I didn’t have another opportunity alone with Axel—good thing—but I did wonder what he’d been about to tell me about Bria. I dismissed whatever it was as just more justification as to why he’d done what he’d done.

“Where’s Axel?” Teagan asked at dinner that evening after we’d arrived home. Her makeup was impeccable, and she was wearing a cute little dress, not her normal attire for dinner. Then it dawned on me, and I hoped it didn’t dawn on my usually clueless brother. Teagan had been expecting Axel to join us for dinner.

I swung my gaze to Jock, waiting for his answer. He put down his fork, took his time chewing a bite of salad, and swallowed. “He’s not here tonight.”

“Well, duh,” Teagan frowned. “When will he be?”

“When he doesn’t have other obligations.” Jock’s voice was tight. He was on edge with all the pressure he was under. Being a teenager, Teagan didn’t care. She preferred to push buttons.

“When’s that? I want to make sure I’m here.”

“I don’t know, but he’s too old for you. Stay away from him. You aren’t equipped to handle guys like him.” Jock bristled and leveled one of his stern fatherly glares at her. She blinked innocently and stared back.

“You don’t have any idea what I’m equipped to handle. You can’t tell me who I can like and who I can’t.”

“Yes, I can. I’m your father.”

“Mom said I can live with her, and she won’t have all these rules.”

Jock went white. “When did you talk to your mother?”

“None of your business.” Teagan stood and threw down her napkin. “She’s my mother, and you can’t do anything about it. I’m going to Charise’s.”

“No, you’re not. It’s a school night.”

“I am too. Mom says I don’t have to do what you say.”

“Like hell you don’t.” Jock was trying hard to control his frustration. I had to applaud him.

“I hate you!” Teagan screamed and ran upstairs. Seconds later, her door slammed shut.

The table was dead silent. No one said a thing. Jock drew in a deep breath and sighed. He started to get up from the table, but Esme put a restraining hand on his arm.

“She’s a teenager. Let it go.”

“She was insubordinate.” Jock ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“That’s what teenagers do. They relish being rebellious.”

Jock looked at me and shrugged. This was all new territory to me. I didn’t know shit about kids or child psychology, but I did know that it wasn’t a good thing that Bria was pulling her daughter’s strings. The poor girl would do anything to gain her mother’s love, and how far she’d go concerned me. Bria didn’t have her children’s best interests at heart, because in Bria’s world, it was all about Bria. No one else mattered.

I was concerned for my brother and his kids, and I didn’t have a good feeling about what Bria might pull next.