Loving Jade: Flynn's story - Riverstone Estate Series - standalone

by Roya Carmen

  My blood boils at the sound of his words. Classic domination. She’s mentioned this before – the man clearly uses sex to control her. I wonder if his approach is working. I wonder if she still wants him. I’m not a violent man but at the moment, it’s all I can do to keep myself from clocking the man.

  What a fucking ass.

  He’s the first to notice me standing next to them, almost as if he senses the energy coming off me. His dark eyes take me in slowly as he registers me. I don’t think I’ve ever been under such scrutiny. I turn on the charm and offer my hand.

  You want to play psychological games, you fucking asshole, you’ve come to the master.

  “Hello, I’m Flynn.”

  It is imperative that he not see me as a threat. My goal is to keep Jade here with us, away from him. I hope to be able to get this man to leave without a fuss or disruption to the party. I don’t know if this was part of his masterplan, but he certainly picked a hell of day to come back for Jade.

  A very aggressive handshake follows. “I’m Michael,” he offers, his mouth a hard line. “Jade’s husband.” The man is pissing circles around me – marking his territory.

  “Yes, we’ve heard much about you, Michael,” I say, my words measured.

  “I hope you don’t mind but I just let myself in,” he tells me. “Who is the birthday boy?”

  “That’s my nephew, Trevor.”

  A wide smile stretches across his face. “Yes, I see the resemblance. I thought he may have been your son.”

  I’m surprised to find myself smiling genuinely – the man is good – extremely charming, and that’s part of the problem. “We get that a lot.”

  I shoot a quick glance at Jade, who is slack jawed, as if she can’t quite work out this puzzle. She can’t quite understand what I’m up to.

  The scene is certainly strange – I’ll give her that.

  “Please come in,” I urge. “Can I offer you coffee?”

  “I’ll have a beer,” he says curtly as he follows us to the kitchen. So far, so good – no drama. He and Jade take a seat at the table, which is covered with paper plates and cups, abandoned birthday cake and milk.

  “You like Corona?” I ask as I reach into the cooler. The ice has melted and it is now a box filled with freezing water.

  “Love it,” he says.

  “With a slice of lime?”

  “Sure.” His eyes are fixed on Jade, who sits quietly across him and is silent as a mouse. The transformation baffles me – she is not the same woman I’ve come to know. Usually lively and energetic, she is now subdued and submissive.

  I grab the bottle and head to the counter to slice the lime. Amber walks in, and eyes him curiously. My breath catches as I observe her taking him in. My sister is not an idiot – she will put two and two together soon enough. “Hey, Amber… this is Michael… Jade’s husband,” I say cheerfully as I hand him his beer.

  Her eyes grow wide as the realization of who this man is dawns on her. I know how temperamental my sister can be – I need to intervene right now. “Actually, Amb, I was looking for some margarita salt earlier, and I can’t find it,” I tell her, nodding in the direction of the pantry, hoping she will clue in.

  “Uh… yes. It’s kind of hidden. Come and I’ll show you.”

  I follow her eagerly into the pantry.

  As soon as we’re out of their sight, she goes wild. “Are you insane?” she asks in hushed tones. “You invite this man in our house, and offer him beer?”

  “Well, actually… I didn’t invite him. He let himself in, and we cannot alienate him. He’s a volatile man and I’m being kind because I don’t want him to cause a scene and drag Jade out of here. She’s extremely vulnerable, and if he wants to take her with him, I’m not sure she’ll be able to say no. And I want to chat with him a little so I can get a better read on him and figure out his plan.”

  She crosses her arms with a pout and concedes. “I get it.”

  I smile at her. “Play nice, little sis.”

  We head back out, a glass jar of margarita salt in hand. I decide to whip up a few margaritas to lend authenticity to the whole scene – and a little tequila could certainly not hurt at the moment. “Anyone up for a margarita?” I call out. Yes, everything is cool around here – no one suspects a thing. No one has a clue you hit your wife, you dick.

  “I’ll take one,” Amber cheers and then she introduces herself to Michael. “Hi, I’m Amber. I’m the birthday boy’s mom.”

  “Nice to meet you, Amber,” he says kindly as he takes a swig of his Corona. “Are you… I’m sorry, I forget your name, buddy.”

  “Flynn. Flynn Riverstone.”

  “Are you and Flynn sister and brother?” he asks Amber.

  “How could you tell?” she jokes. “We do look a lot alike.”

  God, even Amber has fallen for this man’s charm.

  I turn to Jade. “Can I offer you a margarita too?”

  She hesitates as her gaze reaches Michael, silently asking him for permission. “Uh… sure. I’ll have one.”

  “You own this place?” he asks Amber. “It’s a gorgeous property.”

  “Yes… actually, the three of us do… myself, Flynn and our sister Ruby who is out in the living room, glued to her fiancé,” she says as she helps herself to a baby carrot from the herbivore tray. “Our parents left us the estate after they both passed. It’s a lot of work but we love it. We board horses and offer the occasional lesson. We also run a Bed and Breakfast but at this time of year, it’s pretty quiet. And we do weddings and parties at the main banquet hall.”

  I’m impressed. My sister is as good at this little charade as I am. I know we are all playing a game. I know Michael secretly wants to tear all our heads off.

  “Flynn is a registered equine therapist, and he offers therapy as well,” she adds, almost as an afterthought.

  “I-I am doing a bit,” Jade finally speaks, hesitant. We all turn to her. “I’m…” she pauses, and I want to tear the words out of her mouth. “I’m doing a bit of therapy for my anxieties. You know how I am… this is why I’m here.” Her gaze doesn’t falter as she adds, “The Riverstones are good friends of auntie Ruthie’s and she suggested I come here. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know but I really needed to do this. I needed to be by myself to think. And I knew you’d come for me...”

  Even Jade is playing the game, and here I thought she was just a casual observer. I’m so proud of her.

  “You could have told me,” he counters. “I could have helped.”

  She swallows hard, suddenly defiant. “You wouldn’t have let me go.”

  Oh crap. Jade is not so skilled at this game after all.

  Michael is taken aback. He glares at her and seems to slowly be losing his composure. He’s having a hard time playing this game too. His stance his rigid and his strong chin is held high. “Is that really what you think, Jade?” he asks softly, the gentle tone of his voice contradicts his body language.

  “Yes,” she says, looking not at him but at me.

  Jade, please play the game, I silently plead with my eyes.

  Michael blows out a breath. “Well, let’s forget all about that for now, Jade. I think it’s time for you to come back with me. I think you’ve had enough time to yourself.”

  Jade’s eyes grow wide with surprise and pure fear. She is speechless for the longest time, as we all are, not quite sure what move to play next. “I-I… can’t,” she tells him with a shaky voice. Her words are steady as she adds, “I won’t.”

  He closes his eyes and presses his large hands together in prayer, clearly struggling to rein himself in. I wonder what he would do if it were just him and Jade in the room – I don’t even want to think about it.

  “Yes… I think that would be for the best,” Amber chimes in softly. “Equine therapy is a long—”

  “You fucking listen to me, Jade,” he says quietly. “I am your husband and you are coming with me.”

  The whole table is silent, the thre
e of us flabbergasted. Thankfully he has kept his voice low and his words have not traveled beyond us. My heart pounds against my rib cage. I’m not sure how to handle this – I don’t have the words. I’m not looking at this objectively – there’s too much at stake. I absolutely cannot let her leave with him. He will hurt her. And I can’t alienate him either.

  “We believe that it is in Jade’s best interest to stay here for a little while, and complete her therapy,” I tell him, my words measured. I betray no emotion. I am simply her therapist. I have no other claim on her.

  Unfortunately, Michael is no idiot.

  His dark gaze fixes mine. It doesn’t waver. It pins me down and I’m held captive, suddenly unable to speak or move. In this moment, I understand exactly the kind of power he holds over her.

  After what seems like an eternity, he finally speaks. “Flynn, is it?”

  “Yes.” I swallow hard.

  “You live in this big old house too?”

  I shake my head. “No, I live on top of the stables. Amber and her family live here.”

  He nods twice, his gaze fixed to the table. Then he jerks his head up, the gesture sudden. His laughter is edgy when he quips, “One big happy family… you all are.”

  “We… we have loved having Jade with us,” Amber chimes in, her words carefully spoken. “She’s a wonderful person.”

  Michael is paying Amber no mind. His gaze is glued to me, still pinning me down. “You fucking my wife, Flynn?”

  My breath hitches. I can’t quite speak as my gaze darts across the table. Amber and Jade are both as stunned as I am. Everyone is speechless. I know Jade doesn’t have the strength to utter a single word. I turn to him rebelliously.

  Game over.

  I’ve had just enough of this asshole.

  Flynn

  “I think it’s time for you to leave, Michael.” I rise from the table. “Let’s take this outside, buddy.”

  He jumps to his feet, eager to take me on. “I’m not leaving without Jade.”

  When we find ourselves in the front hall, I stand tall next to him and look him straight in the eye. He can intimidate Jade, but he doesn’t scare me. “No… you are leaving now. Without Jade.”

  His gaze reaches Jade who is cowering in the corner. “Jade, you need to come with me. If you don’t come with me right now, it’s over, princess. All you have is mine. You will have nothing, and no one.”

  Her expression breaks my heart, and I suddenly want to choke the guy, but then something happens…

  A transformation.

  The docile little caterpillar turns into a colourful feisty butterfly.

  She stands tall as she takes two wide steps in his direction. Although he towers over her, she stretches her neck and looks him straight in the eye with a playful grin. “I don’t need anything from you,” she tells him. “I have everything I need right here, and I have a family now.”

  Michael is clearly shocked. “What?! These people? You’ve known them for about a minute!”

  “It’s over, Michael,” she says softly. “Get out!”

  He stands frozen, refusing to leave.

  The man is about to blow – he’s restraining himself, hands balled into fists, face a deep shade of red. “You will have nothing,” he hisses – he’s no longer quiet. Heads turn in our direction. “You’ll regret this, Jade. You foolish, stupid little bitch.”

  “Enough,” I snap. “You leave now or we’ll physically throw you out.” I shoot a glance over at Aiden who has just rounded the corner, a confused expression tracing his features.

  Michael concedes. “I need the keys to the Rover,” he says to Jade. “It’s registered under my name. The car is mine. If you don’t give me the keys, I’ll report it as stolen. The last thing you need is a criminal record.”

  Jade scurries to the far corner and grabs her purse off the console table. Her hands shake as she retrieves the keys and hands them to him.

  He then finally leaves without a word. He slams the door behind him and the whole house falls into shocking silence. We have formed a small circle of statues in the front hall. Trevor and his buddy Alex hop over, wondering what all the commotion is about.

  I grab him into my arms and ruffle his hair. “How’s your birthday so far, little buddy?”

  He flashes me a wide grin. “It’s amazing!!”

  Thank god, he hasn’t a clue. I turn to Jade who has retreated into the corner, her eyes brimming with tears. My heart aches for her – I feel so helpless.

  I wish I knew what to do.

  Jade

  I’m a complete mess. I’ve been crying for two days straight. I haven’t eaten. I haven’t slept. I know he’ll be back. I can’t forget the anger and hatred in his eyes when I told him I wouldn’t go with him. The memory of it sends chills down my spine. I don’t think he’s ever hated me this much.

  I worry he’ll do something crazy. He must be going insane not being able to reach me. He used to check on me all the time the few times I ventured somewhere. I didn’t get out much – he somehow made sure I’d lost all contact with friends. And I didn’t have colleagues because I didn’t have a job. I only had him, and he liked it that way. Now I don’t even have a phone, and I’m out of his reach. He has no clue what I’m up to, and I know that must drive him crazy. I know Michael well.

  And I know he’ll be back.

  I’ve been holed up in Ruby’s room with Ginger, crying and binge watching ER on my tablet. I need to get myself together. What am I doing? Where am I going? I can’t live off the Riverstones forever. And I can’t go back to Michael. I don’t have much money. I don’t have a car. I don’t even have a real phone.

  Thank god, there’s Flynn. If it weren’t for him, I think I might completely lose my mind. But every time I feel I might go crazy, I think about Flynn; his beautiful hazel eyes, his delicious magnetic grin, the kind that makes you smile too.

  And that kiss. Damn, that kiss.

  The memory of it gives me the warm fuzzies all over. But then, that’s a problem too. I can’t get involved with my therapist, and I’m still a married woman.

  I need to focus and get my act together.

  I need to see a lawyer. I need to get a loan. I need a plan of action. And I need to speak to the wisest man I know, who just happens to also be the sexiest man I know.

  Flynn’s office is so cozy – I love being here. I’m sitting comfortably in one of the old-fashioned leather armchairs across his large mahogany desk. Apparently, they were bought from an old hotel downtown years ago. The Tiffany lamp by his desk has a warm Art Deco masculine feel and adds warmth to the room. I notice the horse figurine that I had broken, all patched up and sitting on its pedestal.

  He’s just saying good-bye to a client and I can’t wait to get his full attention. We have so much to discuss. I think about Michael as I wait for Flynn. How is this going to go? I can’t imagine being able to get away from him without a fight.

  Flynn finally makes an appearance, a playful expression playing across his features. He’s as gorgeous as ever, wearing a brown turtleneck and dark jeans. His beard is impeccably trimmed as always and the wave of his widow’s peak perfectly tamed.

  Well, at least one of us has his shit together.

  Flynn is that kind of man – a man who knows exactly where he’s going and how he’s getting there.

  “Sorry, Mrs. McDoyle had something she wanted to further chat about,” he explains as he takes a seat at his large desk.

  “You fixed the horse,” I say, thankful.

  He smiles sweetly. “Like I told you… it was no big deal. It’s good as new.”

  My heart sinks a little as I remember how upset I had been that day. Yet Flynn had been so sweet about it.

  We both sit in silence for a long beat.

  “We have so much to talk about.” I tell him, my mind whirling.

  He nods slowly. “Your husband…” he blows out a breath. “He’s quite…” He pauses, not able to finish his sentence.


  “I know.”

  We both know he’s an asshole. But neither one of us wants to say it out loud. I can’t even imagine Flynn uttering the word ‘asshole’ – he seems too sweet for that. He and Michael are complete opposites; Michael is hard, rough around the edges – he’s a brute. And Flynn is the kindest, sweetest man I’ve ever met. Everything about him is soft; his features, his voice, the way he handles the horses, the way he handles me…

  I bite my lip at the memory.

  Amber says Flynn has quite the old Irish temper but I’ve never seen even a hint of it. I think she may be exaggerating – as sweet as they are, both she and Ruby have a tendency to be dramatic.

  Flynn grabs a folder from his cabinet – my folder. It’s blue. And it contains all the notes he’s taken on me, all the information he’s gathered so far… almost everything he needs to know. I haven’t quite told him everything yet. He doesn’t know why I’m so attached to Michael, why I have such a hard time letting go. Why, despite the fact that Michael hits me, he also makes me feel safe.

  Flynn sucks in a deep breath. “You were right… we do have a lot to discuss.”

  I don’t say a word, not sure where to start.

  “About your car,” he starts. “You’re free to borrow Amber’s CR-V or my truck anytime,” he says. “Just check with us. We also have the red F-150. Between the three cars, there’s always one available.”

  “Thank you,” I smile shyly. “I don’t think I’ll need a car. Well, maybe in the future if I go to school.”

  A wide grin stretches across his face. “What are you thinking of?”

  “The vet tech program you mentioned the other day. I’ve been looking into it.” I don’t know why but I’m afraid to tell him about my plans. I’m scared he’ll shoot me down. “Well, when I haven’t been sobbing in my pillow and binge watching ER,” I joke. “I checked out the web site, and it sounds right up my alley. It’s only two years, like you said.”

  I can’t be happier when he says, “I know so many vets… and they’re always looking for assistants.”