Shattered Vows (The Denton Family Legacy 2)

He also noticed several of them ran in little groups, not like his high school. Some of the popular kids hung out with the nerds. The uniforms, they were a fucking nightmare.

“Landon, your problem is you expect things to be done quickly, efficiently and that is not the case. Some things in life take a lot of hard work, and time. Your biggest problem is you expect everything to come to you quickly.”

“I don’t. I work hard.”

“I’ve seen your hard work, and it’s sloppy,” Rick said. “Mandy asked you to clean the dining room floor. You didn’t do it. Told her it was a woman’s job.”

“Oh, so this torture is because your wife can’t stand to do her own job.”

Rick grabbed him and slammed him up against the nearby tree. Landon hit out, but Rick pressed his arm against Landon’s throat. “In this country, you’re of age, Landon. You’re responsible for your actions. Sixteen years old, and most kids are away to college. You’re having to mingle with fifteen-year-olds.”

Landon was terrified. No one had ever threatened him. His father would never hurt him, but in Rick’s eyes, he saw the threat, and knew he couldn

’t stop him. For a doctor Rick was a lot stronger than he was.

“You ever disrespect my wife, you little shit, I will fucking end you. I may not be in with my brothers. I may be a doctor, saving lives, but don’t ever for a second think I can’t kill. I’m lethal, Landon, and I would take great pleasure in killing you. You made my Mandy cry, and you’re lucky you’re still breathing right now.”

More pressure built on his throat, and he thought he was going to die. Suddenly, Rick pulled back, and Landon dropped to the floor.

“I heard you were a tough guy. Knew what he was doing, and all of that shit. You know nothing. Your opponents, I bet they were not even on your level, were they?”

Landon coughed, staring up at his uncle.

“You think your dad liked doing this?” Rick knelt down so that they were on the same eye level.

“He thought it would teach me a lesson.”

Rick laughed. “Son, I don’t know how much Maddox tells you, but there is a reason he sent you to me.” He leaned in close. “Without Mandy in my life, I don’t give a shit. I have no feelings whatsoever. She makes me feel. Maddox sent you to me, because he knows I can get you in line, and I won’t care. You being afraid, I didn’t care.”

“How are you a doctor?”

“My wife is one. I love my wife, and I met her in the last years of high school. She always wanted to be a doctor, so I did what makes her happy. I love my job. Caring for people makes her happy, so it makes me happy.” He gripped Landon’s face. “If you think for a second I’ll take your attitude, you can think again. Suck it up, suck it in, and grow the fuck up. This is no time for you to be a baby. It’s time for you to grow up.”

Rick released him, stood, and started humming to himself.

“Oh, if you want to tell your father what I just did, here you go.” Rick tossed him a cell phone. “Call him up. At the end of the day, you only got what you deserved, little shit. I’ve been nice, dealing with your attitude. I really don’t know what the problem is with kids today. You all have a problem. All of you are constantly moaning how unfair life is. You get pocket money, cell phone, bollocks none of us got growing up.”

Landon listened as Rick started to hunt around for some mushrooms.

Staring at his reflection, Landon saw a bully staring right back at him. He wasn’t a good person. Hearing Mandy cry last night, he hadn’t cared that he’d been the cause, saying horrible shit to her. Wiping away his tears he got to his feet.

Rick had just given him a wakeup call, and it was time he got his shit together.

Chapter Thirteen

Abel stood in the florist shop, looking over several different bouquets of flowers. None of them were giving him that edge that he wanted, and it was starting to bug him. It had been a week since he saw Harper, and he was in pain, serious pain. He couldn’t sleep. Eating was a huge problem, and he missed her. Last night he hit a low point as he’d tugged one of her shirts over his head, and lay with it across his head. It wasn’t the same as having her in his arms, and he wanted her back.

“You okay?” Damian asked, coming around the corner.

“No. The red, the white, or the yellow?” He looked at the different varieties of roses, and cursed. None of them were perfect, and when he went to see her, he wanted them to be perfect.

“What about the pink?”

“They look too dull. I don’t want her to look at them, and for her to think that I think that they’re dull.”

“You are really overthinking this. It has been over a week since you saw your wife. You have been bugging Mom and Dad constantly. They have told you the same. Go and see her. She’s waiting for you. Pussy,” Damian said.

“What the fuck did you just call me?”