Jordan's Justice: A New Adult Sport Romance (Tessa and Jordan Book 2)

by T Christensen

  With less cordiality, Tessa responded, “I have not avoided you.”

  “Two days with no communication. Avoidance,” he shot back.

  She’d needed both days to come to grips with the fact that she might be pregnant.

  “Communication goes both ways, Jordan. I haven’t heard from you either.”

  Jordan reached inside his suit pocket and extended a thick stack of folded papers toward her.

  It felt like he had placed a hissing snake between them and it was getting ready to strike. She didn’t want anything to do with those papers.

  “Take them, Tessa.”

  With her wide eyes glued to the papers, she reached out a shaking hand and unfolded them. The big, bold black letters snagged her attention.

  PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT

  Made this _____ day of ________, 2020

  by

  Jordan Davis

  and

  Tessa Parker

  The words burned a hole in her retinas, and she couldn’t breathe. Her panicked brain couldn’t see past the words to figure out how to get out of this.

  “The ceremony is at my family’s church. Friday at four p.m. with only family present.”

  Jordan’s calm declaration helped Tessa’s anger overcome her numb state. Her head jerked up, and she said through the red haze building in her, “No.”

  She didn’t even recognize her voice. It was dead and toneless.

  “No to the prenup? The day? The wedding? You have to be more specific, Tessa.”

  She was not a child and refused to be spoken to like she was. Standing up, she shoved the papers back at him, but he didn’t reach for them.

  With a flick of her wrist, they landed in his lap. Jordan stood up and snagged Tessa’s wrist. His anger was clear with every stilted, controlled movement.

  “Sit down, Tessa.”

  She was over him thinking he could dictate all of her movements. “No.”

  Immense satisfaction radiated through her when his lips molded together, and his nostrils flared. She glared at him, and Jordan reacted by pulling on her wrist. Tessa wasn’t expecting the quick motion, and she fell toward him. He let go of her wrist and caught her shoulders, bringing her even closer to him. Before she could take a breath, his lips were on hers.

  At first, she was too stunned to do anything other than accept the kiss. One of his hands moved up to cup her head, and the other cupped her cheek while his thumb brushed her tense jawline. The soft caress created a spark that loosened the joint, and Jordan’s tongue swept into her mouth.

  “I won, I won, I won!”

  Jordis’s celebratory yelling from the bedroom was like a bucket of cold water. Tessa jerked back from Jordan and drew in some deep breaths to cool the desire simmering in her.

  He looked at the ceiling and heaved in a breath before lowering his head and pinning her to the spot with the intensity burning in his eyes.

  “I won’t share Jordis. I’ve lost too much time with her, and I won’t have another child out of wedlock.”

  His tone wasn’t harsh, but it was resolute. Tessa was also determined to have her way, but she suppressed the need to yell that he was crazy. She had to remain calm and have a rational discussion.

  “How could a marriage between us ever work, Jordan?”

  “If we don’t bring up the past, it will work.”

  Tessa scoffed. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one being accused of blackmail.”

  “Are you saying you didn’t blackmail my mom?”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” Tessa fired back.

  “Then why have I seen a cashed check and a contract with your signature?”

  Tessa swallowed the urge to yell a denial at the top of her lungs. Through the tightening in her chest, she admitted, “I took a check, yes.”

  His condescending, raised brow increased her irritation. Tessa narrowed her gaze and continued tightly, “But I never signed a contract!”

  Jordan’s jaw ticked again. “Let me get this straight. You took a check, but it wasn’t a payoff? And the document I have with your signature was a figment of my imagination? Oh, and my mom is a liar? Is that really what you want me to believe, Tessa?”

  Frustrated tears were banked and ready to flow, but she blinked them away. His sarcasm wasn’t lost on her, but everything he said was true.

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” she said.

  Jordan opened his mouth as she braced herself for a blistering attack, but he only said, “We’re done discussing this.”

  She wanted to argue, but he slashed his hand down, cutting her off. “No. We are never discussing this again. The past is done. We’re moving forward.”

  “And according to you forward is what, getting married?”

  “Yes,” Jordan said succinctly.

  “No,” she said again.

  Jordan took the prenup off the floor and towered over her.

  “We will get married on Friday, and we won’t speak of the past again. If you are not there, I will hire as many lawyers as it takes to ensure I have full custody of Jordis. I will make sure that her lying, blackmailing mom won’t ever see her.”

  Jordan stared down his nose at her as Tessa’s vision blurred. She had no response. His money and fake papers would bury her. He would actually rip Jordis away from her. When Jordan seemed to understand that she was beaten, he stalked to the door and clipped it shut behind him.

  Tessa collapsed against the back of the couch. Her breaths came in pants, and she knew she had only a few precious seconds to compose herself before Jordis or her mom came out.

  The pitter-patter coming down the hall told her it was Jordis she would have to talk to first. Tessa’s reason for living came to stand in front of her. Her confused face searched the apartment before swinging back to her.

  “Where Jordan?”

  Her daughter’s quivering lip made Tessa push off the coach and pick her up. Jordis snuggled her head under her chin, and they settled on the couch together.

  “He got a call and had to go, sweetie.”

  Tessa didn’t like lying to Jordis, but what was she supposed to say—he called your mommy a blackmailing bitch and stalked out? How ironic that Jordan was now blackmailing her.

  Placing a kiss on her daughter’s head, Tessa took a deep breath. Regardless of what was going on between her and Jordan, she needed to remember that he was Jordis’s father.

  “Sweetie, Jordan wanted to say goodbye, but I didn’t think you would want to stop your game with Nana.”

  Jordis lifted her head, and she peeked up at Tessa. “Jordan still like me?”

  An invisible noose tightened around Tessa’s neck. She choked out, “Jordis, Jordan loves you.”

  Her face cleared, and she slid down to the floor. “I call Jordan.”

  Tessa’s heart shattered and sank to her stomach. Jordis had put the final nail in her coffin. She loved Jordan, and Tessa would do anything for her daughter.

  Forcing a smile on her face, she inhaled the top of Jordis’s head and breathed in her life's essence. Her socks were cement blocks as she forced one foot in front of the other as she went to get her phone so Jordis could call Jordan.

  ___________________

  Chapter 22

  ___________________

  The anger simmering in his blood fired up as soon as Jordan saw Tessa’s name flash across his dashboard display. He stabbed the button on the steering wheel to connect the call.

  “Everything that needed to be said has been said.”

  The long silence made Jordan check to be sure the line was still connected. Just as he was getting ready to bark at Tessa, her husky voice finally responded, “I told Jordis about your important call. She wanted to call and talk with you.”

  Jordan tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about.

  Before he could put the pieces together, Jordis’s accusatory voice said, “You not say bye.”

  Jordan was gutted at the hurt he heard in her voice
. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel, wondering what the hell Tessa had said to her. Then it dawned on him that she had actually covered for him.

  “You’re right. I didn’t,” Jordan sighed out with regret.

  “Mommy get me next time.”

  Jordan could tell Jordis was disgruntled with Tessa. But why was she upset with her and not him?

  “Next time for what Jordis?”

  “She get me for byes. She promise.”

  Before Jordan could respond, Jordis hesitatingly asked, “Mommy say you love me. You love me?”

  Jordan’s foot lifted from the gas pedal, and he stopped breathing. His heart stopped and then swelled. His daughter sounded hopeful that he would love her, and it was Tessa who had planted the idea.

  Why would she dig him out of the hole he had made with Jordis? This had to be a means to an end for Tessa, but he’d figure it out later.

  “I do love you, Jordis. I promised not to leave without saying goodbye again. Can I talk to Mommy?”

  “Mommy, you.”

  From the distance of Jordis’s voice, Jordan assumed she’d held the phone out to Tessa. He heard her response through the line.

  “Tell Jordan Mommy has to work, sweetie.”

  Dutifully Jordis repeated, “Mommy work. Bye, Jordan.”

  Before he could say anything, the line disconnected. Any goodwill he’d harbored vanished. His blood was back to boiling.

  ___________________

  Chapter 23

  ___________________

  “This prenup has standard language, Ms. Parker.”

  Tessa resisted the urge to pull her hair out at his vague answers. She only had enough money to pay this lawyer for two hours so she couldn’t afford to snap at him or lose her temper. He was the only lawyer she could afford and who could meet with her on short notice. Her goal was to keep focused and get direct answers.

  “Tell me the highlights.”

  Tom Reynolds looked at her above his reading glasses with raised brows at her brisk request. Tessa didn’t care that he was offended. If she was signing the prenuptial agreement, she was going to know exactly what was in it.

  Tom flipped back to the beginning of the document and spoke as he skimmed the papers.

  “All property owned before marriage will remain the same if the marriage is dissolved.”

  “A car and a home of your choosing will be yours in case of divorce. All other acquired property will go to Mr. Davis.”

  “Any business started by either party will remain, one hundred percent, with the original person.”

  They sat at a small table situated in Tom’s office. Tessa furiously scribbled notes as he spoke, trying to capture everything he said. So far everything had seemed reasonable. To her surprise, it seemed more than fair.

  “Before entering matrimony, Mr. Davis will pay all outstanding medical debts for Jessica Parker.”

  “What?” Tessa breathed out.

  Tom flipped his eyes to her astonished, frozen face. “There’s more.”

  “Mr. Davis will pay Jessica Parker’s rent and employ a full-time nurse or caregiver for her.”

  Tom looked up as Tessa ran his words through her head. What she’d heard couldn’t be right.

  She slowly repeated it. “Jordan is going to pay off all of my mom’s medical debt, pay her rent, and hire a nurse to take care of her?”

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  Her brain whirled. “What about if we get divorced?”

  Tom went back to the papers in front of him. “Her rent will be paid for an additional year. The nurse would no longer be paid for.”

  Her brain hurt trying to think of what the downside was to this until she realized there had been no mention of Jordis.

  “What about our daughter, Jordis?”

  Tom leaned forward, pressing his hands together. “He gets full custody.”

  Anger exploded in her. That son of a bitch. She tried to focus. There was no time to rant and run out to confront Jordan.

  “Do I get any visitation?”

  “Nothing is written about visitation.”

  The ball of fire forming in her gut ached for release, and Tessa had to close her eyes and take several deep breaths. None of the other provisions mattered. None. The only thing she wanted out of a divorce was Jordis.

  “Show me where it says that.”

  For their remaining time, Tessa made sure she understood the language in the contract. Tom walked her through what she could have added that would ensure they would have joint custody of Jordis and share the expenses if they divorced. Neither one would take on additional expenses regarding Jordis unless both parties agreed to it.

  _________________________

  Tessa had spent the last two days feeling like a simmering volcano. After she’d met with Tom, she had to fight the urge to find Jordan, tear up the prenup, and declare that there was no way in hell they would ever be married. However, there was enough of her sanity left to understand that throwing a tantrum would not get her what she wanted.

  This morning Tessa was up before her alarm went off. Today was the day she was confronting Jordan, and she was more than ready. If he thought he could mess with her family, he had another thing coming.

  At seven a.m. she texted him.

  T: Meet me at the downtown library this morning at 9:00. Kennedy Room.

  Jordan’s response was immediate.

  J: Why?

  T: Prenup

  The stupid dots went on and on. Tessa held her phone so tightly that she was surprised it didn’t break. Finally, the message came.

  J: Library? Shouldn’t it be with a lawyer?

  The urge to pick up the phone to call Jordan and give him a piece of her mind was strong, but she wanted to see him in person. She needed to see his face when he realized he wouldn’t get away with trying to take her daughter away from her. Tessa kept her answer short and sweet.

  T: No

  She stood in her tiny kitchen glaring at her phone. There were no dots, and moments later Tessa realized he wasn’t going to respond. Bastard. He’d better be there. She swore to God that she was going to strangle him if he didn’t show. Tessa forced herself to stop staring and pretending she could conjure up a response from Jordan.

  Sophia had the day off and would be at the apartment with Jordis and her mom. Tessa had to work this afternoon. That meant she had from nine until three to determine her and Jordis’s future.

  Tessa headed out to the library and glanced at her phone for the millionth time. Still no response. Would he meet her? Would he bring a lawyer? If Jordan didn’t meet her, she would go find him. For her peace of mind, she needed this done.

  The only leverage she had with Jordan was the prenup. Tessa knew he wouldn’t marry her without one, and for some reason he was determined that they get married. She was not going to sign the prenup unless she had joint custody of Jordis.

  At eight forty-five, she sat in the Kennedy Room facing the door. Her heart beat out of her chest, and her cold, clammy hands rested in her lap. The echoes of her accelerated breathing were clear in the starkly furnished meeting room.

  At long last Jordan calmly slid through the door, closing it behind him and staring down at her. Tessa’s breath caught. He wore a gray suit with a baby-blue dress shirt and silver tie. His outfit showcased his fit body and highlighted his eyes.

  Tessa was immediately thrown off-balance. She looked like a college student in her worn jeans, T-shirt, and canvas shoes. Tessa had thought meeting on her territory would give her an advantage, but she’d neglected to remember Jordan commanded any room he entered.

  She gulped and broke the tension. “Are you going to sit down or lord over me?” She breathed a sigh of relief that her nerves didn’t come through in her voice.

  “You’d better not be wasting my time, Tessa.”

  Jordan’s low warning as he sat down reenforced her backbone. She jerked her head up and looked him dead in the eye.

  “If yo
u want to get married on Friday, you’d better sit down and listen to me.”

  His eyebrow quirked, but after a beat, he calmly sat.

  “We’re getting married on Friday. I’m here to offer you an olive branch, Tessa. Nothing in that prenup is changing.”

  The volcano simmering ever since she’d met with her lawyer erupted. “There is no fucking way that when this sham marriage ends you’re getting full custody of Jordis.”

  Jordan tsk-tsked, which only made her blood run hotter. “Is that any way for a lady to talk, Tessa?”

  Tessa jumped up and glared down at him as he sat back in his chair. “Fuck you, Jordan! I don’t care about anything else in the prenup. You will not get full custody of Jordis.”

  It was like she’d said some magic words that caused Jordan to finally react. He sat up in his chair and leaned forward. The calculating look in his eyes stilled her anger, and a caution warning went off in her head.

  “Are you saying you don’t want your mom’s medical bills and rent paid?”

  Tessa bit her tongue before saying anything else. Of course she wanted those things, but not at the cost of losing Jordis.

  A calmness spread through her, and she sat back down. “I’m saying I would trade all of those things to ensure that I had joint custody of Jordis. Unlike you, I have no desire to tear her away from one of her parents.”

  Jordan narrowed his eyes. It was the only reaction he gave that indicated her barb had hit home. He probed her face before his lips turned up into a smirk.

  “Done. I’ll have the lawyer redraft the papers, and we’ll meet at his office to sign them.”

  She locked her jaw. “No. You deliver them to me.”

  Jordan stood, once again towering over her. “When we sign them, they have to be notarized. My lawyer is a notary. We’ll meet in his office.”

  He swung around as he opened the door. “Plan on being there tomorrow.”

  Tessa watched him through the glass panel in the door until she couldn’t see him anymore. Then she dropped her head down on top of her folded arms and cried.