“Mr. Hawthorn, you may present your case.” The judge looked down his nose and Howard and his defense.
“The defendant has nothing to add your Honor.”
“In the bag,” Lisa whispered in my direction.
Quite honestly, I had never been in a courtroom before in my life so I was just going to have to take her word for it. The fact that Lisa sat beside me looking like the cat that ate the crème and Howard’s side looked like the stepped in something that stunk was reassurance enough for me.
“At this time we’ll take a thirty-minute recess while I review the documents. Court will adjourn at 10 am.” The Judge said gathering the evidence in his arms he rose. The bailiff called us all to rise as the judge walked back to his chambers.
“Slam dunk.” Lisa laughed. She looked like adrenalin junking riding her high.
“You’re not going to win this. I’ll make sure you pay. I’ll keep you so wrapped up in lawsuits you won’t know which way is up.” Angela threatened. “If you think this is bad, just wait until the sexual harassment and physical abuse lawsuits hit. You can consider your career toast.” She continued to taunt.
“Both of us know that isn’t true. I’ve never laid a finger on you in any capacity.” My anger began to boil over, soiling my good mood.
“It doesn’t have to be true to ruin you. It’s my word against yours.” She continued to clout.
“Enough Angela. I’ve had enough of your games. I’m ending this now. If you so much as breathe in his direction again I will cut you off. I will write you out of my will and toss you out onto the streets.” Mr. Howard’s voice bellowed through the room reverberating off the walls.
“But, Daddy.” She began only to be cut off.
“No. I told you I’ve had enough. I mean it. Not another word. His name is henceforward removed from your vocabulary.” The steel in his voice was enough to make even the strongest of men quiver. “That goes for his family as well. One peep and it all goes away, Angela.” Angela deflated. Her shoulders slumped forward. Her head hung low. “Hawthorn, I trust you to wrap this up.”
“Yes, sir.” Howard seized Angela by the arm roughly, nearly dragging her out of the courtroom.
Once the pair had left the tension in the room evaporated. “Ms. Radcliff. I am permitted to offer you twenty-five million to drop the case and agreement on sealing the records.” Mr. Hawthorn looked nervous as he toed the white marble. His hands were sunk into his pockets making him appear more like a sullen child playing dress up than a corporate attorney.
“Deal.” She agreed striking out her hand. “And keep a muzzle on the beast, would ya?” Mr. Hawthorn laughed nervously.
“More like euthanization.” He mumbled under his breath. I couldn’t agree more.
Chapter Twenty Four
Makayla
It was over.
A weight I didn’t even know existed had been lifted off my shoulders. Tears of happiness streamed down my face as Lisa told me the exciting news.
“I’m so happy for him.” I cried in excitement.
“I can’t believe you’re crying. Has there been a day or a time you haven’t been in tears?” Lisa laughed teasingly as she wipes the wet streams from my eyes.
“Everything makes me cry these days. I was watching a puppy food commercial and broke down in tears.” I laughed at my own silliness.
“I swear, I haven’t seen you so emotional since-“ She stopped. Lisa’s head swiveled on her shoulders as she scanned me from head to toe. Uncomfortable I fidgeted under her microscopic perusal.
“Is there anything you need to tell me?” Her eyes squinted slightly as though she could see straight through me.
“I haven’t told him yet.” My shoulders slumped as I sagged down onto the hotel room sofa.
“Why not?” Lisa asked folding her arms across her chest. Her hip cocked out as she stared down at me.
“I can’t even get him to say hello to me. How the heck am I going to get him to sit down with me long enough for me to tell him? Besides,” I threw out my hands in frustration, “He’ll probably think it’s all just an act to get him back.” I sighed in resignation.
“Do you want him back?” Lisa asked crouching down beside me.
“I never wanted him to leave.” I wailed. A fresh wave of tears took over as my body caved in on itself. “I told him everything. EVERYTHING Lis. And he left. He just walked away and never looked back.”
“He just needs some time, Mak. He’ll come around and come home. You just have to trust in him, in your relationship.” I knew what she was saying was the truth, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.
“I know, but now I’ll wonder if he came home because of me or because of the baby. I don’t think my heart could handle that much insecurity. I’m not as strong as you think I am.” My tears turned to sobs.
“You’re the strongest woman I know. Never doubt yourself. Things are going to work out. Before you know it the two of you will be disgusting in love and I’ll be hiding away trying to burn my eyes out with bleach at how sickening the two of you are together.” Lisa teased pulling a choking laugh from my lips.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Lis. I’m so sorry.” Lisa’s arms wrapped around me pulling me into a firm embrace. I melted into her touch. Lisa really did give the best hugs. “I know honey. I forgive you.” Her words were like a balm to my wounded heart, mending some of the fractured pieces.
“I miss girl’s night,” I confessed.
“Me too. I’ll make it up to you. We may not be able to have tacos and margaritas, but I’m sure we can find a virgin substitute.”
Our tender moment was disturbed by knocking at the door. Lisa gave me one last squeeze before releasing me to get the door. Opening it just a crack Lisa poked her head out the door. I could hear her talking to someone but I couldn’t hear what they were saying, their voices were too low to carry.
“Okay.” It was the last thing I heard before Lisa slipped out the door. In her place stood Lenny.
My fist balled into my shirt nervously, unsure of what to do.
Chapter Twenty Five
Lenny
She was a mess, there was no denying it. Her hair was carelessly balled up on the top of her head. She looked like a raccoon. Her tears left rivulets of black makeup trailing down her face. The tip of her nose was cherry red from having been blown through so many tissues. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
Even in her tattered sweats and old faded band t-shirt, she was stunning. My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I walked closer to her. Each step forward made my heart beat even faster, a true testament to my feelings for the woman before me.
I was still angry at her. So fucking angry.
But I couldn’t bring myself to stay away. It had been far too long. Makayla was my drug. My addiction. I could never get enough of her. I needed her like a flower needed rain.
After court was over and Angela was out of our lives for good I knew it was time. There was nothing that could stand in our way.
I wasn’t giving up.
I was angry.
I was hurt.
But that didn’t diminish my love.
A broken heart doesn’t make it beat any less.
She still owned me.
“What are you doing here?” Her small pink mouth hung open in shock.
“I couldn’t stay away.” It was the truth. Honesty in its truest form.
“Why?” The way her brows narrowed in confusion was adorable, as though she had no idea of the true hold she held over me.
“Because I love you.” She gasped her eyes welling with tears.
I stepped closer as I spoke. “Because no matter how hard I try I can’t get you off my mind. Because there is no one else in the world that could ever capture my heart the way you have. Because you're mine and I’m never giving you up.” Each truth brought me closer and closer until I was standing before her.
Dropping to my knees we were eye level. “You make me angr
y, so fucking angry. You ripped my heart out of my chest and shattered it into a million pieces. You gave up on us when things got hard. The moment your back was shoved into the corner you turned tail and ran. It hurt Makayla. It cut down to the marrow in the most painful way.” Tears streamed from her eyes but she never looked away.
“But I still love you. I love you more today than I did yesterday and less than I will tomorrow. No matter what, I’ll always be yours.”
“I’m pregnant.” The world stood still.
I felt like I was eighteen all over again, standing under the bleachers in the city park where Makayla first told me about Avery.
Chapter Twenty Six
Makayla
I think I broke him.
Lenny knelt in front of me unmoving. His mouth hung open as though he were frozen in place.
“Lenny?” My voice cracked from all the crying I had done. “Are you okay?”
His eyebrows narrowed slightly, his mouth began to move but no words came out. It was like being sucked back in time. Unable to help myself I giggled. He was eighteen year old Lenny all over again.
I ignored his frozen stature, instead of taking advantage of his paralyzed state. “I’m six weeks. I know it’s really soon and I know we didn’t plan it. It seems to be our MO.” I chuckled lightly. My hands toyed with a loose thread in my shirt.
“At first I had no idea, ya know. I’ve never been on birth control and we never seem to have any control. It just kind of happened. I didn’t plan it. I promise. I wouldn’t do that to you.” I smiled weakly forging on.
“I know I hurt you. I know what I did wasn’t right. I’m more sorry than you could ever imagine. I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. I should have trusted you. I know that now. But at the time, I worried for Avery. I worried about what would happen to her. I worried about her being taken away for any length of time. I panicked.” I exhaled loudly.
“It’s no excuse, but it’s the truth. I never stopped loving you. I never stopped for one second. After the words left my mouth I knew they were wrong. That’s why I didn’t bring it up again. I was ashamed of my actions. I tried to make it up to you. I tried to bury it all away and forge forward with us. I mean what I said that night. I meant every word. I love you. I love you more than anything in this world. I wouldn’t give you up for anything.”
I began to worry when he still didn’t move. Panic began to settle into my chest. “Len, say something. Anything.” I urged.
“I’m going to be a daddy?” HIS words were uttered in disbelief.
Unable to reply I could only nod my head.
“We're having a baby?” His words were still sluggish but more alert than before. The panic seemed to be fading allowing him to finally wrap his head around the bomb I had laid at his feet.
“You’re not kidding me are you?” His voice sounded panicked as though he were afraid this was all a sick joke.
“No.” I gasped.
Lenny launched himself at me. His body covered mine as we landed in a heap on the narrow couch.
“You’re giving me a baby.” The amazement in his voice swelled my heart double in size.
“I am.”
Lenny’s forehead rested against mine. “I love you so much. Marry me.”
The world skidded to a stop.
“Len,” His name came out on an exhale.
Scrambling off of me he reached into his pocket. Pulling it back out her held a platinum band with a cushion cut diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds. It was breathtaking. Dropping to one knee he extended his hand, the diamond stood out like a beacon beckoning me forward.
“Say you’ll marry me.” He urged
“You’re serious?” My hand covered my mouth as I admired the rings pinched between his fingers.
“As a heart attack.” He replied.
Wordlessly I nodded my head.
“I need to hear it from your lips, Babe.” Lenny chuckled.
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” I shouted flinging myself into his arms.
We landed in a tangle of limbs.
I covered his face with kisses. My heart had never felt so full.
Lenny kissed me back with fervor. His skilled fingers maneuvered the ring onto my finger as his lips held me hostage.
I was marrying Lenny Demark.
Epilogue
Angela
I hated orange. The thin cotton rubbed against my skin like sandpaper chafing my sensitive skin.
It was all their fault. Loser Lenny and his home-wrecking wife. They put me here.
It didn’t matter that my father cut me off. No, they needed to pay. I sold my story to the highest bidder. I told the world how Lenny sold his soul and his virtue for a record deal.
I may or may not have embellished the facts a smidgen when I told them he was a regular old Charlie Sheen. I paid a few escorts to admit to sleeping with him. One went along with the story, telling the world how Lenny snorted lines of coke off her ass. When asked for photo evidence her story began to crumble.
That was okay. I found photographic evidence. Photos of me, bruised and bloodied poured out to the tabloids like a leaky faucet. Even photographic evidence of his physical abuse did nothing. I was enraged.
They were supposed to ruin his career. They were supposed to destroy his marriage.
But no. The public loved him. They rallied around him in a show of support. Even my own father turned against me. Going on record to defend Lenny against my claims.
I would make them pay. Leonard Demark hasn’t seen the last of me.
“Ms. Howard. It’s time for your medicine.” I struggled against the cuffs on my wrist. My back bowing and arching off the mattress in a show of defiance.
They wouldn’t break me.
I wasn’t crazy.
I wasn’t.
Acknowledgements
Tasha, without you this book wouldn’t be possible. You have been the driving force behind me, pushing and encouraging me to continue. You have stood beside me, night after night, listening to me rant and rave. Listening to me pour through ideas until I was blue in the face. Never once did you falter. I love you wifey- to the moon and back!
To my readers, thank you so very much for picking up my book and taking a chance on me. Without you I wouldn’t be here, pouring out my thoughts and bleeding the words onto the paper. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!
About The Author
A. D. Herrick was born and raised in Southern California though currently resides in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, 3 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Though she was born and raised in the big city, she is a country girl at heart with a taste for smoldering hot men.
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