Free Taming McGruff (Book 3, Once Upon A Romance Series) by Laurie LeClair Page A

surprise. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew she couldn’t stay away.
    “Who do you think you are taking over King’s? I built that store—”
    “On the backs of others,” he bit out, unable to hold it in.
    “What have they been telling you? It’s lies, all lies.” Her slurred words cued him into her sorry condition.
    The dog didn’t mind the bickering; it snuggled closer to Griff. Mrs. King scooped him up, holding him close. The animal stuck his tongue out, licking her chin. Poor thing, he didn’t even know who the enemy was.
    “What do you want from me?” Griff asked, getting his temper under control. It wouldn’t help his cause if he showed his hand now. He had to wait, bide his time just a little while longer.
    “Fail.”
    “Excuse me?” Had he heard right?
    “Let it sink and drown like it should have years ago.” She took a long sip.
    “King’s? You want it to fail?” Shock raced through him. This was the last thing he expected her to say. It was his plan all along, but to have her agree shook him. He never thought he’d be in the same camp as Agnes King. “Why?”
    She remained silent for so long, he wondered if she’d even answer. “My stepdaughter and my daughters don’t know what’s best for them.”
    At the thought of Priscilla and the few things she said about this woman, his heart tugged for his pixie. “And you do?”
    “They need to let go of him. Once and for all.”
    “By him, do you mean Charles King?”
    “Of course, you nitwit!” she cried, upsetting the dog. She held him tighter, cooing to him. “It’s all right. I’m here.”
    Was she jealous? “Tell me why.” He refused to jump to any conclusions just yet. He was still trying to digest her request.
    “I’ll pay you. How much?”
    “Money? Is that what this is all about?” Somehow, it didn’t make sense. He’d seen the will she filed years ago for Charles King, seen the absurd amount she controlled.
    She sighed. “I am surrounded by stupid people,” she muttered to the dog.
    Griffin gritted his teeth. “Explain, please.”
    “They hoard their love on a dead man. When, I, their mother, am right here. Charlie pulled them in and filled their silly little heads with ideas, dreams,” she scoffed.
    At the mention of dreams, Griff’s middle tightened. “You don’t believe in them, I take it.” Something sharp and hard gnawed at him. God, was he just like her?
    “As long as that store remains up and running, they’ll never get over him.”
    “And won’t come back to you?” he guessed.
    She hissed. “Of course. I don’t want Charlie. She never wanted me, and I never wanted her. But my girls, they need me; they just can’t see it. I had a groom all lined up for Francine. And what does she do? She marries a cook, of all things.”
    “A very wealthy cook,” he amended. To himself, he wouldn’t have classified Marcus Goode as just that. The man had built an empire on restaurants and resorts.
    “I had a doctor.” She humphed. “He’s profoundly hurt by the slight. Thank goodness, I convinced him I’d bring Priscilla around to meet him. Perhaps he’ll be interested. Although, he doesn’t like red-heads. Blondes are more his taste.”
    At the mention of Priscilla and Mrs. King’s plans for her, his temper flared. How could she switch out daughters to prospective grooms? How could she treat Priscilla like that? “She doesn’t know.” It wasn’t a question.
    “She won’t even return my calls. But, that’s where you come in.”
    “Me?”
    “Yes, you destroy King’s. End it quickly. Then Priscilla will have nowhere to go, but to me. That’s when I’ll marry her off.”
    Could she be so callous with her own child? “Destroy King’s?” At the moment, it made him sick to think he wanted the same thing she did. He’d wasted so much time focusing on the store as her downfall. He’d made a grave error.
    “There’s ways.”
    “Do tell.”
    “Fire the employees—the longtime,