Well Suited (Red Lipstick Coalition #4)(77)

I tried to step out, hoping to close the door before anyone saw him, but he caught it with his palm, keeping it open.

“Havin’ a little party?”

“Yeah, and you’re not invited. What the fuck are you doing here? I told you to call me if you—”

“Just wanted to bring these to you.” He reached behind him, his hand returning with the same pack of papers he’d had before.

“Are they signed?”

I reached for them, but he jerked them away. “They are. So, how much are they worth to you?”

Fury rose in my chest, my jaw clamping shut. “You sorry piece of shit. You took everything from her, and you can’t give her this one fucking thing?”

“Hey now, don’t get all worked up. I got no problem signing them—that’s done. It’s handing them over I thought could use a little…incentive.”

The pop of my jaw. The clench of my fist. My shoulders square and back straight as a fucking razor. “How much do you want?”

“That all depends.”

“On what?”

He leaned in, sneering. “On how much you’re willing to give.”

“I don’t owe you one fucking thing. You’ve taken enough from us. Now give me the fucking papers before I go in there and end all this once and for all.”

His eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t. They’d never forgive you.” He scanned my face as a slow smile crept onto his. “Nah, you’re too smart for that, aren’t you?”

I leaned in. “Try me.”

“Theo?” Katherine’s voice came from behind me, kicking me back into reality. She pulled the door open and went dead still.

“Well, well, well. Who’s this?” John asked.

“None of your fucking business, like I said. Get out of here. Call me like I told you.”

He tsked. “You’ve got terrible manners, son. Look at that. My grandkid in there?” He jerked his chin in Katherine’s direction.

Katherine’s hand slipped into mine. “Come back to the party, please,” she said, the words quiet and touched with fear.

“Yeah, Teddy,” he said with mock cheer. “Come on, let’s get to the party.”

He pushed past me before I could stop him—Katherine had my hand, and she was too close for me to put my hands on him for fear she’d get hurt in the scuffle. Helplessly, I watched him enter. I saw the din and activity in the room still and then stop. And in the center of it all were Tommy and my mother, staring at him with pale shock and absolute disbelief.

“Johnny?” Ma breathed, her brows knit together in confusion.

“Hey, babe. Long time.” He was smirking, looking casual as the day was long, scooping a handful of nuts off the table of food. He tossed one in his mouth. “Look at you, Tommy. Last time I saw you, you was practically in a diaper just like that.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Tommy shot, his body drawn tight as a bowstring. “Theo, what the hell is he doing here?”

“What, your dear old dad can’t come to the party? Don’t act so happy to see me. I’d say I was surprised Teddy didn’t tell you all about me comin’ around. How come you been hidin’ me, Teddy?” His eyes glinted, sharp as switchblades.

Ma stood with Amelia’s reluctant help. “Teddy, what’s he talkin’ about?” She looked scared, small and wounded, like a bird with a broken wing.

“Nothin’, Ma. He’s just makin’ trouble.”

She cast a look in his direction.

Tommy stormed through the crowd, ripping the toilet paper off as he walked. “Tell me what the fuck you’re doin’ here, old man,” he said through his teeth, stepping into John’s space, not stopping until they were nose to nose.

“Ask your fucking brother. He’s the one who’s been tryin’ to keep me away for six years.”

Slowly, Tommy’s face turned to mine. “What?” he asked, the calm in his voice dangerously deceiving.

I met John’s eyes. “You stupid son of a bitch,” I said, my body shaking. “Trying to keep you away? Like you give a fuck about anybody but yourself.” I faced my brother. “Six years ago, he came here to blackmail you. So I paid him to stay away. And he’s been doing just that until he got the divorce papers. They’re in his pocket. He came to sell them to me.”

There was zero time to react. Tommy’s fist cocked and sprang like a cobra, connecting with John’s nose with a smack and a crunch and a spray of blood. Someone screamed. I moved for Tommy, who had John by the lapels of his leather jacket, just as Court and Sam reached him. They pulled Tommy off and held him back as I shoved John toward the door.

“Get out,” I yelled, shoving him again. He stumbled toward the door from the force. “It’s over. Give me the papers.”

“Or what?” he shot, swiping his ruined nose.

I grabbed him by the shirtfront, bringing him close. “Or else we’ll take you to court and ruin what’s left of your fucking life.”

His eyes narrowed. “Big words, Teddy.”

“Give. Me. The papers.”

He shifted for his back pocket, providing the papers.

I let him go and snatched them with a snap.