Close To Home (Westen Series)

by Ferrell, Suzanne

  Brian nodded along with him, his face filled with just as much anticipation.

  “Not today, guys. It’s pouring out, and you don’t want to show up in wet uniforms.” Before they could voice their protests, he herded them toward the steps. “We’ll take your mom’s truck today. Then when I can get a helmet to fit you guys we’ll go riding. But I can only take one at a time. It’s not safe otherwise.”

  He stopped on the top steps. The boys ran to the truck and climbed inside. “Let me know what you decide to do when I get back.”

  Clint tossed him the keys to the truck then watched until the trio were well on their way to their scout meeting. Then he took Emma by the hand and led her into the house.

  “Why did this have to happen now? I’ve just gotten some good news about Mama, and now this. What am I going to do about Dwayne’s demands?” she asked him, sitting at her kitchen table.

  Clint poured her a glass of cool water, insisting she drink it all to help her fight the shock. Then he pulled out a seat next to her. Holding her hand, he reread the letter.

  “He’s suing you for paternity rights. I thought that was a dead issue.” When she didn’t answer, he grasped her by the forearms and searched her face. Only despair registered in the azure depths of her eyes. “Emma, you have to talk to me. Tell me again about the divorce and paternity suit. Tell me what happened.”

  Something in his voice reached her. Emma focused on his face. “I don’t know what happened. I was exhausted from working full-time at one job and part-time at another to make ends meet through my pregnancy. He served me with the divorce papers at the beginning of my second trimester. Frankly, by the time the proceeding started I just wanted the whole marriage finished.

  “The last few years, it had become such a farce. Me working wearily every day, overtime, whatever it took. While he spent as much time as possible doing whatever he wanted.” Her voice sounded bleak. “I let myself be used, believing I was needed. I was so naїve. For so long, I thought if I worked hard enough, someday he’d love me.”

  Clint’s heart ached to see her tear herself up like this. She didn’t deserve this, not the way she’d been treated in the past, and not this new pain.

  “When the papers came, I didn’t contest the divorce.” She stared out the window a moment her mind clearly reliving the past. “That was until Dwayne listed adultery as the cause. That’s when I knew I needed a lawyer. The next thing I knew, Dwayne served me with an injunction after the boys’ birth stopping me from putting his name on the birth certificates as their father. When his lawyer demanded the boys undergo a paternity blood test only one week after their birth, I was puzzled. I wasn’t worried. I knew it would show Duane was their father. My lawyer insisted on the new DNA test to be sure there was no question.”

  Emma dug her fingernails into Clint’s flesh. Desperation seeped into her voice. “When the judge read the report, it said the blood tests were conclusive. Dwayne was not the boys’ father, and he didn’t owe any child support. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It took me a minute to realize the judge had found in favor of Dwayne in the divorce proceedings, too. He said the blood tests proved I’d been unfaithful. Me!” Her face filled with rage. “Dwayne sat on the other side of the room with his mistress practically draped on him and the judge ruled that I was unfaithful.”

  “Didn’t you have any evidence of his adultery?” Clint tried to keep her focused on the facts. Her anger gave him some hope. It showed just how tough she was, that she wasn’t ready to give up yet.

  “I tried to get my lawyer to bring in witnesses, but he said he couldn’t find any. No one. Unlike Dwayne, who had his new fiancée’s money behind him, I couldn’t afford a smart lawyer.” Emma laughed harshly. “It was the first lesson I learned. When it came to the boys and my future, I was all on my own.”

  Her body tensed then she surged out of the chair. She paced the room like a caged tiger. Tension radiated from her. Clint waited for the explosion. It didn’t take long.

  She slammed her fists on the counter over and over. “Now he wants my sons!”

  Clint moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her, trapping her arms tightly to her side to keep her from harming herself. He held her there, her back pressed to his chest.

  “We won’t let him have them. I promise,” he whispered against her hair. Then he turned her so she could wrap her arms around him. He continued to murmur reassurances to her, trying to calm her. When her body relaxed against his, Clint framed her face between his hands. For a moment he simply gazed into her eyes, willing some of his strength to her. “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect your sons, Emma.”

  She nodded, some of the bleakness gone from her face.

  He released her, and they sat once more. This time, he sat across from her, holding her hand while he read the letter once more. “It says here, he’s claiming an error in the lab work occurred. He’s now seeking custody of Brian Andrew Lewis.” He studied her a moment. She wasn’t going to like what he had to say. How much more could she handle? “He wants just one of the boys. Just Brian.”

  “What?” She snatched the paper away from him. This time she carefully read each word. Her hand squeezed Clint’s tighter. “He wants to separate them, Clint. He wants only one.” Her gaze met Clint’s. At that very moment, he almost felt sorry for Dwayne Hazard. “Well, he isn’t getting either of them. He isn’t going to even get one strand of their hair.”

  Clint waited.

  “He’s up to something.”

  He nodded, squeezing her hand, reassuring her he’d come to the same conclusion. “Yes, but what? What would he hope to gain by taking just one of the boys?”

  “To break my heart?”

  “Sweetheart, you and I know that would happen, but somehow, I don’t think he cares. I think your ex-husband has other plans.”

  When her gaze met his, the pain and questions he read there rent his heart a little more. But he couldn’t let it paralyze him. He had things to do to protect his woman and his boys. And they were his. He knew that deep in his soul. They all belonged with him.

  “What do you think he has planned, Clint?”

  “My best guess is he wants something, either from you or someone else.”

  “He wants something from me?” Emma gave a derisive laugh “I couldn’t make in ten years what he makes in one.” She waved her arm around the room. “We can all see the riches I have to offer him not to take my son away.”

  Clint took both her hands, willing her to look at him. “Do you trust me, Emma?”

  She studied him, not saying a word. For a moment, he thought she would refuse his help.

  Then she slowly nodded. “Yes, I do trust you.”

  “Good. I want you to let me take you to the scout meeting to join your sons. I’m going to make a few phone calls. When you get back, come to the clinic. Maybe I’ll have some information for you as to what your ex is trying to accomplish with this suit. Do you think you can put this out of your mind for a little while?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think I do can that.”

  “Not even for the boys’ sake?”

  She sighed. “You’re beginning to know me too well, Doctor. You know I would do anything for my sons. It isn’t fair to use that to manipulate me into doing what you want.”

  A small smile crossed her lips despite her own worry. With that smile, more than with any words she gave him, he knew she trusted him with her problems. Clint’s heart swelled and he slowly drew her to her feet.

  “Emma, I would never use your sons to manipulate you. But they need their mom’s attention tonight.” He pressed a kiss to her hair.

  As they walked outside and across the street to his car, she asked, “Who are you going to call?”

  “Wade and Anne.”

  Her eyes widened for a moment with curiosity. “Your brother and sister?”

  Clint held the door open for her to climb inside. “Wade’s a lawyer and Anne’s a computer geek. I c
an’t think of any two people I trust more to find out information for us. Can you?”

  She shook her head.

  “Good. Then when you get home, we’ll talk.”

  * * *

  Emma sat across from Clint in his office at the clinic later that night on a conference call with Clint’s brother Wade and his sister Anne. Emma filled them in on her divorce and the paternity hearing on the speaker phone.

  It seemed each time she told the story it hurt her less. After six long, hard years, she never realized how much the pain from the whole affair still lay buried beneath the surface of her everyday life. Spending time in the health care industry, she knew she should have sought counseling for her grief and anger, but in all those years she’d never really talked about it to anyone. Her parents had been too fragile for her to burden them with her pain. She felt she couldn’t share this hardship with her friends or neighbors.

  No one, until Clint.

  The thought stopped her mid-sentence. She looked across the desk to find him studying her with a puzzled expression. The need to touch him overwhelmed her. She walked around the desk and slipped onto his lap, relishing his warm, strong arms as they enfolded her.

  “Then the judge read the report’s findings, and found in favor of the slime bucket.” Clint finished her tale for her.

  Silence came from the speakerphone.

  “Is your ex related to Roger Hazard, founder of Hazard Chemicals?” Anne asked.

  “Yes. That’s Dwayne’s uncle. Dwayne never liked him. He said his uncle refused to help him through medical school for some reason.” Emma sighed. “I guess that’s why he needed me.”

  “I wonder...”

  There was a hesitation on the other end of the phone. Emma looked at Clint. His face mirrored her own puzzlement.

  He shrugged.

  Anne cleared her throat before continuing. “Roger Hazard died about six moths ago. What’s the date on that letter?”

  Emma lifted the paper and read the date for them. “October 10th. Just last week.”

  “Just enough time for the will to be probated.” Wade picked up on the thread their sister had started. “It would be interesting to know what the will had to say.”

  “I’d hoped you could look into this suit for us, Wade.” Clint slowly rubbed his hand up and down Emma’s back as he talked to his siblings. “Anne, is there anyway you could snoop around the mystery concerning the first paternity suit’s lab work?”

  “Find out how they switched it, who did the switching and how much it cost old Dwayne? I would like nothing more than to help you guys nail this creep.”

  Emma swallowed a laugh at the enthusiasm in Anne’s voice. She wasn’t fighting Dwayne alone this time. She had Clint, and now his sister and brother. The panic she felt this afternoon seemed a far off thing. The Prestons were going to bat for her. And they acted like they were going to win—like she would win. Emma turned and straddled Clint’s lap, gazing into his chocolate brown eyes. Maybe chocolate wasn’t such a bad thing for her after all.

  “Think you can have the information for me by say, Saturday?” Clint asked, although his attention no longer centered on the answer.

  Both Anne and Wade agreed, then they disconnected. No one in the Weston health clinic noticed.

  Clint cupped Emma’s face between his hands. They shared a brief moment of recognition. Passion and need flowed between them then he dragged her head toward his, sealing her lips with his.

  That was all it took to break the small thread of control still wound around Emma. Her hands began furiously unbuttoning his shirt, her body taking over for her mind. She couldn’t get close enough to this man, fast enough. He held her head as he devoured her lips. She thought the heat would scorch her from the inside out. Desperation filled her. Somehow she managed to open his shirt and her own, unzip her pants and wiggle out of them, and release him from his pants, without ever breaking the contact of their lips. Not that he would let her. His hand, twisted in her hair, kept her lips open for him to use at his will.

  Moaning filled the room. For a brief moment of lucidity, Emma realized it came from her. Then Clint tilted her head to the other side, and she was lost again.

  Clint released her hair. She felt his hands flow over her body, plucking at her nipples, pulling, twisting, stroking them. One hand slid down to stroke her belly and then down between her thighs. He slid one finger in, then two, testing her readiness. Emma groaned, lifted her hips and rode the fingers sampling her molten core. The crest of the wave headed toward her, guiding her upward, upward...then stopped suddenly as Clint withdrew. A whimper escaped her. He chuckled against her lips.

  “Just one minute, Emma. Just long enough...” he mumbled as he covered himself with the condom. Then his fingers dug into her hips, lifting her above his throbbing erection. “Now Emma, do it now!” he growled into her ear.

  She hovered over him a moment, then pressed downwards, impaling herself on him. Every inch of her body sighed with their complete union.

  His body surged upwards, his fingers begging her to rise and fall. Emma closed her eyes, reveling in the desire to lead them both into the abyss. Eons passed as she hovered there, riding the crest. Suddenly, Clint pulled her down hard, his teeth grazing her neck.

  The world exploded.

  Emma dug her fingers into Clint’s shoulders, clinging to him like ballast in a storm. Wave after wave rushed through her. Somewhere in her mind she heard the sounds of Clint following her into the whirlpool. His own shout of release flooded her ears and senses as she fell to earth, limp in his arms.

  Draped across Clint, she couldn’t move if she wanted to, and right now nothing could entice her to leave the shelter of his body.

  A low rumble caressed her ear and cheek.

  “Every time we make love you end up laughing.” She eyed him curiously. “What’s so funny this time?”

  He smiled at her, and she couldn’t help but return it.

  “I think that should have just about exorcised all our past demons, don’t you, Red?”

  “I hate that nickname.” She changed the subject. She didn’t want to talk about demons, not yet, not until she could get her thoughts in some order. She wanted to keep them at bay just a little longer.

  * * *

  Thursday and Friday lasted an eternity. Yet, Emma couldn’t remember much of what happened in those two days, except that Clint hadn’t left her side for more than a few minutes since the night of the conference call. Normally, she’d feel smothered. However, his constant presence lent her the emotional and physical support she needed, not to mention a sense of security. With Clint nearby, she didn’t give into the need to hover around the boys or fuss over her mother.

  As she stood on the clinic’s front porch, headlights up the road caught her eye. Wade and Anne were meeting them here instead of at her house. She and Clint had decided to keep the powwow out of the boys’ hearing, at least for tonight. Their whole world would turn upside down soon enough. Tonight they we’re having a scary movie marathon with Gage, and Harriett planned to keep Mama busy.

  A shiver ran through Emma’s body. She didn’t know if it was the cold October night air or simple motherly dread. She hugged herself tight against it, rubbing her arms briskly as the car slowed to turn into the drive. Just as she called him, Clint stepped out onto the porch, draping one arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close and dropped a kiss into her hair.

  “It’s going to be okay, Emma.”

  Lately, this seemed to be his mantra, his way of assuring both of them. The words would’ve been more convincing if she hadn’t known how anxious he’d been for his siblings to arrive, too. No matter what else the future brought, she’d always be grateful for his strength to lean upon right now.

  The car stopped and four doors opened simultaneously.

  “Oh, man.” Clint groaned. “They didn’t bring the whole clan, did they?”

  “Emma!” A loud feminine voice called from the rear of the car, follo
wed by a whirling mass of blonde hair and perfume.

  “Gwen.” Emma couldn’t help but laugh as Clint’s youngest sister hurled herself into her arms. “What’re you doing here?”

  “Yes, what are you doing here, Gwendolyn?” Clint held the door open for her then shook hands with Wade and Seth. He exchanged a hug with Anne. The others wore much more serious expressions than their sister.

  “Oh, don’t look so dour, big brother.” Gwen grinned. She linked arms with Emma and walked into the clinic. “I really am here to help, too.”

  * * *

  As the group finished settling in to the upstairs rooms that were the clinic’s living quarters, Emma set a tray of sandwiches and coffee on the coffee table. When she handed Clint his mug, he took her hand and scooted over just enough for her to fit into the love seat beside him. Warmth swept through her as his arm draped behind her. He caressed her shoulder.

  Gwen grinned at her from her spot on the floor. Emma winked at her, leaning into Clint just a bit more. Though the future lay a long way off, for now she planned to get all the support from him she could. As for Gwen…well she could think whatever she wanted.

  “What did you discover, Wade?” Clint’s voice sounded calm. The slight tensing of his hand on Emma’s shoulder indicated his true concern.

  Clint’s youngest brother dug a folder out of his briefcase and handed it to him. “Just like we suspected, the will was probated last month. Roger Hazard left a boatload of money to his nephew contingent that...and here’s the wording causing all the trouble...he must produce a male child or lose the money to bird and wildlife sanctuaries. So it seems Emma’s ex has found his loophole.”

  While Emma watched Clint flip through the papers, a slow burn started deep inside her. “So Dwayne doesn’t need both boys, just one male child. Any male child will do. Lucky him, he has two at his disposal to choose from. And he’s decided on Brian.”

  “It would appear that way.”

  Seth muttered a curse from the other side of the room. Clint nodded at his brother. All the Preston brothers seemed to be holding their anger on a tight leash.