by Toni Aleo
“He’s a dick, for sure.”
Pulling back, she looked up at him and nodded. “I’m just so tired.”
He smiled. He was tired too, but he would gladly be tired for the rest of his days if he got to spend every night like he had last night with her. “Me too.”
He cupped her face, and she leaned into his hand as she closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, he found them swimming in tears as her little lip wobbled a bit. “I’m sorry you had to deal with all that.”
“You don’t apologize for that fucker, Lucy.”
She paused, looking up at him. “You’re right. I’m sorry I snapped at you for just doing what a man who cares for someone would do.” His heart fluttered as his lips curved. He held her gaze as she cleared her throat. “It just really hard with him, and I’m not used to someone wanting to stand up for me against him.”
“Well, get used to it, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
She let out a long breath, shaking her head. “That’s the thing, Benji. You can’t. He will use it against me.”
Benji gave her an incredulous look. “How in the world can he use me standing up for you against you? I don’t understand. You don’t matter to him. The only thing that should matter is Angie and her best interests.”
When her lip started to tremble harder, he took her by her hips and a tear rolled down her cheek. Reaching up, he wiped her face free. “Don’t cry, baby. Please.”
But the tears kept coming. “He wants to go week on/week off with me. Where I would get her one week, he would get her the next, and so on. Angie can’t do that. She needs stability. With her ADHD, she needs the consistency, the reassurance of permanency. She loves her school, they honor her 504 Plan, and we are comfortable there. He isn’t in her school district. And I know he won’t drive her, he’ll try to get me to drive her to his school district.”
“That’s stupid, though. It’s not ideal for Angie.”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s doing this to hurt me. I know he is because he doesn’t care at all about what Angie needs. He says that I used the ADHD as a shield, something to keep her in my clutches, when that’s not it. I want her to have a daddy, someone who loves her and whom she can trust. But I told him I don’t want her in dance, that she feels like she’s being ignored., And he said he feels they can be better parents, and Benji—” Her voice broke and he took her in his arms, his heart shattering in his chest as she sobbed. Holding him tightly, she pressed her face to his chest, clenching his shirt in her fist. “I can’t do that. I can’t go week to week. If it would benefit her, then, yes, I could understand and I would deal. But it won’t. She comes home from his house and it takes a day or two to get her back to who she is. Happy and carefree. She is better with me, I know it, and he makes me question that.”
“Lucy, don’t you dare,” he said roughly against her temple. “That won’t happen. He won’t get her, there is no way. He’s a dick—anyone can see that.”
“Yes, I know. But he has the family—the wife, the daughter, a steady job. It makes me so nervous. He’s looking for anything, and it scares me. It scares me so damn bad,” she said, her body shaking as her words were muffled. He leaned in to hear her as she whispered, “He wanted me to keep River away from her. I refused and now he’s added you.” Pausing to sniff hard, she looked up at him and shook her head. “She would be devastated if I told her she couldn’t see you.”
“Me too,” he admitted, his throat tight with emotion.
“And I would be devastated.”
Holding her close, he leaned his head to hers, kissing her temple. “That won’t happen. Remember that fighting you for you thing I have no problem doing? This falls into that category. I’m sorry, but I won’t let you.”
She tried to smile, but the tears came faster and she slowly shook her head. “I just don’t know what to do. He scares the living shit out of me.”
“He can’t touch you, and he won’t get Angie. It won’t happen,” he repeated, holding her and kissing her temple. “I promise.”
“Benji, you can’t promise that.”
“Well, I’m promising it,” he said roughly, kissing her once more.
“He wants me to break up with you,” she whispered against his neck and he froze. “He texted that at lunch.”
He held his breath. “What did you say?”
“I told him to fuck off,” she said softly. “And he said I better hope Angie never says that you touch her. He’s such a fucking asshole!” she yelled against his chest, her fist balling up as her body broke with a sob.
His eyes fell shut as she clung to him, his fingers biting into her ribs as his heart ached. “Lucy, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. Tell me what I can do.”
“Hold me. Just hold me.”
“Done,” he whispered, kissing her once more, and he did. He held her as she cried, and he really didn’t know what to do. He had been sure she was going to throw the mom card in his face, but she didn’t. She clung to him, needed him, and it pleased him to no end. But the issue of Rick was still so strong. He really didn’t understand the dude. He had moved on, had a wife and daughter, so why was he so worried about Lucy? Why wasn’t she allowed to be happy? To move on, too?
It was sad.
On one hand, he wanted to hunt the dude down and kill him, but he knew that wouldn’t help anything. No, he’d have to be her rock, and he could do that. For her and Angie. Pulling back, he moved her hair out of her face and kissed her nose. Holding his gaze, she whispered, “Thank you.”
His brows pulled together as he shrugged. “For what? Being here for you? That’s a given, baby. Don’t thank me for that.”
“It’s not only that,” she whispered, her lip trembling. “I’ve never broken down about Rick to anyone but my mom. My brothers don’t even know, more because I just don’t think they’d understand. But you, it’s easy, and that is such a comforting feeling. I don’t think you realize how important that is to me.”
Moving his thumbs across her cheeks, he kissed her lips softly. “Well then, you’re welcome, Lucy.”
“You scare the living bejesus out of me, Benjamin Paxton.”
He scoffed. “Funny, you don’t scare me at all,” he said with a wink and she grinned, her dimples flashing as she leaned up to press her lips to his. Melting against her lips, he let his fingers bite into her hips as he squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, pulling away, she looked up at him with so much relief and need in her eyes that he found himself breathless. “You know, this shit with Rick… Let it go right now. Angie is with your mom and River, having a blast. There is nothing we can do now anyway, so how about we go back to my house and take a nap?”
She looked hopeful for one second, and then she shook her head. “I really need to pack. They need my stuff out by Tuesday.”
He cupped her face. “And it will be. But today we nap. Tomorrow, we work.”
But, of course, she protested. “No, you don’t have to do that. You have stuff to do, I’m sure. I’ve got this. Jayden and River are gonna help. Go do what you need to do.”
Benji nodded his head, already ready for her to try to deny his help. “Yeah, you’re right. I do have something to do.”
She nodded. “See, it’s fine. I’ve got—”
Pressing his nose to hers, he said, “I have to help my girlfriend move her stuff out of her old apartment and office.”
Her eyes darkened as her lips started to curve, only one dimple appearing. “Girlfriend?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I talked about her at lunch. She has this ass to die for,” he said, his hands sliding to her ass. “These eyes that leave me speechless, lips that should be on lipstick ads, and a smile that honestly makes it hard to even comprehend how God could give that smile to only one person.” Her lips fully smiled and both dimples appeared as her eyes lit up. Smiling, he whispered, “But thank God He did, because being on the receiving end of that smile… Heaven. Pure fucking heaven.”
She held his
gaze and his heart stopped in his chest as she said, “Wow, this girlfriend must be pretty lucky.”
Leaning his head to hers, he kissed her nose, his eyes falling shut. It wasn’t going to be easy loving this girl. No, between her shitty-ass ex and her way of dealing with things, it was going to be tough. She had a stream of bad luck that wasn’t for the faint of heart. She sure as hell could start a fight in an empty room. But the thing was, he didn’t care, because he was a pro at tough situations.
And she was worth the fight.
Pressing his nose to hers, he smiled as he whispered, “Actually, I think I’m the lucky one.”
When her phone vibrated in her hand, Lucy made a face when she saw it was her dad.
Again.
What the hell?
She did not want to speak with him. No, she was way too busy. Plus, she just didn’t want to hear his voice. Tucking her phone in her pocket, she looked around the room, confused as to what to do next. Her dad calling was messing with her brain.
“Hey, babe. Am I taking the boxes in the back of my truck to your office or to the warehouse?”
She looked up from where she was staring at the floor to see Benji standing in the doorway, looking back at her.
“Sorry, what?”
He smiled and, God, he was so sexy. He was wearing a ripped up, dirty, white shirt with some loose jeans that hugged his massive thighs. Wearing a purple Assassins beanie, he was sweating from all the heavy lifting he was doing. She wanted to ask him to stop, that River and Shea could help, but he insisted.
And she was so damn thankful.
“Boxes in the back of my truck. Where are they going?”
“The office. Thank you. Wait, shit. What time is it?”
She looked around frantically, feeling like she was losing it. The day before, with the help of her family and Benji, they had packed up her whole apartment, taking most of it to the warehouse and the rest to Jayden’s. They hadn’t finished, though, and had been finishing up while getting the office done today. She tried to tell Jayden and Benji not to worry about helping since they had a game that night, but they wouldn’t listen and had even brought Shea to help. By the grace of God, they were almost done, but she was going to lose it. She was sure.
“Baby, your phone is in your hand.”
“Sweet Lord in heaven,” she complained, looking down and then throwing her hands in the air. “I gotta go get Angie. Shit, I gotta help Shea and River. And then what time do you have to be at the arena?”
Closing the distance between them, he took her in his arms, cupping her face in his hands before kissing her nose. He had been just perfect the last two days. She was convinced he would run the other way after the shit with Rick or her vomiting her issues all over him, but he hadn’t. He stood beside her, reassuring her everything would be fine, and she clung to him like a koala. It was crazy, and she sure as hell didn’t like leaning on people, but she was leaning.
On Benji.
Especially with the move. It was hard getting everything together, and her emotions were all over the place. It was her first apartment after Rick, and she’d lost it. Yeah, it wasn’t her fault and Benji stressed that, but she felt like a failure. Particularly since she was living with her brother at the moment. She should just dip into her savings and get Angie and herself a place. But everything that was by Angie’s school was crazy-ass expensive and she just didn’t feel right about it. She needed that money for a lawyer in case shit did get nasty with Rick. No, she had to figure something else out.
And having Benji there to bounce ideas off and to just talk to, she was finding was really freaking nice.
“Okay, you go to the house with Shea. Take my truck. I’ll take your car, go get Angie, and then meet you at the house, take my truck back, and head to the arena. I have time.”
She bit into her lip. It was a good idea, but was it okay for her to send him to get her child? Angie would probably eat it up, but should he do that? “Are you sure? That’s kinda over and beyond the duties of a boyfriend, isn’t it?”
Shit, she admitted the boyfriend thing, but he must have missed that because he rolled his eyes. “Angie is an extension of you, remember? I don’t mind. If it’s going to help you out, I want to do it.”
She held his gaze and then nodded. “Thank you so much, and I promise sexual favors later,” she said quickly and he waggled his brows.
“Shit, I’ll be Angie’s chauffeur full time for those,” he said, kissing her lips quickly before taking her keys out of her pocket. He handed her his, and then kissed her once more. “Meet ya there.”
“Okay,” she said breathlessly as he rushed out, leaving her as her phone started to ring once more. Ignoring it, she rolled her eyes but then jumped when someone started squealing.
Her mother.
Shit.
“I knew it! He’s just perfect. How long have you two been together? I just knew when he said that at lunch he was talking about you. Ah! Why haven’t you told me?” she said, throwing question after question as Lucy moaned loudly.
“Mom, not now,” she complained as her phone sounded with a text. “Why the hell is Dad trying to get ahold of me?”
That made her mom pause, her smile dropping. “Your father?”
“Yeah,” she said, shaking her head and hitting the text.
Dad: Call me. It’s about a contract that just came in for your new office. And then Rick’s punk ass.
Her stomach dropped.
“Fuck,” she muttered and her mother’s eyes widened.
“What is it? And goodness, Lucy, your mouth. I’m sure Benji doesn’t like that foulness.”
But Lucy ignored her, hitting her dad’s name. “He doesn’t care. Hold on,” she said, walking out of the building into the brisk, cold air. Winter was coming and she couldn’t say she was ready. She hated the cold. As she cuddled into her coat, her father’s deep voice came across the line.
“Lucy, how are you? How’s Angie?” he asked happily, making her skin crawl.
“What contract? What about Rick?”
“Right to business, I see.” When she didn’t say anything, he cleared his throat. “Well, then. I got a contract from Paul Nixon, representation for Benjamin Paxton?”
“Yeah, that’s who I’m renting my new office from,” she said simply, her face twisting in confusion. “Why would you get that contract, though?”
“You have me listed as your lawyer on your website still.”
Oh. Well, that needed to be changed. “Okay, anything wrong with the contract?”
“No, it’s pretty cut-and-dried. But do you know this guy or something? This rent is way too low for a real office building.”
Lucy’s glare deepened. “Does that matter?”
“No, just making sure you aren’t getting screwed over.”
Her blood boiled. “Is the contract good or not?”
“It’s good. It’s fair, just really low for rent. Is it legit? Did you have it checked out?”
“Yes,” she lied and then made a note to do that, even though she was already moving in to it.
“Okay, well, on to the next order of business,” he said simply, unfazed the hatred in Lucy’s voice. “That son of a bitch had his lawyer contact me about splitting Angie’s time fifty-fifty. I asked what the reasoning was, and he informed me that his son of a bitch client doesn’t like the way you are raising his daughter. I told him that he can take us to court, but he better have some solid proof to back up his claims. He asked to settle out of court. I told him to take a flying leap. Just wanted to let you know.”
Biting into her lip, she closed her eyes, her body shaking with nerves. “Do you think he’ll do it?”
He paused, letting out a long sigh. She could just see him. Sitting at his desk, his pen at his lips, really thinking. So many summers she had watched him do just that. “I don’t think so. I told him he’ll be paying all the court costs and everything else. That we are completely good with the parenting plan the judge
decided. That dickface agreed, too, when the divorce was finalized. He’d be dumb to take us to court, honestly. You keep records of everything still? All the texts, emails, recordings of your phone conversations? Have you gotten anything from the school lately?”
Her stomach was still hurting as she cleared her throat. “Yeah, I’m still doing that. But, no, she’s been doing great in school. The new medication is working wonders.”
“Yeah, but you need to make sure you keep an ear out. Is she still shutting down when she gets home from his house?”
“Sorta, but hockey has been really great for her.”
He clicked his tongue. “Okay, that’s good. You are doing it right, Lucy.”
“Should I be worried?”
He let out a long breath. “You know, Laney, I don’t think so. But I’ll keep you in the loop if anything changes.”
Her heart skipped at the nickname he had for her. He hadn’t called her that in years, and it hurt to hear it. Her dad used to be her hero, the person she loved most and looked up to. She had wanted to be a lawyer for so long because he was one. She would play hockey with the boys and him, just so she could be the center of attention. She was daddy’s little girl. But when it came out that he was cheating on her mother, that he had a whole other life with another woman, he not only broke her mom’s heart, he broke Lucy’s too. That was the day her heart turned to stone and she never trusted a man again.
Well, until now.
Until Benji.
Clearing her throat free of emotion, she nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Of course. Call if you need anything.”
She didn’t answer, she just hung up and slowly shook her head, the nerves eating her alive. She wasn’t sure if she should trust what her dad was saying. How would he know if Rick was going to take them to court? She knew he would fight. He loved Angie and knew what Rick had done to them, but still, neither of them knew Rick’s financial status. Money talked, but she had so much on him. No, she was fine, but would he really do this?
Looking at her phone, she considered calling Rick, but it wouldn’t end well. No, it would get nasty, so she called Benji.
