Her mother glared at her but apparently knew enough not to say anything.
Haley fought the urge to smile. She’d never seen her parents so nervous before in her life. They made a habit of making other people squirm and now they were the ones in the hot seat.
“Now, if you want to see if Haley is willing to talk to you, then I suggest you ask, nicely. Otherwise you both can get the fuck out of my house.” Barrett stepped into her father’s space daring him to speak.
“But…” Her father made the mistake of opening his arrogant mouth.
“And Damon and Braxton will be glad to show you the door.” Barrett smiled, his white teeth glinting like shark’s teeth. Braxton and Damon stepped forward.
“Barrett, it’s okay. I’ll listen to what they have to say.” Haley stepped away from Jayden. She felt his hand at the small of her back for support. She gave him a smile.
“And whatever they have to say can be said in front of everyone here.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“I think it would be best to speak privately, Haley.” Her mother lifted her chin.
Haley shook her head. “No mother. They’re my friends and they have been a better family to me than the two of you. So I suggest you tell me what you want so you can leave.” Her heart ached at how bad things had gotten between them.
“I think you need to tell us what’s going on with this Facebook thing,” her father ordered.
“What is there to tell? Someone is targeting me and has hacked my Facebook account.”
Her father looked stunned. He glanced around the room and nodded at Jayden.
“He said something about a stalker. What is he talking about?” Her father’s cheek muscles twitched and she knew it was taking all the patience he had to control his tongue. Her father was not a patient man nor was he used to people not snapping to attention when he wanted something.
“When I moved here I started getting notes. They started out harmless but became quite aggressive. So I went to Barrett since he is my new Pack Master and asked for his help.” She glanced at Barrett who was still holding his dominant posture. If they so much as touched her she didn’t doubt he would intercede. If Jayden didn’t beat him to it.
“I see.” Still her father showed no emotion.
“Now why don’t you tell me how you found out the address to my house?” Barrett glared at her father who blinked rapidly.
“The Louisiana Pack Master gave it to me. He said he stayed here one time when LSU was playing Arkansas.”
Barrett’s eyes flashed yellow with blood lust. He was clearly surprised that the Louisiana Pack Master had given out that information. Haley knew that whatever business had transpired between the states and their alpha leaders was top secret. But she also knew that Louisiana’s Pack Master was quite manipulative when he wanted something.
“I see. Tell me, how much money did you have to pay him to disclose that information?”
Her father’s face grew red. She knew immediately her father was guilty of bribing the Louisiana Pack Master.
“I’m sorry, Barrett,” she whispered. She had never been so ashamed of being related to her own parents as she was at that moment.
“You have no need to apologize, Haley. Your parents have put you in grave danger by coming here. And if they led your stalker here and endangered your safety I will make sure to exact my punishment as Pack Master of Arkansas.”
Haley’s stomach dropped.
“What do you mean, ‘endangered Haley’? We would never intentionally do that.” Her mother put a trembling hand to her throat, her diamond rings sparkling in the light.
“Don’t worry. I have no doubt that the stalker knows my parents have disinherited me. They would never suspect they have come to see me.” She felt Jayden step closer behind her and she drew her strength from his warmth.
“Whatever you saw on Facebook, you can be assured I did not put it there. So you can tell all your socialite friends it was hacked.”
“Well, what did you expect after that episode in October, when you were...ruined?” Her father’s voice dropped on the last word.
#
That was it. Jayden had forced himself to stand quietly by and listen to Haley’s parents’ bullshit for far too long. He should have shut them up when he saw them.
“Ruined?” Jayden’s entire body trembled with uncontrollable rage. “Is that how you see your daughter?”
“You are so blinded by what other people think. Haley is not ruined.” “Jayden, it’s okay.” She touched his arm and looked up at him. But he knew better, she wasn’t okay. She was crushed by her parents. It pissed him off.
“No, baby it’s not okay.” Jayden looked up and caught Ava giving him a soft look as she cooed as if she were watching a Hallmark commercial.
His gaze landed on her parents.
“What happened in October was never her fault. She was kidnapped and held against her will. And she was rescued and brought back to you unharmed.”