by Claire Raye
As we’re walking in, I suck in a long hard breath, letting it out slowly. I know what Lewis’ lawyer is going to tell me is good news, but it still doesn’t help.
His assistant gives Lewis a quick nod of her head and hops up from her chair to open the door to Jason’s office. He’s sitting behind an oversized wooden desk in a large black leather chair, but he smiles brightly and stands up when we enter the room.
“Good to see you both,” he says as a greeting. “Please have a seat. I’ve been going through this NDA with a fine-toothed comb and I’m so glad I did.”
“So am I,” I tell him, completely in agreement because I know if Jason has found something that protects me, we’re golden.
“I was quite surprised by this non-disclosure agreement he had you signed.” Jason’s brows are knitted together as he flips through the pages of it, stopping on a tabbed page. “It’s pretty basic which doesn’t seem like his modus operandi. I’m guessing this an old document that his legal team began using years ago and never updated it to reflect the rise in his career.”
He slides the agreement across the desk to us, a section of the tabbed page is highlighted and next to it Jason has written “BINGO” in all caps. A laugh falls from both Lewis’ and my lips almost at the exact same time. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I can picture Jason finding the smoking gun, so to speak, and giving himself a pat on the back.
I read the section over a few times but still fall short of fully understanding all the legal jargon that is woven throughout it.
“So there’s a lot to weed through in this one paragraph, but basically this says should the employer do anything illegal the employee has a every right to discuss it with the proper authorities,” Jason, states, putting it into terms that most people could understand.
“But the reporter isn’t considered a proper authority,” I respond cutting in before he can finish.”
“Yes, this is true and as far as you know he hasn’t done anything illegal, but it’s coming. I have it on good authority that things are about to get real ugly for Noel Robinson.”
“That prick has definitely done illegal shit,” Lewis chimes in, his lips curled up in an angry grimace.
“Basically what can and probably will happen is this,” Jason continues, now sliding the NDA back toward him and thumbing through some more pages. “Once someone comes forward with anything that is incriminating and reports it to the police, you’re free to talk all you want.”
“Seriously?” I ask, shocked that it works that easily.
“Yes, seriously and that’s because of this,” Jason adds, now showing us the NDA with a page opened to an orange colored tab this time. “I’ll spare you legal mumbo jumbo and just tell you what it says.”
“Please do,” Lewis says, leaning back in his chair, a smug grin on his face. I know he’s thrilled about the prospect of taking Noel down and even more thrilled that it will have no impact on me legally.
“This is where his legal team failed him, this is where they got sloppy and didn’t change this agreement. You are legally allowed to discuss anything that happened on set once production has been completed or finalized. At the time that his legal team constructed this agreement they were more worried about script information being leaked to the public. They failed to worry about Noel’s behavior.”
“Production has been shut down. The production studio has decided not to go forward with the movie in the wake of the allegations against Noel made by the lead actress,” I say.
“I’d say that’s finalized then,” Lewis adds, again grinning wildly and I shake my head at his excitement.
“But why wouldn’t his other assistants have come forward? They have to have secrets too.” There were many before me and there’s no way they weren’t subjected to his behavior or any of his on-set antics.
“Most people are just scared of the words non-disclosure agreement and even more so, most people don’t have a lawyer on retainer to pick through it for them,” Jason states simply, and it makes complete sense.
“Not to mention that this prick has more money than he knows what to do with. Someone in your position wouldn’t suddenly decide they wanted to take that on. You’ve seen what Noel can do with a few dollars and a team of lawyers,” Lewis reminds me.
He’s completely spot-on too. Noel has no problem throwing money around to shut people up and a small fish like myself or the girls who came before me, would be intimidated and more than likely afraid to upset the apple cart. No one wants a spotlight on them and taking on Noel Robinson is exactly what will happen, but I can’t let that deter me. Learning that my NDA basically means nothing gives me the boost I need.
We leave the lawyer’s office and I already feel lighter, and when Lewis takes my hand, he looks over at me. A small smile crossing his lips, his eyes shining as he runs his other hand through his hair.
“I’m proud of you, Ava. I know it doesn’t’ feel like a big deal to you, but this industry you’re in is full of arseholes and you’re about to make things a lot better for everyone else. Now call that reporter and ask him what he needs you to do.”
I grab for my phone, a nervousness fluttering in my chest, making my heart race, but Lewis is right. Helping this reporter won’t help me, but it will help everyone who will come in contact with Noel after this article is written. It will save people the stress and the anguish of wondering what it will be like to work for someone who has no respect for you and has no issue treating you like garbage.
The phone begins to ring; trilling loud in my ears that are already pulsing and then comes Roger’s voice over the line.
“Ava Bristol?” he questions, his words sound more shocked than anything. Despite agreeing to help him and even taking the time to meet with Sadie to attempt to bring her onboard, I’m sure he has his own concerns that I wouldn’t follow through with our verbal commitment.
“Yes, Roger, it’s Ava.”
“I really didn’t think I’d hear from you again,” he immediately admits, and I let out a little chuckle.
“I wasn’t entirely certain either, but we’re good to go. Let me know what you need from me.”
There’s a moment of hesitation before Roger speaks again and I hear the shuffling of papers in the background. I can’t imagine the amount of notes and emails and contacts he has to sort through as he builds his story against Noel.
“Ideally I’d love if you could get Sadie Washington onboard, but I do understand that this will prove wholly difficult. She would align with her husband.”
“I don’t think it’s so much that she’s aligning with her husband,” I say, defending Sadie since I know she doesn’t want people to think that about her. “She doesn’t want any involvement in it because it will affect her career.”
“I understand this and I won’t push it for now, but eventually she’ll have to come around.”
This is probably true, but it will be on her terms by then and hopefully by then she’ll have moved forward with divorcing Noel and separating herself from him entirely.
“So here’s what I need from you,” Roger continues. “I need you to contact these two women. They’re former assistants of Noel’s and while I contacted them already, I think it would help if it came from someone who has been in their shoes.”
I agree to contact them and Roger gives me some phones numbers, addresses, and email contacts and we hang up, agreeing to talk should he need anything else from me.
A few hours later I’ve talked with both of them and somehow managed to convince them to give Roger a call. They’ve been avoiding him for all the reasons the lawyer said they would. They feared retaliation and one of them had worked for Noel during a time when he had just joined forces with the production company for which he now holds a seat on their board. She admitted to me that she had involvement in hiding stories from the press because there were times where Noel feared backlash to the company.
The other woman worked for Noel during his three Oscar wins a
nd watched him change from someone who was determined to make it big into someone who would do whatever it took to remain on top. Both have stories to tell, both were subjected to his abuse and his sketchy activity. And while what they shared didn’t seem to be illegal, they were still manipulated and controlled by Noel. They each even went as far as to say they knew of times where Noel’s lawyers paid to keep people quiet. Quiet from what, they couldn’t specifically say, but that’s where Roger’s investigative background will come into play.
“How’d it go?” Lewis asks as I flop down on the couch next to him, exhausted and feeling a little guilty.
“They both agreed to call Roger and that’s all I can do. They shared some things with me and I realize that quitting when I did saved me from being subjected to any of it.”
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it over and over, I’m so proud of you and I’m insanely lucky to call you my wife,” Lewis states, bringing tears to my eyes.
Quitting my job made me feel like a failure. It was snap decision and something I did out of fear and anger and impulsivity, and when all was said and done, I lamented my choice for weeks. I replayed it in my head over and over, and each time I made excuses for Noel’s behavior, I questioned myself and if what I saw was really worth quitting over. But the more I delve into this and the stories I keep hearing, I know I made the right choice.
Having Lewis in my life and his encouragement has made things easier, and my decision is now something I am proud of too.
“Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you.” I lean against him, his lips pressing to the top of my head and making feel far more supported and loved than I have ever in my life.
“You could have, and you would have, but it’s so much better when we take things on together.”
I feel the tears begin to fall from my eyes and I know that marrying Lewis was the best snap decision I have ever made. Who would have thought that after three months together I’d find the person I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. That I’d walk into a random bar and fall in love the bartender.
“I love you,” I tell him, my eyes wet with tears as I kiss him over and over.
“I love you too. Now let’s start our next adventure together.”
“Moving?” I ask, leaning back to look at him as he grins boldly, that signature panty-dropping smile.
“Knocking you up,” he teases, and we’re both laughing as his lips collide with mine.
Epilogue
Three weeks later
Lewis
I glance out the window at my dog, running around her new backyard, tongue hanging out and acting like a total goofball. It’s clear she loves the space though, the freedom to go outside when she wants instead of waiting for us to take her.
Downstairs, I can hear Ava walking around in the kitchen, the sound of her feet on the hardwood floors a reminder of the night she first walked into my pub, dragged a stool out and sat down waiting for me.
She thought I was ignoring her that night, but actually, I’d seen her as soon as she’d come in. Watched as she’d made her way to the bar, her eyes looking around the room as though she wasn’t sure she should even be there.
She was clearly out of her comfort zone, but I liked the fact that she’d pulled up a seat and stuck around anyway, her impatience at my absence written all over her face.
I liked the shit she’d given me when I finally got my shit together and walked out to serve her too. Fucking loved that she’d been all about adding me to her bucket list and let me carry her upstairs to my bed.
She’d been nervous at first, that much was obvious, but flirty too and I loved that. Loved that she was confident enough to say fuck it to her fears and just go with it.
Loved that about her still.
What she didn’t realize though and what I’d never told her, was just how much she had affected me that night and every night since. How watching her walk into my pub had done things to me; things I’d never experienced before. Things I still felt now, every time I saw her.
The feeling of my heart racing inside my chest, a weird energy coursing through my body, the jolt of electricity I felt every single time she touched me. It was true when I told she was it for me. She had been, ever since that first night.
And it was true that we were more than just really good sex too. That even though our relationship might have initially started out as physical, at least to the outside world, she and I both knew it was so much more than that.
These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of craziness. Our offer on the house was accepted almost immediately and we were both excited to move as soon as possible. Not just because we like the idea of having more space and somewhere private and secure. But because this place will be ours, something we bought together.
Things with the press had continue to settle down, the injunction clearly having an effect. I still check over my shoulder whenever we go out somewhere and they’re still banned from coming into my pub, but for the most part, they seem to have decided to leave us alone.
Joanna has been quiet too, and while I still don’t trust she’ll stay that way, at least she no longer knows where we live.
And Noel, god that wanker has been the biggest surprise in all of this. Disappearing like the coward he is as soon as Jason reminded his lawyers about his ineffective NDA that Ava had signed. The little shit is clearly scared Ava’s going to talk now that she legally could and has basically walked away.
No more threats, no more unexpected visits to the pub and no more bullshit stories in the press about how wonderful he is and all the great things he’s done for the industry and whatever.
I definitely didn’t believe he’d disappear though, and I know with Ava still helping that journalist, that eventually the shit will hit the fan again, but for now at least, she’s safe from it all.
Plus, she’s back working with Julia again and I know that this makes her very happy.
Daisy barks, running after a ball that Ava has clearly thrown for her from somewhere in the kitchen. I chuckle, watching as she runs after it, then gets distracted by a bird and decides to run after that.
Ava’s feet sound out on the floors again and I turn, walk to the doorway and call out to her.
“Ava, baby, you got a sec?”
“Yep,” she calls back. “Hang on.”
I wait for her in the doorway to our new bedroom, my hands resting on the top of the doorframe as she comes up the stairs. When she turns in the direction of our bedroom and sees me, she pauses, a smile tugging at her mouth.
“What’s up?” she asks, stopping just out of reach in front of me.
Grinning I reach out for her, sliding my arm around her waist and pulling her against me. God this woman, she still affects me, even after all these months. That intense physical connection we share has only intensified from everything we’ve been through these past few weeks. My attraction to her only growing stronger as I’ve watched her deal with all the bullshit with Noel and her job. The shit with Joanna too.
She’s amazing and strong and just a total bad arse.
“There’s something we need to do,” I whisper, my mouth at her ear.
She pulls back a little, looking up at me with a confused expression on her face. “What’s that?”
Chuckling, I brush my lips against hers. “We need to christen the bedroom.”
Ava laughs, a light blush on her cheeks as she puts her hands against my chest. “Only you could suggest that,” she murmurs.
“What?” I ask, feigning surprise. “We do, it’s tradition.”
“Tradition?” she asks, one eyebrow raised.
“Yeah, tradition,” I repeat.
“But you don’t believe in tradition,” she teases.
“I might not be traditional, baby,” I say, squeezing her arse. “But I do strongly believe in making sure my wife is always extremely satisfied.”
Ava laughs. “I see. Well to be fair, Lewis,” she adds, hand skimming
over my chest. “You most certainly take care of that.”
Now it’s me laughing. “Ever since that first night, right?”
“Yep,” she whispers. “Ever since that first night.”
“We were always more though,” I add, my words now a whisper.
Ava nods. “We were.”
“Right,” I say grinning, my hands on her arse as I pull her against me. “So, about this christening…”
Ava laughs. “It’s gotta be done right now? Literally five minutes after the moving company has left?”
My grin widens. “Yeah, I’ve been waiting for them to go,” I tell her. “We got a lotta rooms to cover.”
“We do?” she asks, still smiling up at me.
“Yes, sweet girl,” I say, leaning down to kiss her again. “The bedroom’s just the start, after that we got the bathroom, the tub, the kitchen, the study, the staircase, wine cellar…”
“Hang on,” she says, hands pushing me back as I nuzzle at her neck. “The wine cellar?” she repeats. “You seriously want to christen the wine cellar?” she asks.
Chuckling, I press a kiss to the corner of her jaw, nibbling at the skin and making her sigh, her body folding into mine. “Ava, we’re gonna christen every room in this house,” I tell her. “Now come here,” I add, slipping my hands to her arse and picking her up. “This bed of ours is crying out for some action.”
Ava slips her arms around my neck, a smile on her face as she leans in and kisses me. “This bed of ours sees action every single night.”
Chuckling, I turn and walk us toward it, knowing she’s right. “Just the way I like it, sweet girl,” I say, lowering her to the bed as I hover over her. “Just the way I like it.”
