don’t. You always do what you say. Well, there’s no sense talking about it here in the parking lot. I’ll see you at home after I pick up Rosie … unless you want to so I can get supper started.”

“No. Kailor gives me the heebie-jeebies with the way she stares at me.”

“I think she’s in love with you,” Holly teased, getting in her car. “Since when does a pretty woman scare you?”

“Since she asked Rachel to make a love potion to make me fall in love with her.” He shuddered at the memory of the way Kailor had stared at him just that afternoon. It had creeped him the fuck out.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Ask her.”

“I will. She’s coming over tonight. Cash is having a boys’ night with Chance and Noah. Sutton’s coming over, too. We’re giving each other manicures.”

“Logan’s already mad at me for not letting him go. Having to spend the night with a group of women painting their nails will have him hating me.”

“Blame me. Tell him I begged you not to let him go.”

“I couldn’t do that to you.” He grinned at his sister-in-law evilly. “Let’s blame Greer.”