You're All I Think About_Second Chance Romance

by Scarlett Avery

Trust me, my dick isn’t complaining. A little sore, maybe, but definitely a happy camper.

  "How long have you been seeing Ava again?" I turn the tables on him.

  "Okay, so it's only been a few weeks, but at least I'm making an effort. You’ve turned into a bloody Catholic priest." Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm pretty sure God would have a beef with that statement because last night’s sex marathon was mind-blowing. "I'm just looking out for you, mate."

  "Whatever helps you sleep at night, mate."

  We both laugh.

  Tyler Julius Edwards and I have been best mates since we were five years old. We met in primary school and we’ve lived out every milestone together. We went to the same boarding school, we both lost our virginity right after our sixteenth birthday—we were born two months apart and let’s just say that Tiffany Avalon wasn't called the Graduate Gift for nothing. In line with that, we enrolled in the Navy at eighteen and after four years of service, we both attended law school. After graduation, I went to work for my father. He went to work with his father, Garner Edwards, a corporate lawyer, and his uncle, Grayson Edwards who happens to be one of the sharpest divorce lawyers in the country and Prime Minister Cavendish's best friend.

  Today, Tyler is now an astute corporate lawyer who holds a joint degree in Law and a MBA. On top of that, he also armed himself with an Estate Planning degree. Yeah, he's a pretty smart guy. Tyler is also my lawyer and the one helping me deal with this nightmarish situation with my father's despicable half-brothers who have been contesting his will since the day he died.

  "Okay, you're right. I should be more supportive. After all, you're making an effort. Good for you for taking a break."

  "Patronizing asshole," I throw at him.

  "No, seriously. What's the point of being in Athens if you can't enjoy the sun. Once you're back in London, you'll be treated to this shitty weather we had all weekend."

  "Exactly."

  Obviously, there's more to it. Not that I'm inclined to tell him.

  "Speaking of sunny London, when will you be back?”

  "That still remains to be determined," I say.

  "I thought Ricker Stevens’ information would help Jason's case. I guess it didn't."

  "It did. A lot. It's just not that cut and dry. This case is turning into a veritable Pandora’s box. "

  "It sounds like you're dealing with a layered maze."

  "Alas, I am. Every time you open one door, there's more rubbish leading to another door. Through all this shit, my job is to find the golden nuggets that can get my client off the hook. Not an easy task when there are more and more explosive things surfacing."

  "Wow.”

  "Yeah. Christos and I spent the day with the Chief of Police, Police Lieutenant General George Margaronis, and Police Brigadier General Dennis Astynomia. The Police Brigadier General is a highly skilled agent trained by the F.B.I., and he runs the Cyber Crime Center of the Hellenic Police."

  "Whoa. This sounds heavy," Tyler comments.

  "Ricker dropped a few frightening bombs. Those are not the type of allegations that can be taken lightly. If they’re true, the Chief of Police wants to be prepared. Not to mention that most of these prostitution rings use the Internet and social media to communicate. The Police Brigadier General already has agents infiltrating forums and chat groups. Criminals and assholes always think short-term. Eventually, these idiots make a mistake. That said, there's a glimmer of light."

  "Well, at least something good will come out of Ricker’s willingness to step forward."

  "I couldn't have said it better, Ty. Thanks to Ricker's information—and the Chief of Police’s pull—we’ll be able to go in front of the judge and get Jason released. With a little luck, he won't be transferred to a prison on Wednesday."

  "That's excellent news, mate," Tyler exclaims. "That means you'll be back in London in no time."

  "One would hope so, but I’m not sure yet. There’s still going to be a nightmarish mountain of paperwork before we can finalize things and Jason is allowed to leave the country—it’s even more complicated because he's Canadian. That said, I can finally see the end in sight. That wasn't the case when I landed here. Fingers crossed that I'll be back home before the weekend."

  "Brilliant. Allow me to add to your smashing day."

  "What are you talking about?" I ask carefully.

  "We caught a live one," Tyler says.

  I frown into the phone. "Huh?"

  "We’ve finally been able to manage one of your headaches."

  "Seriously, Ty?"

  "Seriously."

  "Please don't get my hopes up," I warn my best friend.

  "Mate, you and I go way back, I would never do anything that cruel to you. I know exactly what these evil people have put you through. Why on earth would I add to your burden?"

  "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

  "Yes. After two long excruciating months, Marlon Holloway took the bait. Your idea was brilliant."

  "My gut was screaming at me. I knew it was a question of finding the right angle. When you're dealing with a low-life, you give him what he craves most—easy money. We just had to find a carrot big enough to wave under his nose."

  “Marlon was practically salivating when one of our undercover investigators approached him with an offer he couldn't resist. I was told the dollar signs were twinkling in his eyes."

  "This is really happening?" I ask, dumbfounded.

  "Yes, mate. I got confirmation from the leading private investigator. The countdown has started.”

  "Bloody hell, it's about fucking time," I say.

  Marlon Holloway is your resident asshole. He's a failed press photographer. He was fired by CNN International for his belligerent personality and hot-tempered ways of dealing with criticism. He then became a paparazzi, but again, his charming personality won him too many black eyes from celebrities’ bodyguards. That’s why he decided to go for something more low key. He now uses his skills to turn on people for a quick profit. If you want to blackmail someone, he's your guy.

  “You definitely had to twist my arm, but I’m glad you wouldn’t budge. True, our little scheme is almost legal, but it's airtight enough to get us what we want—possession of those photos without having to fall for that dipshit’s bribery.”

  “We’ve been tracking Holloway for months, Ty. And you know it was the only way."

  "I had to come to terms with the fact that everything else we tried had failed," he says.

  "I'm not sure what happened in Marlon’s life to turn him into a recluse, but we had to get into his damn house. Other than his daily morning ‘school bus run’, he never leaves that stupid house.” Every morning at the same time Marlon drives to a nearby park and meets with a few people—friends or client looking to screw people, I assume. He’s usually there for about two hours, then he comes back home. “Asking his landlord for help would’ve been the equivalent of waving a red flag. The only way to get our hands on those bloody photos is to temporarily eliminate the problem.”

  “By Thursday, Marlon Holloway will have landed in sunny California thinking that he got the insider’s scoop on a potentially explosive story. Of course, he'll be totally oblivious to the fact that he's been duped."

  Although he's never had the balls to come out and say it, everything indicates that Marlon was hired by my father's half-brothers to take—or locate—X-rated photos of both my mother and Charlotte. No one on this planet other than Archer, Cormac, and their heartless bitch of a mother would have any reason to want to hurt me by humiliating the people closest to me. I say, locate, because unless they took photos of my parents in their intimacy, they had to search far and wide. Mum has always been faithful to my father—and vice versa—and since his passing she’s still mourning him. Maybe they went into her past to dig up some dirt, but I’m certain Mum never cheated on Dad. Charlotte is the wildcard. I don't know what they have on her.

  "I can't believe this is really happening," I shake my head.
<
br />   "Believe it. Once we retrieve the photos, I’m going to nail Archer’s and Cormac’s asses to the wall for their duplicitous actions. They’ll think twice before they look at you the wrong way, let alone ever come after you again."

  “The photos are key, Ty. I don’t want Marlon, Archer, or Cormac to have any leverage on me. They’re dirty bastards. They won't blink an eye when it comes to using those to distract us while we go after them.”

  “We’re on the same page on that front. Don’t worry, mate, it’s top priority. Within the next couple of weeks, we should be able to put this behind us once and for all. And then, I’m going in for the kill."

  I can definitely count on Tyler to be ruthless. I know exactly how my best friend operates. Archer and Cormac will be left with nothing more than their shriveled-up balls as their only valuable possession.

  “Damn, I need to celebrate this victory,” I tell him.

  “Yes, you do, mate. You deserve it.”

  “Now I have a good reason to head up to the pool.”

  “Good idea. Time to break in those new swim trunks and the designer rubber sandals,” Ty laughs.

  “Exactly. Champagne is in order.”

  “It goes without saying,” Ty quips. I laugh. “Oh, make sure to say hi to Charlie for me while you’re at it.” What? “Is she already waiting for you at the pool or are you going to ring her up right after you hang up with me?”

  “Charlotte?”

  “Yes. Charlotte Louise Wentworth. Your ex. Jason Belvedere's publicist. The woman you’ve barely talked about since you landed in Greece. The one you’re working closely with. The tall gorgeous blonde you have a perpetual stop-and-go relationship with. That Charlotte."

  I get the picture.

  "Who says I'm going to see her?"

  “Don't fool yourself, mate. And please, don't take me for an idiot. Charlie is the only person on this planet capable of enticing you to have a life.”

  “You’re—”

  “You talk about Charlie when the two of you are going at it, when you're butting heads and when you're driving each other mad. When things are smooth as silk, mum’s the word. You keep that part of you silent. You’re careful not to share. You mentioned Charlotte when you first arrived in Greece, but it was in passing. You did answer my questions when I inquired about her yesterday, but again you made sure to keep it very brief.”

  “You fucking called me in the middle of the night," I retaliate.

  “Sure." He pauses. I can hear him breathe heavy on the other end. "I know you and I know how protective you can be of her. You get that way when things are good between you. Just grow some balls and be honest about it."

  "Sod off."

  "Am I wrong?" he challenges. I let out a long sigh. "Well?"

  "Okay," I start. Tyler blindsided me. I didn’t realize he was onto me. "We've been spending some time together away from the case." I might as well fess up. "As you can imagine, it was a fairly awkward situation when we first saw each other again, but…" I let my words trail.

  "You just couldn't resist her," Tyler finishes my sentence.

  I let out a low laugh. "No, I couldn't."

  "I don't even have to ask if it's mutual, because since the first day you two met, you've been drawn to each other like magnets.” I don’t answer him. After a few beats, Tyler speaks again, his tone flat. “Barrett, the only reason why the two of you keep drifting in and out of—"

  “Mate,” I warn.

  "All right. I got the message. I’ll drop the subject. You’re right, it isn’t any of my concern. Why should I care if you’re just going to be pigheaded about it like you always are when it comes to Charlie,” he scolds.

  It's a fruitless exercise to rehash what we already know.

  CHAPTER 31

  Charlie

  I barely have time to drop my handbag, laptop and newly purchased bikini on the table than my mobile rings.

  "Bollocks."

  With rushed hands, I rummage through my bag to find it. I pick up immediately when I recognize the number.

  "Terry!"

  "Are you back at the hotel or are you still sitting across from Ilis who’s intent on giving you the evil eye?" he chuckles.

  Terry doesn't know the whole story, but he knows that I'm no longer Ilis’ chosen one.

  "I left Ilis’ sour attitude behind. I just walked into my suite. Can you believe that I left this morning at eight and it’s already seven at night and I’m only back now.”

  “Yikes. Eleven hours.”

  “Exactly. Before we start chatting, can I ring you right back? I'm dying to kick off these heels and slip into a plush robe. A drink wouldn't be a bad idea either."

  "Huh?”

  "What?"

  "Has hell frozen over?" Terry asks.

  I frown into the phone. "What do you mean?"

  "Unless there's a bad connection between us, I distinctively just heard you say that you have to remove your high heels. That just can’t be the case. What's going on down there in Greece? Is it contagious? And is it too late for you to save yourself?”

  You’d think I was being interrogated by the KGB.

  "Oh, come on. Terry, you're being melodramatic."

  “Girlfriend, I thought you slept in those things.”

  "A girl can't walk around in heels all day, every day. There's nothing wrong with a little break." The words barely leave my mouth than I realize how grotesque of a lie that is considering that other than a few pair of Converse trainers—for when I’m running around taking care of errands—I don't believe in flats.

  “Is that case working your ass so hard that a bona fide fashionista like yourself can't even handle a pair of stilettos anymore?"

  Not the case, mate. Barrett. Barrett is the one working my ass hard.

  I can't tell him that my ex fucked my ass so many times last night—and until the wee hours of the morning until he had to stop at seven o'clock—that walking in heels has turned out to be worse than some of the unforgiving punishments spies suffer when they’re caught. Don’t get me wrong, Terry and I share saucy details of our casual dates. Since he no longer has any relationships with his siblings, I’ve become his surrogate sister. That said, Barrett is a whole other story. Terry would come down on me like thunder if he knew Barrett and I were having a little fun.

  "Did you call me to talk about fashion or is there something more urgent to discuss?" I put an end to this line of questioning.

  "Someone is snippy," he mocks.

  "Terry," I warn.

  "Okay, okay. I actually have a very good reason for calling."

  "Let's hear it." The plush robe will have to wait. Ditto for the drink. That said, I do kick off my heels because my feet really need a break.

  "I was literally on the phone all day—to the point where I thought my ear was going to fall off—but my perseverance paid off."

  "No way."

  "Oh yeah, your assistant is a superstar."

  "I could just hug you right now," I say, jumping up and down. "Did you get all three?"

  "Yep. I got an agreement from Coco Lowry of BBC Entertainment, Jones McCormack of BBC World News and…" Terry lets his words hang. "Drum roll please!”

  I do my best interpretation of the musical instrument.

  We both laugh.

  "The bitchiest queen of them all. I mean a tough as nails reporter with an integrity that’s unparalleled, Mrs. Regina Bloom from CNN Entertainment. They all want to be the first ones to interview Jason Belvedere the second he sets foot back in London. Mrs. Bloom is even willing to fly in for the occasion, just as long as the petulant teenager speaks to her first."

  “Wow. That’s amazing. You’re so getting a bonus for this," I say.

  "And I certainly won't refuse," Terri laughs.

  “I’m sure this will calm down the record company’s executives. Finally, Timothy and Landan can stop breathing down my neck," I let out a loud exhale.

  "So, is it confirmed? Barrett's team was able to
get Jason off the hook?" Terry asks.

  "We had to divide and conquer today again. I haven't seen Barrett since—” Oops.

  "Charlie? Are you still there?"

  "Yes. I was just saying that Barrett updated me last night on Ricker Stevens’ willingness to step forward—”

  “So, what that Ricker guy had to say made a difference?" Terry asks.

  "According to Barrett, it was a game changer."

  "But, Jason is still incarcerated, right?"

  "Yes. Barrett texted me an hour ago to let me know that his day was as gruelling as mine—”

  “I bet,” Terry sympathizes.

  “He spent the day with Christos, the Chief of Police, and the officer in charge of the Cyber Crime Center.”

  “Why the Cyber Crime Center?”

  "This case has become a bit scary, really. I guess they don’t want to take any chances, since no one really knows what we’re dealing with yet. It’s best to get their ducks in a row."

  “Yikes.”

  “I know. Yesterday, Barrett had already warned me that this case was much bigger than Jason, apparently, today, a lot more unsettling details surfaced to confirm that."

  "Honestly, I hope that Jason learns a big fat lesson from all of this mess and that in the future he’ll keep his willy in his trousers. Or at least he’ll know who he's about to fuck before pulling down said trousers," Terry chuckles.

  "Yeah, but his roaming cock might actually put a lot of bad guys away," I explain.

  "Well, that's another reason to praise Jason Belvedere's dick.”

  “Another?” I ask puzzled.

  Clearly, I should be dropping to my knees to worship Jason because the last three days of toe-curling sex with my ex have been a godsend, but Terry is oblivious to my naughty escapades.

  “Yeah,” Terry sighs. “I guess I shouldn't be too hard on the misguided lad because his indiscretion has been a blessing in disguise for yours truly."

  "Derek?"

  "Hell yeah!" he exclaims. "I doubt Dr. McDreamy and I would be this close, this fast."

  "So, things are still hot and heavy with Doctor Derek?"

  "Not hot and heavy. Well, not yet anyways. It’s just nice. Perfect, really.” I can just imagine Terry’s eyebrows fluttering. “Since this case broke, Derek has been so attentive. And patient. He shows up every single morning with coffee and scones for all of us.”