Unruly Defender

by Schmidt, Esther E.

  “Yeah, right,” I snap and then the name enters my brain and something clicks. “Lightners, as in Lightners Yacht Club, among other things? Any relation with the magnate? Because that name doesn’t come around often. So, what the hell is a Lightners doing behind my fucking desk, working in my fucking estate, and telling me she owns my fucking dog?”

  “Edgar Augustine Barhamer,” my mother snaps in her ‘warning for hell to pay’ mom voice, and it makes me feel like I’m five years old again.

  It doesn’t matter if I’ve spent the last few years dealing with the most dangerous convicts or the fact that I’m thirty-three years old; when your mother pulls out the Ma-voice, you damn well show respect and listen to what she has to say.

  I hang my head and mutter, “Sorry, Ma.”

  “It’s not me you should apologize to. I asked Gracy to come work for me almost nine months ago when I found her on the beach. She’s been a real doll and works hard. Finn was taken with her right away. She has helped me and Finn because you know how much he likes the beach and his long walks. That’s why she offered to take care of him along with me, and it happened to be the best solution. And really, Eddie? Judgement coming from you? I know you’re on your toes, as you should be, but Gracy isn’t just an employee. I consider her a good friend of mine too.”

  Yeah, my Ma can really make you wish for a hole in the ground to jump in and hide. You know, because deep down everything makes sense and you know she’s right. And for fuck’s sake, why did she have to voice my full name in front of this chick?

  A sigh rips from my throat and I glance up, catching the chick’s stunning eyes first. There’s a damn smirk painting those pretty cherry colored lips before she schools her features. I narrow my eyes but wince when my mother smacks my shoulder.

  “Enough already. Gracy, sweetheart, excuse us, please,” Ma says as she grabs my arm and drags me off.

  Can I just mention I’m glad she doesn’t snatch me by my ear to drag me out of the room? And why am I letting her drag me off without giving me a chance to take my dog with me? I want my fucking dog back.

  CHAPTER TWO

  — GRACY —

  “Cocky bastard,” I grumble to myself and take a deep breath in an effort to calm down.

  I don’t care how handsome he looks with his rugged appearance. All tall and fierce along with a scruffy, hard angled jaw and gorgeous blue eyes. I bet the dark, short hair was easy to maintain in prison. I wonder if he would normally let it grow out some more on the top. It doesn’t matter. The things coming from his mouth are anything but nice.

  Rude, and self-absorbed. I’ve encountered a lot of types of guys over the years, but this kind of man? He’s the whole sex-on-heartbreaker-legs package deal. Though, the “bad boy vibe” he has going on is something my ladybits enjoy more than the “filthy rich boy attitude” of those slicks my father used to throw my way.

  I’m not judging them, or the fact Eddie is a convict. To each his own. Every person has their own value in life and reasoning for being either a dick or a nice person. Though, I have to say, in my experience there’s nothing more annoying than a guy removing invisible specs from his own clothes in the window while he’s hitting on you.

  Jeez, talk about unattractive and making less effort because they think their wallet is the way into your panties. I bet a man like Eddie couldn’t care less about the cash in his pants or have the need to stroke his own ego through his reflection. He looks like a guy who owns—and calculates—every move he makes. It doesn’t matter. A man is still a man and the end goal stays the same; getting into a girl’s panties.

  Sure, there were exceptions in my past. Those guys didn’t really want to get into my panties, they used me as a steppingstone into my wallet. Well, my family’s wallet. Exactly what Eddie threw in my face the second he heard my last name.

  That’s why I have lots of experience recognizing different types of guys. Mostly because my father used to push potential future son-in-laws—he deemed worthy—in my direction. Those were the ones I quickly classified as slicks. But those weren’t the only ones he would surprise me with.

  Let’s just say my father functions differently and that’s the reason I walked away from him and his lifestyle. To make a long story short, the final straw and the reason I left was because he arranged nightly entertainment for me—otherwise known as a quick fuck—the day of my mother’s funeral.

  You know, to get over the fact my mother committed suicide because my father was a cheating asshole husband who loved to wave his money, and his dick, around to get as much attention as he could get. I guess this says a lot about my point of view of men and my screwed-up past. And it didn’t matter if my parents had split up a few months prior to her death either, my father was a first-class asshole, there’s no other way around it.

  The best thing I did was leave everything behind and just walk away. I ended up sitting on the beach where Maggie, Eddie’s mother, found me. I was in tears and spilled every detail of my past up to the point where my father wanted me to screw the night away to get over the fact I just buried my mother. All while she sat beside me listening as Finn was humping Maggie’s hat that had blown off her head.

  The corner of my mouth twitches and I glance down to see Finn sitting right next to his stuffed goat. He’s panting like crazy, his tongue lolling out due to the special attention he just gave his goat.

  “Any energy left in that little body of yours?” I chuckle and squat down to pet his soft head. “Or do you want to get out of here and hit the beach before we curl onto the couch?”

  Finn is the only man I need in my life. Eddie might think it’s his dog but he’s not getting him back. No one takes my dog, even if it used to be his. Shit. He must feel the same way. After taking care of him for almost nine months now we’ve grown used to our routine. Maybe I’ll get Eddie a gift certificate to a shelter so he can adopt a dog. Though, I bet he won’t settle, because I won’t either. I glance at my watch and see it’s time to wrap up here.

  I scoop Finn up and grab my purse from underneath the desk before I lock up and head out to the bungalow I share with Maggie. There are a few on this estate and when she took me in, Maggie offered me a bungalow for myself or I could have her spare bedroom. Seeing I just lost my mother and left my father, I didn’t want to be alone. The spare bedroom was my choice and the reason Finn and I became a team.

  The moment I stroll inside the bungalow is when I realize I forgot the fact Maggie invited her son over. There’s no escape when he’s standing in the living room and spins around to lock eyes with me. His narrow and in return, I narrow mine too. Then I become aware I’m the one intruding and even if he was rude to me earlier, I can be the bigger person.

  I briefly close my eyes and take a deep breath before plastering a smile on my face and telling him, “Don’t mind me, I’m going to change real quick and then take Finn for a stroll.”

  I don’t wait for a reply because clearly, I couldn’t care less what he thinks, I was being polite for my own, and for his mother’s, sake. Dashing through the hall I turn left and set Finn down when I’m inside my room. He runs off to his blanket where another stuffed animal sits. This dog never gets tired of his humping game.

  Sliding the zipper down of my tweed pencil skirt, I shimmy out of it and throw it on the bed. My shirt is off next and I balance on one foot to slip out of my high heel and then take off the other one. Bending down, I place them on the floor and straighten as I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Noticing instantly Eddie is standing in the doorway getting an eyeful of my body wrapped in sexy lingerie.

  “What the hell?” I gasp and quickly snatch—and slide on—the fluffy robe I have hanging next to the bathroom door.

  “Don’t cover yourself up on my account. I mean, you’re dressed to impress anyone with a sane mind for beauty. Man, just look at those curves wrapped in lace. Shit.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Never mind. I didn’t follow you here to get an eyeful, just give me my dog an
d I’ll leave you to it.”

  He glances around and when he notices Finn, he shakes his head before his attention slides back to me. “What’s with the harem of farm animals?”

  “It’s to feed his addiction, okay?” I grumble, tucking the robe closer as if it will help him un-see the goods I flashed him with earlier. “I could give him a pillow for all he cares but I had a nice deal buying secondhand stuffed animals. Finn likes to rip them apart sometimes too so it’s easier to throw them out and give him a new one. Now, do you mind? I’d like to change before I take Finn for a walk.”

  Eddie nods and is about to turn, but he points a finger at me. “No husband, no boyfriends, and from what I’ve heard, no dick action. So, why the garters and sexy shit when no one is giving you the right attention?”

  This little sneer he throws at me pushes the wrong buttons in my head. “It’s for me. For myself. I’m the one seeing and enjoying it. Why the hell would a woman only have a guy as a reason to wear nice lingerie?” I snap.

  His head tips to the side and a sly smile spreads across his face. Shit. It’s not hard to guess his train of thoughts.

  “Stop with overthinking, Eddie. It’s not like that, you oversexed weirdo. I’m worth nice lace and things that make me feel good about myself. Even if no one knows or notices and it’s covered up by normal clothing. I could wear granny panties and a sports bra but those wouldn’t make me feel pretty or good about myself. Not that I don’t wear those too, because I do. I use them if I have my period. See? Mood. My mood. Not to get myself off because of some fetish or nympho...oh, why am I even discussing this with you? Get out of my room.”

  He holds his hands out, palms up. “No judgement, little temptress. None whatsoever. I was just curious because with me just being released from prison and all, I might have missed out on a new trend. Good to know you’re—” He lets his eyes slide over my body and I need to fist my hands to prevent from letting a shiver rock my body due to a hint of this man’s attention as he licks his bottom lip before he finishes his sentence with, “Your own brand of special.”

  Your own brand of special. Is that an incognito way of calling me a weirdo? Why does this guy make anger flare inside me at every turn?

  “Out,” I snap, making Finn jump up and start to bark at Eddie.

  Eddie looks crushed for a moment and weariness slides into his eyes before he gives a tight nod and spins around to stalk away. I close the door and lean against it with my forehead. What a freaking mess. And way to impress the son of the woman I consider my second mother.

  It’s a good thing my bedroom has a large sliding door, leading to the patio where I can walk right onto the beach. I quickly change into a bathing suit and some shorts and head out, leaving everything behind me to enjoy some quality beach time, even if it’s getting late and the beach is deserted. I like it this way, and so does Finn.

  It’s over an hour later when I stroll back to the bungalow and see Maggie sitting on the patio. Finn rushes over and crashes in front of her feet, tired from our evening stroll. Eddie is nowhere in sight and this is actually how normal evenings go between me and Maggie; enjoying some careless free minutes just sitting here and watching the sea rock the beach.

  “He’s good. Deep down he’s a good man. He just doesn’t trust people easily, and I don’t blame him after what happened, but he should have been nicer to you,” Maggie suddenly says as she’s staring into the distance.

  “Hey.” I place my hand on her knee. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he has a lot on his plate and he just walked out of jail after such a long time. I would be groggy too.”

  I better not mention the incident in my bedroom, how he received an eyeful of my sexy underwear, and called me out on it.

  Maggie shakes her head. “There’s more to it. I shouldn’t be telling you this but I trust you, and you’re like a daughter to me. And from what Eddie told me there could be some danger coming our way too. See, Eddie believes my husband’s death wasn’t an accident like the authorities like to think it was. I’ve mentioned to you I own a construction company that belonged to my husband. Eddie worked his way up to earn his place in the company. Meanwhile he branched out into other things when he started to invest and made some good business decisions. He became a silent partner, and it was the boost the construction company needed because then it started to do really well. My husband took a step back so they could oversee things and it would basically run itself by the people they hired alongside the main crew. I was thankful because my William hurt his back so he didn’t have to work as hard anymore. That’s also why we suspect the accident that caused his death wasn’t an accident, because he shouldn’t have been working at the construction site. He shouldn’t have been there at all because it wasn’t his part of the job anymore.”

  Her voice cracks and I can see in the moonlight how a tear trails a path down her cheek. I lean against her and squeeze her knee in silent support. I knew she lost her husband, William—and the fact her son was in jail—but she doesn’t talk about them all that much. Other than the tiny things like how she misses them and about life being unfair.

  I also know she inherited the construction company and I have found her sitting at the dining room table going over financial books more than once a month when someone named Yates brings them over for her to check.

  She might be hitting the sixty mark but she’s always in full control about everything. Not only running this estate but also overseeing the construction company and the bar she owns that’s located down the street.

  Or maybe it was the bar along with the compound next to it that belonged to her son that she looks after. It’s not like I asked to see the papers or anything. Like I said, she shares little details and I’ve never cared about technicalities such as ownership and money. I care about the person, not the bank account or anything else that’s in their name.

  “I’m right here, Maggie,” I tell her. “For whatever you need.”

  “Thank you,” she mutters and wipes away her tears as she adds, “I hope you extend that courtesy to my Eddie too, he’s going to need a good friend.”

  “Well,” I tell her and clear my throat. “A friend? Okay. But whatever he needs? I’m not so sure that’s going to work out all that well. He’s not my type, you know. Well, if I knew what my type was because you know I have no luck when it comes to the male species.”

  A snort and a chuckle leaves Maggie’s lips, and it was what I was going for; to get her out of the sadness she’s wrapped in.

  “You’re a good person, Gracy,” Maggie says with a smile in her voice.

  “Maybe not that good a person, Maggie. Because I don’t intend to give Eddie his dog back. Finn is mine.”

  Maggie’s laughter fills the air and I’m wearing a big smile because the sound is warming my chest. In the time I’ve lived here she’s basically become my second mom and we share the kind of connection where we can work together but also tell each other straight up what’s bugging us or just sit together without saying anything. My life took a turn for the better the day I met her.

  “That’s a sound I’ve missed hearing,” Eddie’s voice breaks Maggie’s laughter and I glance behind me.

  He’s leaning casually against the wall of the bungalow and I wonder how long he’s been standing there. Eddie pushes away from the wall and strolls over to sit right next to me.

  I guess I have my answer when he leans in and whispers, “Finn was never yours to own, Gracelynn. He’s mine.”

  My breath catches and my heart starts to run wild inside my chest. All because his hot breath and whispered words stroked my ear. Shit. Like I said, he’s sex-on-heartbreaker-legs. This man probably doesn’t have to do anything other than smile and women will fall at his feet with their legs spread wide.

  That thought sobers me up quickly. I look him dead in the eyes and tell him, “Shared custody. If you say he’s yours you should think about him first. He’s been with me day in and day out for almost nine months. You can
’t rip him out of the steady life he’s been leading.”

  The corner of his mouth twitches and I notice because I’m staring at his lips. “Are you sure you’re talking about Finn or yourself? Because I know for a fact Finn is easy to please. As long as he has somewhere to sleep, eat, shit, and hump, he’s the happiest dog on the planet.”

  “Such a guy comment,” I mutter and shake my head.

  Maggie stands. “I’m going to turn in for the night. Seeing the two of you are arguing about my dog, he’s coming with me.”

  She scoops Finn up and stalks into the bungalow. Eddie and I can only stare after her as she closes the sliding door with a big grin on her face. Shit. Something about two dogs fighting over a bone while a third runs off with it.

  Eddie groans and takes his head in his hands before he starts to rub his temples. “I know what she’s trying to do, but it’s not going to happen.”

  “Like hell am I going to let her take my dog,” I grumble as I shoot a glance over my shoulder to see if she’s still standing there, but Maggie isn’t in sight so she did, in fact, head to her bedroom.

  “No.” Eddie releases a deep sigh. “She’s trying to hook us up.”

  “What?” I gasp. “You’re crazy. She said you needed a friend. Besides, I’ve sworn off men. All men. Except for Finn. My dog.” I emphasize the last part so he knows who I’m talking about and how I’m not giving up my dog.

  “Fine, we all share the dog, whatever. But just a heads-up, Gracelynn, I meant what I said, you and I? Not going to happen.”

  “Okay, clearly your ears aren’t working properly because I just mentioned how I’ve sworn off all men. No need to throw out the ‘not going to happen’ statement again unless you’re saying it to remind yourself. And seriously? You go from ‘my dog’ to ‘we all share the dog, whatever,’ in the blink of an eye? That’s hardly standing your ground, more like falling back on your ass in the sand and rolling over. But you don’t strike me like a guy who would roll over easily,” I ramble.