Behind The Lies

by Dahlgren , Heather

  I take the vase of flowers and my water to the living room. Centering them on the coffee table I sit down and stare at how gorgeous they are.

  “You’re welcome. I was hoping the florist listened to me and left them for you.”

  His deep voice is doing things to me and I wish instantly that he was here.

  “I’ve never gotten flowers before,” I whisper, hoping he doesn’t start to find me pathetic.

  “You’re kidding me? You really did date some assholes. How could none of them ever give you flowers?” he asks, sounding more upset for me than anything else.

  I giggle and say, “Because I’ve only dated assholes.”

  “Thankfully you found me when you did,” he says jokingly, but he’s right. I needed all of this to happen, meeting all these amazing people, to restore my faith in humanity.

  After a few minutes, we hang up and I take a much-needed shower before climbing into my bed. I fall asleep thinking about how drastically my life has changed over the last few weeks and I smile. Coming here was a risk I was willing to take to get the things I deserved, and damn was I right in my decision.

  Chapter 10

  Braden

  * * *

  It’s been two weeks since McKinley and I have been together, and it’s been the best two weeks of my life. The only thing that could possibly make it better is having my girls here, but until that happens, I am making the best out of life.

  Being with McKinley makes me realize how lonely I was. I’m not like Jax, Blake, and Max who have probably slept with more women than I’d like to know. Even though I slept with a few women after my divorce I still felt that emptiness. McKinley makes me feel whole again. When we’re together, hell even when we aren’t, I find myself just smiling. Smiling for no damn reason other than I’m happy.

  My cell phone rings, bringing me back to the present and I grab it off the table and answer looking out at the ocean. “Hello?”

  As soon as I hear Sarah’s voice, my mood shifts, and my smile is lost. “You’re fucking kidding me right? You’re going to try and take my girls...”

  “Our girls,” I interrupt.

  “That’s not the way I see it. I’m their mother, I’m the one here day in and day out. You don’t have a chance in hell of getting them, but if a fight is what you want, you’ve got it,” she screams at me.

  “I’m not looking for a fight, Sarah. I think the girls are better off with me. I can provide for them better and they have more family here,” I say calmly, running my hand through my hair.

  “I’m their family,” she hisses and hangs up on me.

  I toss my phone down on the table and drop my head into my hands. This is it, I need to tell everyone my plans because she is going to dig up dirt on everyone and I need to make them aware of it. This is why the decision was so hard for me because I don’t want anyone hurt by this. Sarah is a lying, conniving bitch and she is going to make my life hell.

  After a while of nothing but thinking, I pick up my phone and press Kallie’s number. She answers and I can hear the smile in her voice. “Hey, big brother. What’s up?”

  “Listen, I need to get everyone together tonight, can you set that up for me?” I ask.

  “What’s wrong?” I can hear the panic in her voice, and I hate it.

  “I have big plans and I need to explain it to everyone and it’s just easier if I only need to do it once.”

  I want to tell her, but it’s like I can’t get the words out. Fear is gripping me. I’m terrified of how this custody battle will play out.

  “I won’t push you now, but later you bet your ass I will. Be at Jax’s at seven, everyone will be there,” she says before hanging up.

  I grin looking at the disconnected call. My sister is one badass.

  Driving over to Jax’s I’m anxious. I just want this over with so I can take McKinley home with me and fuck her until she is screaming my name. She’s sitting next to me now holding my hand and son of a bitch it’s like she gives me the courage to keep going.

  “Braden, you worry too much. This is your family and friends. They want you to have the girls as much as you want them,” she whispers.

  “I know that. It’s everything that will come with it that I fear. You didn’t hear Sarah today, she’s pissed.”

  She giggles and I turn my head to look at her. “Sorry. It’s just, you can’t possibly be intimidated by her. You are the perfect father.” Then under her breath she says, “Maybe I’d understand if you told me what happened.”

  Fuck, she’s right. I keep preaching how honesty is needed yet I haven’t told her anything. Every time she brings it up, I change the subject. I need to be honest with her. I pull the car over a few houses down from Jax’s and throw it in to park. I turn to face her, and she is looking out the side window.

  “McKinley, you’re right. I’m sorry I haven’t told you the full story. You just have to understand how painful it is for me to relive it.”

  Turning her head to look at me she lifts her shoulders. “You don’t need to tell me, but it’s hard to understand.”

  “Things were bad between us for a long time. She was distant and angry. She decided we needed to move to North Carolina to be with her parents. I did it, I did everything I could to save my marriage. When we got there, the only time we talked was when it had something to do with the girls. Her parents ignored me, and I felt like a damn intruder.” She turns her body to face me and grabs both my hands, squeezing hard. “She started staying out late, then staying out for the night, then staying gone for days at a time. I knew she was cheating on me, I’m not a damn fool. When I finally asked her what the hell was going on, she didn’t try to deny it. She told me she had gotten in touch with an old friend on Facebook when we lived here and that’s why she wanted to move back to North Carolina. I was pretty much just brought along as caregiver for the girls while she was out acting like a fucking teenager.”

  “Oh my God, Braden I’m so sorry,” she says, squeezing my hands again.

  Giving her a tight smile, I nod and continue, “She got pregnant. While we were still married, she went and got pregnant by some guy she knew in high school. That’s when I left, and it just got worse. She’s never with the girls, her mom is raising them, even her new baby, while she is out drinking and looking for another guy.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “So, you see why I need my girls here? She’s not fit to raise my girls, but she’s a bitch. She lives off the child support I pay and if I get the girls, she has no more money coming in. That’s why she’ll fight it so hard,” I say, blowing out a breath of frustration.

  “You’ll get them, I have no doubt. And as far as your ex, fuck her. We can all handle what she throws at us, especially for you and the girls.” This right here makes me start to fall for her. Anyone who is willing to support me because she knows how important my girls are; is someone I want.

  I pull her to me and kiss her lips gently and move her hand to rest on my hard cock. “I want you so bad McKinley.”

  “I promise the wait will be worth it,” she whispers seductively, causing me to moan with need, which just causes her to giggle. This girl has no idea how much she affects me with the simplest of things.

  After I pull myself together, I drive down to Jax’s and we get out of the truck. We go inside and of course; everyone is sitting outback. I open the door and let McKinley walk out first and follow. Before the door is even closed my mom and Kallie are standing next to me.

  “Braden, you have us all worried sick. What the hell is going on?” my mom asks, in her authoritative voice that I haven’t heard since high school.

  I spin around and see everyone sitting there waiting on me. Jax, Blake, Max, Brinley, London, Brody, and damn even Shannon’s face is glowing on a computer screen. Kallie, my mom, and McKinley are standing by me and I look at each of them.

  “I’m suing for custody of the girls.”

  The screams from my mom and Kallie nearly make me deaf. Everyon
e jumps up to congratulate me and I shake my head.

  “Christ, you had me thinking the worst of things. Don’t ever do that again. This is the best news ever,” Kallie says as Jax wraps his arms around her.

  “I know it is great news, but that’s not it. Sarah is going to say and do anything to keep them from me, and that includes pulling up anything that has to do with any or all of you. She’s going to fight hard and dirty. So, yes while it is amazing, I’m afraid you all will take a lot of backlash from it.”

  I take a deep breath and McKinley grabs my hand. I look down at her and she smiles, mouthing, you did great. I chuckle and pull her to me, kissing her head.

  “Let that bitch try something, I will drag her out of whatever bar she is sitting in and kick her ass,” Brinley says, causing us to laugh. “You think I’m kidding.”

  “Braden, none of us have done anything we are ashamed of, so fuck her. We are all behind you. Now go fight for my nieces.” I look over at Kallie and she grins.

  Jax looks over at Blake and says, “Well most of us have nothing to be ashamed of.” Blake flips him off and once again we laugh.

  One by one they all tell me they can and will handle anything Sarah does. Why did I doubt anyone? This is my family, blood or not, I never should have expected anything less. After hugging me for a few minutes, my mom wipes her tears and tells us she has a date. After I gag, I tell her to have fun. Blake decided to order pizza and we all sit down to eat.

  “Braden, I think this is amazing, man. Your girls deserve to be here,” Brody says.

  “Thanks, man.”

  After we all finish and the conversation finally shifts to other things, the girls excuse themselves and after they go in the house Jax slaps my arm. “You know I’m behind you one hundred percent. Those girls need to be here, and we all know it, but I’m just telling you now if Sarah hurts Kallie in any way, I’m going to let Brinley kick her ass.” The love he has for my sister makes me smile.

  “You know everything London went through; I really hope that bitch doesn’t bring it up. Because like Jax, I’ll hire Brinley to kick her ass. And she better not hurt my sister,” Blake says, crossing his arms.

  “Listen, I hear you guys. This is what I worry about, but if I’m honest, I think McKinley needs to be the most prepared. Sarah is not going to like the idea that I am with someone and she doesn’t know yet, but once she finds out...” I blow out a breath and run my hands through my hair. “She’s going to really make shit bad. As far as all of you guys and the girls, I’m sure she will bring up my kids being around models and the sex life you are known to have. Nothing we can’t handle, or I hope,” I say chuckling, looking at Blake and Max.

  “Not like we have sex with your girls around, she has nothing. You worry too much. She’s the one who should be nervous, not you,” Max says, sipping his water.

  Maybe everyone is right. Maybe I am worrying about nothing. There is nothing she can do that would be worse than what I know she did and does now.

  “I think you’re right Max. I’ve kept this to myself for so long, I guess I just thought about everything that could go wrong.”

  “Max is right. You just make sure you protect my sister,” Blake says.

  “I promise you. I will never let anything happen to her.”

  “Sounds like a guy who’s falling in love,” Jax says with a wink.

  “I think it’s way too early for that, but yeah I really fucking care about her,” I say and Blake grins at me.

  Just then the girls come back out, smiling. Just seeing McKinley smile like that makes me happy. It also makes me realize that as much time as we spend together, we still don’t know enough about each other. I opened up about Sarah, now I want her to open up about her past.

  “So, listen to go along with the theme tonight of exciting news,” Kallie says, smiling at me. “London came to me the other day and told me she had a description of the female character from her new book, and we decided that McKinley would be a perfect fit.”

  The pure excitement that is on McKinley’s face is surreal. This beautiful woman is about to explode into stardom, and she deserves it. This is her dream, and she never gave up on it, which makes this that much more special.

  I get up and pull her into my arms. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you,” I whisper in her ear and she squeezes me a bit harder.

  “So Jax and Blake, we are going to do the shoot here in the pool. Blake, I promise nothing sexual with your sister, with you there,” Kallie says, and I chuckle.

  “Damn right, but she’s lucky it’s Jax she’ll be with because I wouldn’t want to have to kill a fucker.” I’m glad he said it because I was thinking the same thing.

  After they all discuss the shoot for a while, McKinley and I finally leave. On the way back to my place I simply reach over and take her hand, squeezing it like she’s done to me so many times lately.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?” she asks.

  “For finding me when I needed it most.”

  Chapter 11

  McKinley

  * * *

  After we got back to Braden’s and had some of the most intense sex yet, he fell asleep. I, however, am still laying here excited as hell about my photoshoot. When the girls called me into the house, I had no idea what was going on, but when London said I had the exact look she was looking for and asked if I’d be on her cover, I nearly passed out. This is what I’ve been waiting for, my break, and it’s finally happening. I know that Kallie is going to take some amazing photos and I’m so excited about it all. I’m going to be on a book cover with Jax fucking Burke. How is this real life?

  Looking over at Braden I can’t help but smile. I’m so glad everything worked out for him tonight and he is finally able to relax and focus on getting his girls. I’ll admit when he told me about Sarah, I was shocked. There is no way a judge would deny him those girls and they deserve a normal life here with him.

  Rolling onto my side I close my eyes and before I drift off to sleep, I realize that both Braden and I are one step closer to living our dreams.

  The next week went by at a snail’s pace, waiting for today, for our photoshoot. I’ve been excited and nervous. I hope that I will be able to be as professional as Jax and pull it all off. Braden has been reassuring me all week that I will do amazing, and he’s definitely raised my confidence. He even wanted to come to the shoot, but I told him that it would make me too nervous.

  I finish getting ready and stand in front of the mirror. My hair looks great, and my makeup is flawless. I have on a black dress that hangs off one shoulder, paired with red heels. Kallie told me to bring a few different bathing suits as well, so I grab my bag that I packed them in.

  Going into the living room I grab my phone off the charger, and it alerts me of a text.

  Braden: Good luck. Call me when you get home and I’ll bring over dinner.

  He is so sweet, always thinking of me.

  Me: Thank you. I will definitely call you when I get home.

  I shove my phone into my purse, grab my keys and make my way to my car. The drive over to Blake’s takes no time at all and the closer I get the harder my heart pounds. Not out of nervousness though, out of excitement. There aren’t many models who get their break with such huge talent and if it wasn’t for Blake, none of this would be happening. He truly has turned my life around. j

  Parking the car, I take a deep breath and climb out. I walk around back like Kallie told me to do and once back there I see her setting up.

  “Hey Kallie,” I say as I make my way over.

  She turns her beautiful, smiling face toward me and lets out a whistle. “Damn, you look hot McKinley.”

  “Thanks. What do you need me to do?” I ask as I place my bag down on the table.

  “Nothing, I’m all set. We’re going to do a few shots outside the pool and hot tube, but a majority will be in the water. How are you feeling?” She smiles probably knowing how big of a break this is for me. />
  “I’m excited. Thank you again for this opportunity.”

  “Anything for family, but London is the one who gave me the description,” she says.

  I can tell she is already in work mode, which I suppose is exactly how it should be. It’s something I need to learn how to do, separate work from fun. I look around taking it all in because very shortly my first real modeling job will begin.

  “Is Jax here yet?” I ask when I look back toward her.

  “He’s inside talking with Blake. After we do the shots of you and Jax outside the water, I’m going to take a few of the two of them in the water before you join Jax, alright?” she explains.

  “Yes, sounds great.”

  Just as I say it the back door opens and Jax comes out dressed in a damn tuxedo, looking probably the sexiest I’ve ever seen him. He doesn’t acknowledge me right away; he goes over to Kallie and kisses her cheek.

  “Well, what do you think?” he asks, grabbing the lapels.

  “It’s perfect. Are you ready?”

  He nods and looks over at me. “Hey McKinley, you look great. Ready to get this going?”

  Suddenly it all becomes so real, and I feel my nerves taking over. I smile up at Jax and try to calm my pounding heart.

  “Sure,” I say.

  He winks at me and starts walking over to stand in front of the pool. I follow behind, hoping like hell I don’t mess this up. I’ve never modeled with someone else before and I’m sure Jax is used to working with women who have a lot of modeling experience. Not my lack of.

  “Alright, now we want these shots to be sexy, yet loving. Jax knows how to do it, so McKinley just follow his lead. If I think you need to stand differently or move a hand or something I’ll tell you. Just relax and do what comes naturally,” Kallie says, being completely professional.

  Jax and I stand in front of the pool and face each other. He wraps one arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him and uses the other to rest on my cheek. I take a deep breath and wrap my arms around his neck.