Page 87 of Avenging Azalea

Fawn hopped in the backseat to sit with Sheba, leaving me in the front with a man who was quickly rising to the top of my ‘Want to Kill’ list. Unlike the rest of my family, mine was short with only Fawn’s stepfather on there.

“Where to,” I asked, starting the truck.

“Do you happen to know Madison Suites?”

“Yes, I do,” I said, and pulled out of the driveway.

Of course, he would live in the Madison Suites. They were one of the most expensive condos in the city and had a waiting list over a year long. I knew that because one of my father’s mistresses lived there. What a fucked-up coincidence that was.

It was only ten miles away, nothing by car, but the asshole claimed he ran to the clinic. When he arrived earlier, he didn’t even look like he’d broken a sweat. I hated him a little more with each new bit of information.

“Fawn, I meant to ask you earlier. I have a cranial cruciate ligament surgery tomorrow and was wondering if you’d like to scrub in and watch up close,” Dr. Taylor asked, and my hands squeezed the life out of the steering wheel.

“Really? Oh my god! Yes, that would be incredible. Thank you,” Fawn exclaimed from the backseat, and I sucked in a slow, deep breath. I needed to get control of this jealousy before it pushed me to do something stupid.

“Surgery is at nine,” Taylor said.

Fawn began asking questions about how the injury happened and other things that I’d never be able to answer, which only fueled my irrational anger. Thank god the tall white building with the glowing golden sign came into view. I focused on it. Pulling in, I stopped in front of the doors.

“Thanks for the ride,” Dr. Taylor said, offering me his hand. I shook it and nodded but didn’t dare speak.

Fawn hopped out with the good doctor and walked him to the front door.

Stay put, don’t get out. Just stay put.

I watched them talking, and when they hugged, I growled, garnering Sheba’s attention. It lasted only two seconds, but it was the longest two seconds of my life. The way he held her…

Looking away and counting in my head was the only thing that sort of helped. When Fawn climbed into the front seat, the anger settled. But I could still smell Taylor’s cologne and wanted to clean my truck to erase the scent.

“Okay, out with it,” Fawn said as the silence lingered on our way home. Glancing at her, I licked my lips, ready to spout off, but just shook my head. “No, I’m not letting you off with that. You were weird in there. You were acting jealous, and I don’t get it.”

“I’ll ask you again. How well do you know this man?”

“Well enough to say yes to a date,” she said, and my head snapped in her direction.

“You agreed to a what?”

“Titus…I don’t know what you want from me,” she said.

“It’s simple, Fawn. That man is easily twice your age. What the hell is he doing asking you out? Not only because of the age difference, but you work for him. He is your mentor. There have to be at least fifty human resource violations in that one act. That was before all the flirting he did tonight. He could hardly keep his hands off you.”

Fawn crossed her arms and looked away.

“I hate it when you do that,” she said, her voice soft.

“What?”

“Act like my father,” she said as I pulled into my driveway.

Shutting off the truck, we sat in the dark, staring ahead. When Fawn moved to get out, I couldn’t let her leave and grabbed her arm.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make it sound like that.” Daring to look at her, I searched her face for any signs of anger, but all I saw was confusion that matched my inner turmoil all too well. “I’m concerned. It’s not that I don’t trust your judgement, but…”

“But what, Titus? Huh?”

I looked away, unable to hold the stare that told me I was being a dick. I knew it, and hated it, but couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“Talk to me or I’m getting out.”