Released (Caged #3)(48)

“She’s good for him,” Michael said. “Young, but sensible. Probably more sensible than he is.”

The sun came back out, and I could see my father’s figure bent over the counter with his head on top of his arms. The stool was shoved out behind him.

“No prenup?”

“Honestly, Douglass, I don’t think she even knows.”

“That’s a no, then?”

“Of course not,” Michael snapped. “He doesn’t have the money for a lawyer, and he hasn’t exactly changed his mind about handouts—”

“It’s not a f*cking handout. It’s his—all of it’s his. There isn’t any point to any of it without him.”

“Thanks,” Michael chuckled.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, yes.”

“Julianne will be here in an hour,” Douglass said. “What am I going to say to her? She was a disaster after Ryan’s wedding, and now all this? I don’t even know where to begin.”

“He wasn’t planning on staying,” Michael said. “He was going to be out of the house before you arrived.”

“Do you think he’ll talk to me?”

“I don’t think so. Not yet—it’s still too soon. He’s seeing a counselor—give it a little time.”

“What about her?” my father pressed. His voice escalated. “Miss Lynn…err…shit. What’s her name now? Teague? Do I really have a f*cking daughter-in-law married to a son who won’t speak to me? Is this really what I managed to do with my life? Multi-f*cking-billions and nothing that actually matters?”

My throat bobbed as I swallowed, and I closed my eyes for a moment. I kept my hands clenched into fists to keep them from shaking, but I couldn’t do anything about the trickle of sweat running down the back of my neck.

“Keep it down!” Michael hissed.

“Sorry,” my father muttered. “This is just a bit too much. She’s going to have my grandchild, and I don’t even know what to call her.”

“How about you call her Tria?”

“Right.” He let out a long breath. “Will Tria talk to me?”

The tightening of my jaw should have been loud enough to alert them to my presence. Just hearing him say her name had me ready to start throwing punches.

“I don’t know,” Michael replied. “Liam wouldn’t like it; I’m sure of that.”

“Jesus, Michael. Can’t you throw me a bone here?”

“All out.”

My chest tightened as I moved around the corner and stood in the doorway. My father and uncle quickly looked at me, their eyes widening before they blinked.

“Liam,” my father whispered.

“Stay away from her,” I warned. “Don’t you say anything to upset her. If you say a f*cking word to her, and she…if…if something happens, I swear to God, I’ll kill you.”

My hands were shaking, and even when I clenched them into fists, the vibrations just moved up my arms.

“I won’t,” my father said quietly. “I wouldn’t—I swear.”

His light blue eyes glistened as he spent a long moment looking at me.

“I never meant to hurt you,” he said.

I laughed, but the sound was anything but humorous. My father looked away from me and down at the floor, and Michael took a slight step forward before he whispered low.

“Douglass, don’t waste the few words you may have here.”

My father locked eyes with my uncle for a brief moment before he nodded and looked back to me.

“I’m sorry, Liam,” Douglass said. “I’m sorry for all of it. Everything that happened. I know if I had behaved differently…well…I don’t know what would have happened, but at least you wouldn’t have had to deal with it alone.”

“Fuck you,” I replied, sneering as I rejected his apology. “You think you can talk your way out of—”

Both of their expressions changed drastically as they simultaneously looked into the foyer behind me. I didn’t have to look to see who it was. I knew the feeling of Tria’s hand on my arm. I wouldn’t have said her touch calmed me, but I felt more centered.

“We need to leave now,” I said without looking at her.

“Not yet,” she replied.

“Tria, I’m not—”

“You don’t have to stay,” she said. She looked at my father and loosened her grip on my arm as she started to walk toward him.

“Tria,” I growled her name. I had no idea what else I wanted to say, but I didn’t want her to do what I thought she was considering. She looked back at me and shook her head slowly.

“I need to know, Liam.”

“Know what?”

“I need to hear everything else. I only know part of the story, Liam—your part. I need to hear the rest.”

“Bullshit.”

“I know,” she said as she took a few steps toward me again and reached up to cup my cheek. “I know what it is to you, and I understand, but there’s more than just you and me to consider, Liam.”

“I am thinking about the baby!” I said through gritted teeth. “That’s why I don’t want you anywhere near him!”