An R.L. Mathewson Chronicle

“Never gonna happen,” Reese said as he grabbed his Coke while Zoe sat there, running her eyes over him, taking in everything from his short, neatly styled black hair, sunglasses that gave him that bad boy look, and freshly shaved chisel jaw before taking in the crisp, dark blue uniform that hugged his muscular build just right.

As she took in the utility belt lined with his holstered gun, flashlight and all the things that he needed for those times when he picked up shifts with the police department, Zoe couldn’t help but agree with Kasey’s initial assessment when they first met him.

The man was definitely yummy.

It had her once again wondering just how good her husband would look in a uniform as she glanced at him only to quickly decide that perhaps now was not the time to wonder about that when she found him glaring at her through narrowed eyes. Clearing her throat, Zoe reached over to pick up her drink off the patio table only to grumble when Trevor reached over and grabbed it first, finishing it off all while glaring at her.

“Understandable,” Zoe murmured, deciding that perhaps now would be a good time to focus her attention on something else. With that in mind, she focused back on what promised to be a very entertaining situation.

“Please?” Kasey said with a playful pout as Reese took his time finishing off his Coke. A long-suffering sigh drew Zoe’s attention to her right in time to watch Jonathan drop down on the bench next to his brother and-

“I will kill you with my bare hands,” Sebastian said, not bothering to look up from his book when Jonathan went to throw his arm around his shoulders.

Clearing his throat, Jonathan said, “Fair enough,” as he let his arm drop.

“Is it because you’re afraid?” Mikey asked with a pitying look that had Reese’s lips twitching.

That was followed by Kasey releasing a heartfelt sigh and a solemn nod as she said, “I’m afraid that’s it,” encouraging her teenage daughter.

“I’m embarrassed for him,” Mikey said with a sad shake of her head as she continued rolling the baseball that she never seemed to go anywhere without between her hands.

“I think we all are,” Kasey said, matching her daughter’s nod only to take it up a notch when she added a pitying look. 

“What if we promised to look away when you start crying?” Mikey offered, looking really freaking hopeful.

“I mean, I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try to ignore the sniffles and the uncontrollable sobs when you lose,” Kasey added, gesturing for him to get on with it.

“That’s really all I can ask for,” Reese murmured, placing the empty soda can back on the patio table and-

“Run,” he said, making Kasey and Mikey’s lips pull up into a smile.

Without a word, Kasey and Mikey got to their feet, released matching satisfied sighs and-

“No,” Sebastian said, not bothering to look up from his book when Mikey grabbed hold of his arm and tried to pull him to his feet.

“Because you’re afraid?” Mikey asked with a pitying look that had Trevor’s lips twitching as they watched their son turn the page.

“That’s it,” Sebastian drawled as Mikey’s gaze shifted to Jonathan.

She opened her mouth and-

“Run,” Reese said around a yawn as he stood up.

With that, Kasey took off laughing with Mikey not far behind. Zoe watched as Jonathan shrugged it off, got up and ran in Mikey’s direction before her gaze shifted to Reese and-

This wasn’t going to end well.

Not at all, Zoe thought as she watched Reese’s lips pull up into a predatory smile as he watched them run. When his gaze shifted to Sebastian, she watched her son go still as he slowly looked up and-

“Run.”

Swallowing hard, Sebastian dropped his book on the ground, got to his feet, stumbled back and-

“Run.”

-took off running.

She watched as Reese stood there, taking in all the possibilities as his eyes shifted from Kasey to Mikey and then the boys before his gaze landed back on Kasey, who was halfway across the large backyard. Within seconds, he was running after her, jumping over a lounge chair and quickly zeroing in on her.

Zoe watched as Kasey glanced over her shoulder, a huge smile on her face that froze seconds before it turned to panic when she spotted her husband coming after her. She watched as Kasey noticeably swallowed before she stumbled, righted herself, and then…

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” Zoe mumbled weakly as they watched Reese catch up to her and-

“Shit!” Trevor muttered as they watched Kasey race behind a tree, but it was too late.

Within seconds, Reese grabbed her mid-run, placed her down on the ground and swiftly pulled a set of handcuffs off his belt and had her arms cuffed behind her back in seconds. With a swift kiss on the back of her head, Reese stood up and took in the three teenagers making a run for it. He glanced from Mikey, who was making her way towards the trees, to Jonathan, who was completely oblivious to the danger waiting for him, before it moved to Sebastian, who released a curse when he saw Reese, quickly gave up trying to run away and headed for the nearest tree instead.

“I thought the point of the TikTok challenge was to catch them,” Zoe said as she watched Reese’s gaze slowly move back to Mikey and-

“Get him instead!” Mikey screamed somewhat hysterically and gestured towards Jonathan when she spotted Reese coming for her.

Zoe shook her head in wonder as she watched Reese race across the large backyard, his intense gaze remained locked on Mikey, whose panicked gaze moved from Reese to Jonathan and-

“Did…Did she just hobble him?” Zoe asked, watching as her son hit the ground with a pained grunt seconds before Mikey jumped over his body and veered off towards the house.

“He really didn’t leave her with much of a choice,” Trevor said as they watched Mikey race towards them, a mixture of panic and regret taking over her expression as she sprinted towards the back door before their gaze flickered to Reese, who was close behind and-

“Daddy? Wait, no! I changed my mind! I changed my mind! Oh, my God, I changed my mind!” Mikey screamed as Reese tackled her, turning mid-air before they hit the ground so that he took the hit. Within seconds, Reese had her handcuffed and thrown over his shoulder with a satisfied sigh.

They watched as Reese carried her across the yard and dumped her on the ground next to his wife before he went after Jonathan, who was now frantically trying to climb a tree and-

“Mommy!”

-had them shaking their heads in wonder and releasing pitying sighs as they watched Reese take him to the ground and secure his hands with a zip-tie before dragging him over to join the others.

That’s when his gaze locked on the tree where Sebastian was currently hiding.

They watched Reese make his way over to the tree, and in one smooth move, grab hold of the branch above his head and pull himself up before he disappeared inside the tree. A moment later, there was a rather disturbing scream for mercy and then…

Nothing.

Swallowing hard, Zoe glanced at her husband to find his lips twitching only to decide that wasn’t very helpful and focused back on the tree just in time to watch as Reese dropped out of the tree with Sebastian over his shoulder. With a satisfied sigh, he shifted Sebastian over his shoulder and carried him over to join the others.

Once he dropped Sebastian on the ground next to Mikey, he looked back at them and-

“Oh, shit…” Trevor said as Zoe found herself standing up, her terrified gaze never leaving Reese as she stumbled back and-

“Run.”

The Deal

Chapter 1

Present Day

They were definitely up to something.

That much was clear, Dylan thought, watching the way that her father couldn’t quite meet her gaze before shifting her attention to her mother to find her smiling hugely, looking happier than she’d ever seen her before and-

Definitely up to something.

That was confirmed seconds later when she slowly shifted her gaze to the Bradfords to find Uncle Marc staring intently at a spot on the wall behind her as his wife practically bounced with excitement with a smile that somehow managed to outshine her mother’s.

That was interesting, Dylan thought, watching them for another moment before her gaze dropped to the untouched platters of food spread across the large boardroom table, taking in everything from the platter of finger sandwiches to the bowls of potato salad, pasta salad, assortment of chips and the plethora of baked goods strategically placed in front of them. Keeping her gaze locked on the two couples sitting across from them, Dylan helped herself to one of the mini cheesecakes adorned with cherry topping, her favorite, while she debated all the possibilities.

Perhaps they were selling B.T. Construction, but something, mostly the fact that they would have broken the news to them from the safety of another continent through a carefully worded email because of the large man glaring at them to her right, told her that probably wasn’t the case. God, she hoped they didn’t sign B.T. Construction up for another parade because she honestly wasn’t sure that she could handle dressing up like a leprechaun again, not after what happened the last time they tried to stuff her into a pot of gold.

And not after that group of kindergarteners got their hands on her…

Then again, maybe they changed their minds about retiring, Dylan thought, doing her best to avoid looking at the woman sitting to her left. God, she really didn’t want to think about what happened when her parents made the announcement that they were retiring and Brooke found out that they weren’t giving her B.T. Construction. 

God, the screeching…

“Why are we here?” Quinn Bradford, the aforementioned large man glaring to her right, drawled as he began drumming his fingertips against the freshly polished table, the angry cadence echoing softly throughout the large boardroom.

Nibbling on the incredibly delicious treat, Dylan decided to see where this went. She watched her mother release a satisfied sigh as her gaze shifted to her husband, only to narrow her eyes dangerously when he didn’t respond. That was followed by a nudge, a resigned sigh, and a grumble before he finally said, “It’s about B.T. Construction.”

“What about it?” Quinn asked as his gaze flickered to his father only to find Marc struggling to bite back a wince.

Finishing off the last bite of cheesecake, Dylan reached for another one as she took in the two men sitting across from them, noting the way that her father shifted uncomfortably in his chair, cleared his throat before opening his mouth only to close it again and sent Uncle Marc, his childhood best friend and business partner, a glare. Curious about that, Dylan watched as Uncle Marc matched his glare before her gaze flickered back to her father to find him narrowing his eyes on his best friend, which, of course, was immediately matched by Uncle Marc while the two men sat there, glaring in awkward silence while Dylan couldn’t help but wonder if anyone would mind if she ate the last cheesecake.

“We’ve made a decision,” her father bit out after a moment, still glaring at Uncle Marc, she’d like to point out.

“And that would be…” Quinn said, still drumming his fingertips against the tabletop while Dylan glanced from the large man who really seemed to love to glare to her right to his father before she glanced at her father and-

“We’ve decided to give one of you B.T. Construction,” her father announced with a heartfelt sigh that had Dylan absently nodding as she reached down into her bag and grabbed the book she’d been reading, realizing that this had nothing to do with her.

With that, she helped herself to a fudge brownie, found where she’d left off, and leaned back in her seat with a satisfied sigh. As much as she loved B.T. Construction, and she did, it just wasn’t something that she was interested in doing for the rest of her life.

Ever since she was a little girl, she had one goal, to restore Blackwood Manor to its former glory. She’d dreamed of the day when it would finally be hers, and now, after years of sacrificing, saving, and putting up with Brooke’s bullshit, she was one step closer to making her renovating dreams come true.

She would have preferred to ask her father for help, but since that meant telling him that she bought the house the city tried to condemn seven times in the last five years alone, she’d been left with no choice but to ask Brooke for help instead. He wouldn’t be happy when he found out what she did, which was why she planned on keeping this from him until after she renovated Blackwood Manor and found a buyer.

Until then, she would have to continue working for B.T. Construction and be at Brooke’s beck and call for a few more years, but it would be worth it. When it was finally done, she would have-

Wait.

What did he just say? Dylan found herself wondering as she slowly looked up from her book and-

“Say that again,” Quinn said before she had the chance even as she told herself that there was no way that her father just said what she thought he said.

Clearing his throat, her father opened his mouth only to close it and glare at Uncle Marc, who was staring longingly at the door. When Uncle Marc didn’t say anything, her father once again cleared his throat and said, “You have to get married.”

“Never. Fucking. Happening,” Quinn bit out, which, considering what Jenn put him through, was understandable.

“Then, B.T. Construction goes to one of the girls,” her father said as his gaze shifted to her and-

“Pass,” Dylan said, watching as her father cleared his throat, nodded, and murmured, “Understandable,” before his gaze shifted to Brooke. Curious about how she was taking the news, Dylan glanced to her left and took in the calculating gleam in her sister’s eye.

“What else?” Brooke asked, looking really freaking intrigued, which was to be expected considering just how badly her sister wanted to get her hands on B.T. Construction.

When their parents retired two years ago, Brooke expected B.T. Construction to be handed over to her. Instead, they’d left her in charge of the business side of things and handed over the reins to the construction side to Quinn, forcing them to work together, which was a problem since they hated each other.

Neither one of them had taken it well, but they’d made it work. Brooke focused on the business side of B.T. Construction, project proposals, dealt with potential clients and spent most of her time in the office while Quinn spent his time on job sites. They only communicated when absolutely necessary and that was normally done through texts and emails.

The problem was, that wasn’t enough for Brooke.

She didn’t like sharing, never had, and she hated the fact that she had to share B.T. Construction with Quinn. She wanted to be in charge and he wanted her to go to hell, which, again considering what Jenn put him through, was understandable. If Brooke ever got her hands on B.T. Construction, and something told her that was about to happen, Quinn would probably quit.

Then again, Brooke would probably fire him before he got the chance, Dylan thought as his mother handed them each a manilla folder. “What’s this?” Dylan asked as she took the file and couldn’t help but notice the way that she was practically bouncing in her seat.

“Everything that you need to know,” Aunt Laura said with a satisfied sigh.

Curious, Dylan opened the folder to find what looked like a thick legal document detailing everything they needed to know about this deal, from the timeline to the-

“A baby?” Brooke demanded in disgust while Dylan looked up in time to watch as the four of them nodded firmly.

“That’s the deal. We want B.T. Construction to stay in the family. That’s always been the plan. Whichever one of you gets married and has a child, will get B.T. Construction,” Marc said while Dylan noted the look her mother shared with Aunt Laura.

Interesting.

“Tell me that this is a joke,” Quinn bit out.

“This is the deal,” her father reluctantly grumbled when her mother nudged him.

“And if none of us gets married?” Quinn demanded as Dylan glanced back down at the file in her hands and-

“Then, we’ll sell the company to the highest bidder.”

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