005

Dona's POV

August was frozen to the spot by his father's words. At that point, I was ready as anything else for both men to trade blows.

"I know that this is a bad time, but can both of you just chill out for a second?" My mother intervened, placing her hands akimbo. "Calm down, Peter. Please."

I watched August's shoulders collapse, and then he let go of the doorknob slowly. "What did you call me here for? It's not certainly because you love me that much, is it?"

I knew that he could be arrogant and pompous when he wanted to be, but this was borderline disrespectful. Curiosity crushed my initial anger, and I sincerely wanted to know what was happening between father and son. Why was August so nasty to his dad?

"Will you please just take a seat, son?" My mother spoke again.

"I'm not your son. And when you're done with this sham of a relationship, you can call me." August spat out.

Did he just speak to my mother like that? I didn't care if he spoke to his father like trash, but when it came to my own mother, he had to learn some respect.

"Hey!" I snapped my fingers in his face, "watch your tone, hockey boy. I don't care about you as much as you think I do, and if everyone is trying to be civil around here, then you'd better reciprocate. You are not better than any one of us!"

"Can you just sit this one out, McNair? This is not one of your book club meetings." August snapped at me.

The entire room went completely still. It was almost as though everyone was scared to utter a word to August. It irked me so much; I wanted nothing more than to put this arrogant fool in his place.

I was opening my mouth to bark a retort at him, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"That's enough, Dona. I won't say it twice." My mother ordered me. Then she moved to face the entire room.

"Look, I know that the both of you do not see eye to eye, but you would have to learn to accept each other because no matter what, you are family. We are all family." She stressed the last four words.

"Bullshit." August growled. "I don't want a new family."

"August!" His dad roared. The older man looked close to wrestling his son to the ground. "You have to respect Samantha and Dona!"

"There you have it, golden boy." I gave August a smirk. "Go on. Show me respect."

August let out a mirthless laughter. His eyes looked so soulless, and in that moment, I felt cold all over. Then he leaned forward until he was my eye level, before spitting out his next words.

"I wish to God that you and your mum knew who this man truly was before he met you." He jerked his head towards his dad. "If the both of you did, you'd be escorting him out of your house in seconds."

My mother and I looked from father to son, waiting for Peter to counter the accusations. And counter he did.

With curses flying out of his mouth, he yankee August away from my face, grabbed his shirt collar and slammed him against the wall. The movement was so sudden that I gasped, and my mother stepped forward.

"Peter!" She yelled. "Stop that!"

"Stay out of this, Sammy." Peter said to my mother. "Only I know how to handle this motherfucker."

Then he turned to his son again, a cold edge in his voice. "You'd better be grateful you're all grown now, or I'd be spinning you across this floor for the things you've said to my new family today."

My eyes widened at the coldness in Peter's voice. Even August looked aghast and a little terrified of his own father.

"Now, listen up, hockey boy." His father snarled in his face. "You are going to live with me and my new family, instead of lodging in hotels with your hockey friends like the shithead you want to be. You will stay here until you learn to respect them. I don't care what you want, I don't care if you need space or time, but you will do as I say, because I am your father. Do you understand?"