“Do you plan to ask him why he’s listed in her medical file?”
“For now, I’ll keep them both in the dark with what I know.” He stood and snatched his keys off the table.
“Where are you going?”
“To tell my father where he can stick his million-dollar offer!”
Chapter Fifteen
Justin drove, lost in his thoughts on what to say to his father. He tried to contain his anger, as his mind swam with reasons, he would betray him. None came to mind because his father never uttered a negative word about Ava. Right after she’d agreed to move to San Diego, he called him with what he believed to be good news. Justin had shared with Chris his eagerness to introduce her to everyone, and he responded with the same enthusiasm to meet her. Now he knew it was all an act.
He drove through the gates of his father’s home and cut off the engine. His anger had not dissipated, not a single ounce. He marched inside. The slam of the heavy door echoed throughout the open hallway. Before he could reach the stairs, James had whipped around the corner. “Justin, is your father aware of your arrival?” he asked.
“I didn’t realize I needed an appointment.” He brushed past the loyal servant. “Dad!” he called out.
“Uh, Mr. Harrington is unavailable.” James rushed behind him.
Justin turned to face him. “Where is he?”
“He’s conducting a business meeting.”
“In his office?”
“Yes, sir. It’s rather important. Perhaps, you should return in the evening.”
“James, I don’t give a damn about his meeting.” Justin stormed off and burst open the doors to his father’s office.
He was not alone. Chris stood in the center of the room with his pants puddled at his ankles, and a young naked blonde on her knees before him. “Jeez, son, can’t you see I’m busy?” He bent forward to pull up his pants.
Justin kept his gaze on his father. “I don’t know who you are, but it’s best if you leave. My father and I have an important matter to discuss.”
Chris grimaced and turned to the woman. “Go make yourself comfortable in my bedroom.”
She gathered her clothes scattered throughout the room and scurried out of the office.
“I assume this is about your girlfriend,” his father said.
Justin moved less than an inch away from Chris’ face. “You bastard! How dare you enter my home and intimidate Ava with a million-dollar payoff.”
“It’s for your own good.” He turned and grabbed a bottle of cognac from his cabinet. “You can do much better. That girl has an agenda.”
“If anyone here has an agenda, it’s you. I thought you liked Ava. Hell, you even threw a dinner party in her honor.”
Chris moved to his chair behind his desk and placed his drink down. “Son, have you asked yourself how the woman you fell in love with cultivated a relationship with two people in your life?”
“What are you talking about?” Justin’s mouth contorted into a scowl as he sat facing his father.
“Phillip and Nina. Think about it.” He sipped from his drink before leaning forward in his chair. “As upset as you are with me, I would like for you to consider this. I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe people put forth certain actions with an expected result.”
Justin glared at his father, angry he has justified his actions with nonsense he’d concocted in his head. “Ava doesn’t have a conniving bone in her body.”
Chris smirked at his son. “You think you’re in love, so you can’t see the truth.”
“And what is that? What is this big truth you believe you have unearthed?”
“Your girlfriend has known about you much longer than she’s admitted. She didn’t get what she expected from Phillip, so she landed herself a job with your high school classmate. She cozied up to Nina, waiting for the moment to lure you into her bed. And I don’t have to tell you how well her plan worked.”
Justin fell silent to gain his composure and choose his next words with careful intent. “After mom left, I had only you. My dad. The man who could do no wrong. You were the one person who I could count on no matter what. You were there for every important milestone in my life. From helping me through my first heartbreak to graduating from college, and everything in between. You stepped up to the plate when mother chose to run away. So, it was only natural when I found the woman who made my heart smile, I would tell my best friend.” He glanced at Christopher, who wore a sullen expression on his face. “I would have never fathomed you would stab a knife through my heart. Therefore, I have no other choice.”
Justin stood without breaking eye contact with his father. He reached into his pocket and retrieved the balled-up paper. He smoothed it out, placing it on his desk.
“When you wrote that number on this paper, you drew a line separating us. I can only stand on one side, and I’ve chosen to stand beside Ava.” Justin placed both fists on the oak desk and leaned forward. “I want you to stay away from her. If you even think twice about approaching Ava again, I’ll show you a million different ways, why that’ll be a mistake.” Both men stared at each other without another uttered word between them. When Justin was sure his father had received the message, he exited. Chris didn’t stop him, nor did Justin expect him to. His father’s ego was much bigger than his pride.
∞∞∞
Justin returned to a quiet home. He called out Ava’s name but received no response. He eventually found her outside sitting poolside with her feet dangling in the water. He removed his shoes, rolled up his jeans, and sat beside her. “How did it go?” she asked.
“Not good. We argued and, in the end, I told him to stay away from you.”
“I hate that I’ve come between you two.”
“This is all his doing, not yours, and this situation is about to become uglier. I’ve seen how my father behaves in business. He has a vindictive side and doesn’t take too kindly to threats.”
“Surely, he won’t treat his own son like a business rival, right?” she asked, shielding her eyes with her hand from the sun.
“It’s possible. I’ve never been at odds with him before, and I’m sure he’ll blame you for coming between us.”
“What a day we’ve had. First, Lindsey lying about the baby and now the fall out with your father.”
“When you look at their actions individually. It appears they both have different agendas. But when you view them cohesively, not so much.”
Ava rolled her eyes upward like she was trying to figure out what he was alluding to. “You think something is going on between her and your dad.”
Justin shrugged. “This is pure speculation on my part.”
“Like romantic?”
He nodded his head.
“I hope not because she’s twenty-five and how old is Chris?”
“Sixty-three.”
She frowned. “Yeah, I don’t think they are romantically involved.”
“I don’t know, babe she has been with men older.”
“Really? Wow!” She moved from out the pool and reached for a nearby towel. “But, it’s not for me to judge.”
Justin followed suit and sat in a chair underneath the shade of the umbrella. “She claims she’s been trying to obtain an investment from him for her company. I’m not so sure that’s true. I think I’ll ask her to come over tomorrow.”
“What’s the plan?” She sat beside him.
“I’ll invite her over and together we’ll confront her. Like I said before, there’s something much bigger in the works. There’s a reason why her dad is pushing his daughter on me, and my father didn’t offer you money because of your connection to Phillip.”
“And you think Lindsey can help you figure it out?”
“I do.”
“If something is going on with her and your dad, would that be weird for you?”
“It would surprise me more than anything. The thought of him being with her knowing the history she and I share…” His face cont
orted into disgust as he moved closer and placed his arm around Ava. “Can we change the subject?”
“Sure.” She snuggled against him.
“I don’t want to talk about them. Tonight, I want us to turn off our phones, have a nice dinner, retreat to the theater room, and watch a good mobster movie.”
“Or a romantic comedy.”
“Or that.” He laughed. “Then lock ourselves in our bedroom.”
“Sounds good.”
He kissed her forehead. “We better get to the store because we don’t have a single thing to cook.”
She jumped to her feet. “Give me a sec to change.”
He grabbed her hand before she could run off. “Thank you.”
She eyed him curiously. “For what?”
“Not running off after what my dad did. That could’ve easily been your breaking point. Between him and Lindsey, it’s enough to run anyone off.”
She looked at him with her eyes full of tenderness and love. “There’s nothing that’ll make me run away from you.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ava lit three white candles in the center of the black wrought-iron table. A mid-sized terrace sat outside the master bedroom. It offered a breathtaking view of the sunset and provided the perfect backdrop for a romantic dinner. After Justin’s confrontation with his dad, he has spent days in a subdued mood. At times, he would attempt small talk, but would eventually retreat to his inner thoughts. She felt she had to do something special for him.
After she finished setting the table, she made her way downstairs to the library. Justin sat in the darkened room with a dim lamp illuminating from above. Her heart sunk at his obvious misery. “Justin,” she said in an intentional low tone. She didn’t want to startle him. “Dinner is ready.”
His eyes moved from his papers to where she stood in the doorway. He rose from his overstuffed leather chair. “I promise not to be a downer the entire night,” he said when he neared the door.
She led him towards the back stairway. “We’re not eating in the dining room?” he asked.
She shook her head and continued upstairs. Once she opened the doors to the terrace, she noticed a thin smile on his face. His eyes marveled at the terrace’s transformation. In addition to the candles, Ava placed clear string lights across the railing. His favorite tunes played in rotation through a small overhead speaker. She kept the volume low enough to serve as background music. The dinner she cooked remained warm underneath two silver domes. “I thought a little wining and dining would boost your spirit,” said Ava.
“Isn’t this what I should have done for you?” he asked.
“There’s nothing wrong with a woman pampering her man. Now sit.” She pointed to one of the two chairs.
“Everything is so elegant I feel underdressed.” He sat and scooted his chair closer to the table.
“This is a casual dinner, nothing fancy. Jeans and a button-down shirt are fine. Besides, I’m wearing shorts and a t-shirt.” She sat across from him. “Do you mind pouring the wine?”
“Sure.”
She watched as he poured the red liquid into each glass. “Before we eat, I would like to make a toast,” said Ava.
Justin grinned. He appeared amused by her attempts.
She held her glass in the air. “It’s a rule in life that we have obstacles we must overcome. Some are easy and others are more difficult. Just know, you are not alone. I love you, and together we are an unbeatable team.”
“We are, aren’t we?” Justin smiled and sipped from his glass.
Ava uncovered both plates. “Enjoy.”
“Lamb chops and spring vegetables?” He grinned.
“Now you know why I insisted on shopping alone. I wanted everything to be a complete surprise. Cut into it and tell me what you think.” She watched as his knife sliced into the meat. “So, what’s the verdict?”
“Well, it’s a tad over.”
“It is?” She frowned. “I followed every step of the instructional video.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over it. Lamb can be tough to cook. I admire you for trying.”
She and Justin proceeded to eat their meal. The entire ambiance of the evening seemed to lift his mood. Not only did she engaged him into a conversation, but she also got him to belt out a laugh or two. After dinner, he offered to clear the table, but she had insisted on taking care of everything. When she returned to the bedroom, Justin emerged from the bathroom wearing a robe. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Preparing to shower. Do you care to join me?”
“I have a mess to clean in the kitchen. But I guess it can wait.”
“So, is that a yes?”
Ava stepped forward and lifted her t-shirt above her head, throwing it onto the floor. His eyes didn’t move off her body as she removed her shorts. He reached for her hand, leading her into the bathroom. He opened the shower glass door and turned on the water with the digital panel on the shower wall. Within seconds, six water jets on the front and back walls filled the shower with streams of hot water. With a push of a third button, the waterfall shower head sprayed from up above. He turned towards her and untied his robe. Her lips formed a delicate smile at the sight of his naked body. The palm of her hands glided over his tight abs, up towards the base of his neck. With Justin’s arms wrapped around her waist and their bodies meshed together, they engaged in a deep passionate kiss.
“Let’s get in,” he said when he came up for air. He held the shower door open as Ava stepped in. She jumped slightly as the various sprays hit her body simultaneously. The couple stood together underneath the waterfall stream, allowing the hot water to cascade over their bodies. Justin filled a loofah sponge with vanilla-scented body wash. She closed her eyes and held her damp hair to the side as his hands moved in a circular motion across her back. Her body tingled as he placed kisses along her neck. Seconds later, the sponge hit the floor, and he whipped her around. He wiped the water away from her face and kissed her wet mouth. They continued to devour each other as he led her to the back of the shower. Their eyes locked as his hand glided south. An audible gasp escaped her lips as he inserted two fingers inside her throbbing core. With each thrust of his fingers, her breaths intensified. She closed her eyes and gave in to the pleasure. “Please,” she moaned.
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “Please, what?”
“Don’t stop.” She chewed on her lower lip. He thrust faster and faster before abruptly turning her around. Ava splayed her palms across the glass wall. She bent slightly at the waist, and with one smooth motion, he entered her from behind. His hands slid up her body and cupped her breasts. Their bodies moved in a harmonious motion as he continued to satisfy her. “Justin,” she moaned in almost a whisper. With the full weight of his body upon her, he kissed and tugged at her earlobe. “Love you,” he whispered before he gave her a gratifying finish.
Justin turned off the water and grabbed a body towel. He held it stretched out between them. Ava stepped forward and he wrapped the plush gray towel around her body. “Thanks.” She placed a single kiss on his lips and exited the shower. She dried herself off and put on a nightshirt. When she entered the bedroom, she filled the two glasses with a swallow of wine. Justin then entered wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. She loved the way they accentuated his tight, muscular ass. She handed him a glass and sat on the bed. Justin slid underneath the covers, scooting close to her.
“I have a random question. Why don’t you have a full-time staff? You just have a cleaning crew and landscapers who come once a week,” she asked.
“I grew up with a household full of servants, groundsmen, and a butler. There was always someone available to cater to my every need.” He shrugged and finished his wine in one gulp. “I like my privacy, but if you want to hire someone, I’ll consider it.”
Ava shook her head. “I was curious, that’s all. I also like our privacy.”
“If I had a full staff I couldn’t walk around in the nude.”
She stifled a laugh. “You never walk around in the nude.”
“But, if I wanted to, I could.”
She laughed and finished her wine. She leaned over to place the empty glass on the nightstand. When she turned back around, she caught Justin staring at her.
She smiled at him, wondering what was on his mind. Instead of speaking, he only responded with a smile.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“I’m thinking one day I plan to make you my wife.”
Her smile dropped. “Wife? We haven’t been together a year yet. Neither one of us is ready for a commitment of that magnitude.”
“Do you have something against marriage?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’ve told you about my parent’s marriage. My dad was controlling and verbally abusive. My mother was submissive and only remained married to keep the family intact. Together, they were not role models for marriage.”
“You and I are nothing like our parents.”
“I know, but I’ve never been one of those women who obsessed over becoming a wife and mom.”
“And I never thought of settling into a committed relationship and certainly not marriage. Yet, when I think of you and me, I see us together in my distant future. That’s why I said one day.”
She paused and thought of his words. “Sure, one day, we can discuss it.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Okay. When she gets here, I want you to remain calm,” said Ava. She and Justin were waiting for Lindsey to arrive. He’d called her this morning to ask her to stop by. It was the day he would confront her about her lies.
“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises,” He brushed past her.
She followed him onto the terrace. It was a clear morning with a slight breeze in the air. Ava thought it was the perfect setting to put Lindsey at ease. Hoping she would answer Justin’s questions with the truth. Ava placed a glass pitcher of lemonade in the center of the table. Her eyes darted towards Justin, who sat on the patio chair with one leg crossed, ankle resting on his knee.
Deceived by You Page 9
