by Claire Adams
I knew I should be used to this lecture, but it stung every time. It never failed to remind me of my mother. How she had always shut me out, thus leaving my father to take care of me. Or at least, the slew of nannies they hired to take care of me.
He was lost in his rant, though. “You, on the other hand, want to stride in here to chat about how busy you are? The only thing you need to do is go home and study for the bar exam.”
“Are you done?” I asked, my teeth gritted and my tone flat. “I wanted to talk to you about the exam. That’s why I’m—”
The door cracked open, effectively cutting me off. A really tall, really well-built guy with short black hair and the most sparkling hazel eyes stuck his head through the door.
From the immediate change in my father’s demeanor, the guy was one of his players. An important one, judging by my father’s sudden genuine smile and welcoming expression.
“Oh, shit. Sorry, Rich. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting. I didn’t check in with Olivia. I’ll come back later.” His voice was deep, low, and smooth. He could work for a phone sex line with a voice like that. I was pretty sure he could make a girl come just by talking to her. He’d make a killing.
Oh wait, he probably already does. I mentally admonished myself for even taking notice of how good-looking he was or how sexy his voice was. Even if my father didn’t have his rule about my staying away from his players, I wanted nothing to do with the arrogant assholes anyway.
I waited for my father to tell him that he should go back to Olivia and wait, just like I’d had to, but instead, he motioned the guy inside. I fumed at the gesture.
“Nonsense, James. You know you don’t have to check in with her. You’re welcome anytime.” The edge in my father’s voice that he’d had while he lectured me disappeared into thin air.
My head snapped back like he’d slapped me. This arrogant asshole football player didn’t have to check in with his receptionist, but I did? He was welcome anytime, but I had to make an appointment two days in advance?
Fuck that.
I narrowed my eyes and looked straight at my father. “Yes, James,” I seethed. “Don’t bother waiting outside. We’ll be done here in just a second. I’m not taking the bar exam, that’s what I came here to tell you.”
I grabbed my bag and was about to storm out when my father chuckled, actually fucking chuckled, and then spoke like I was a clueless teenager throwing a tantrum. “Of course you’re taking the bar, Gabrielle. You know the rules.”
That was it. The rage had finally bubbled all the way up, and I lost the last bit of self-control that I’d been managing to hold on to.
“Rules? How about this for rules?” I snapped and walked straight to the asshole football player and kissed the living daylights out of him.
Chapter Five
James
Well, shit. That was the last thing I expected when I stuck my head into Richard’s office that morning. My lips still tingled from the force of the blonde’s kiss. As shocked as I was, I had to admit I was a little turned on, too, as she slammed the door shut behind her.
I couldn’t help it. The chick was fucking hot. She had legs for miles, perfectly accentuated by a short denim skirt that hit mid-thigh, decently sized tits that formed just a hint of cleavage visible in her tank top, and blonde curls that actually looked natural and hung to just below those tits. Then there were her eyes.
She had deep blue eyes, almost the color of the sliver of faraway ocean visible from my yard. I had no problem imagining them drunk with lust or hazy post-orgasm.
People thought my expertise was football, but any woman I’d been with would agree that my real expertise was between the sheets. Or up against a wall. Anywhere, really. Making women scream my name as they came so hard they forgot their own.
Richard cleared his throat. It dawned on me that I’d just made out with some girl in my boss’s office. Probably not the greatest idea. “I’m so sorry, Richard. I have never seen that girl before in my life. I have no idea who she is.”
“That’s okay. I should be the one apologizing. That’s my daughter, Gabrielle.”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Shit.
I hadn’t just made out with some girl in my boss’s office. I’d made out with his daughter in his office. Just before I wanted to ask him for more money.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
I raised an eyebrow at him, prompting him to explain. He let out a deep breath and gripped his armrests. She must’ve really upset him. “She was trying to prove a point to me. I have this rule against her dating football players, so when I brought up the rules…” He trailed off.
“I get it. You brought up the rules, and I was the fastest way to break one.”
He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts before confirming my suspicions. “Exactly, you were collateral damage to our, uh, disagreement. I do apologize.”
“No worries.” I dragged my hand through my spiky hair and shot him a grin. “Women, right?”
He smirked. “Right. Raising them is one hell of a challenge. I’ll tell you that much. You’ll see. It doesn’t get better after the teenage years. Although, that was also a mountain of fun.”
I blanched, realizing Harper was going to do shit like that to me. I had never really thought about it like that before. She had just turned 2. I was her hero. Everything I did was awesome. Mostly, anyway. As long as I did exactly what she wanted. “Good to know what I have to look forward to.”
I’d fucking kill any asshole who laid a hand on my daughter, but Richard didn’t look like he was about to kill me. He looked resigned, if anything. “Yeah, I’m sure that neither you nor I were easy to raise, but girls. They’re something else entirely.”
“I hear you,” I said, meaning it. I just had no desire to engage in any thoughts about my sweet little baby with football players. Or any other man, for that matter.
My fists clenched into balls at my sides, but I forced myself to forget about it. I had years before I had to worry about that kind of shit. Maybe I could just lock her away forever.
Richard’s voice pulled me from my dark thoughts. “So, speaking of daughters. How is your Harper doing?”
“She’s great. She made a new friend yesterday, not of the male variety.” I joked, hoping that it wasn’t too soon. Richard lightened up immediately and laughed. Clearly, the chat with his daughter had stressed him out, but he thawed a bit as we talked.
Richard had been surprisingly cool and supportive about the whole Harper situation. He’d actually been a big help. It was one of the things that strengthened the bond between us. I always sensed there was a story there he hadn’t told me about.
I had been able to put together bits and pieces from some of the stuff he’d told me over the years, but I didn’t know everything. Or how it all fit together.
Strangely, when he mentioned his daughter, I had imagined a preteen or a middle-schooler from the way he spoke about her. I definitely hadn’t thought he referred to a smoking hot 20-something.
“So, what did you want to talk about, James? I assume that you didn’t want to see me to commiserate about the joys of raising girls.” His sharp blue eyes studied me, looking like he was bracing for a blow.
“Yeah, it wasn’t. I always appreciate your interest and advice, though. I actually wanted to talk to you about next season.”
Richard tensed. “Okay, go ahead. What about it?” His jaw was tight.
“This season was bad, Richard. That last game was a disaster. I’ve been getting other offers, as you know.” I was always open with Richard. I hadn’t hidden any of the interest in me from him, especially not after his support with Harper. “The thing is. I want a ring, man, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen here.”
Richard leaned forward on his desk, placing his elbows at the edge and lacing his fingers together. “So, are you here to tell me that you’ve accepted one of the other offers?”
“No, but I’m thinking about i
t, if I’m being honest. I thought I’d come talk to you about making a counteroffer.” There it was. My cards were on the table. The ball was in his court.
Richard visibly relaxed. “So you’re asking for more money, but you’re staying with the team?”
“That’s about it the size of it, yeah. If you can make it worth my while, I would be willing to stay.” The truth was that I didn’t want to leave. Miami was my home, and it was Harper’s home, but if getting a ring and more money meant leaving, then at the very least, I had to consider it.
Two years ago, I would have been in here in a fucking heartbeat to throw my new team in Richard’s face before putting the Dolphins and Miami in my rearview mirror. I would probably have convinced Ryder to be sitting right there next to me, too.
Things had changed, though. God, how much things had changed. Harper’s well-being had to come first. I had made many sacrifices for her since she came into my life, and I would continue doing so until my dying day.
First, I had traded in my brand new Italian sports car for the Rover on the day that I decided that I wasn’t giving her up for adoption. Then, I had called up my realtor and bade farewell to my dream bachelor pad, buying a house in the fucking suburbs the very next week.
That was without even touching on the drastic and radical changes to my lifestyle. Mrs. W. helped out a lot, so I could still party and do my thing, but I never brought a girl home. And I never went on the rager trips to Vegas or out on the cruise ships.
Okay, maybe not never, but it didn’t happen that often anymore. When I’d stepped up, I thought I knew what I was signing up for. Any parent out there could have told me I had no fucking idea what it would really be like. No one ever knew until they experienced it for themselves.
So, I was winging it, and I wasn’t doing it badly. Not in my opinion, anyway. In my mind, it all boiled down to one thing. Whatever was best for Harper came first. Always. I hadn’t promised her that the first time I’d held her, as most fathers did, but I made that promise somewhere along the line.
To be fair, the first time I held her was about 10 minutes after I found out she existed. I was still in shock. I’d had to wrestle a crying infant from her car seat. I was a complete stranger to her. I didn’t have one single baby product in my home or any idea of what might comfort her. Hell, I didn’t even know where to locate that shit at the time.
Richard had been one of the people who’d helped me with that particular problem. It was one of the many reasons why I was sitting here talking to him about it.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you happy, James. I still have to look over the numbers, but I’m positive we can work something out.”
“Thanks, Richard. I appreciate it. So does Harper, even though she doesn’t know it yet.”
He nodded. “No problem, son. Let me crunch some numbers, and I’ll get back to you.” Richard’s eyes flickered to the clock on the wall behind me. It was time I got going.
We said our goodbyes, and I was nearly out the door when Richard’s voice called out to me. “James, I know that it wasn’t your fault, but never kiss my daughter again. Okay?” There was a gleam in his eyes that I had never seen before.
I nodded. “Sure, man.”
His office door clicked shut behind me, and I released a deep breath. The conversation had gone well, especially considering that it started with Richard’s daughter making out with me.
Speak of the devil. She was fuming into her phone, gesturing wildly as she leaned her tight ass on the hood of a cherry red hybrid. Her eyes widened as she saw me jogging towards her.
“I have to go, Heather. I’ll talk to you soon.” She clicked off her call and braced her arms on the hood.
“That was quite a scene in there,” I said by way of greeting, and extended my hand to her. “I’m James, by the way. I thought you deserved my name after a kiss that hot.”
Her face remained set in stone. Usually, girls went crazy for the smirk I’d just given her. Yet, she seemed unaffected. Her grip was surprisingly firm as she took my hand, holding my gaze without faltering. “Good for you, James. And don’t flatter yourself. That had nothing to do with you.”
It wasn’t like I expected every girl I met to worship at my feet. I knew that a real man worshipped at the feet of his woman. I had just never had a woman whose feet I could worship at, with the exception of Harper, of course. But it would have been nice if Gabrielle would at least acknowledge me a little. “I’m happy to lend you my lips any time you need them.”
Still no smile, but there was a ghost of a twitch on her full lips. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your kind participation.”
She spun off the hood, sashayed into her car, and drove off without another word. I watched as she cleared security and turned out of sight.
She was a firecracker. That was for sure. It was fucking hot. Richard’s warning to stay away from her echoed in my mind. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make her even more alluring.
Chapter Six
Gabrielle
I’d been so focused on law school and the bar exam for so long, I had no idea what to do now that I had informed my dad, and one of his players, of my decision not to take the bar.
For the first time in maybe forever, my future stretched wide open and unplanned before me. It was exhilarating, and it was terrifying. I needed to talk to Heather.
She answered on the first ring. “Please tell me that you’re calling because you’ve changed your mind and are on your way to study with me.”
“Uh no, the opposite, actually. I’m freaking out because I suddenly have no plan and that is not my natural state. What exactly does one do if you’re young and free?”
Heather sighed but didn’t mention her disappointment. “I wouldn’t know, Gabbi. I’d start with not worrying about criminal procedure in Florida, as I am the moment, but you’ve always been good at the procedures anyway.” Her voice was tired, but alert.
I wondered how many more empty takeout containers littered her apartment. She’d promised on Monday that she would start remembering to care of herself again, but it didn’t sound like she was making good on that promise.
I tried to be helpful anyway. “Procedure is procedure, Heather. It follows a linear course, with some possible branches that might change the picture a little, but it all comes back together again in the same way. Don’t get intimidated by the branches. Focus on the bigger picture of how it all works together to get to the outcome.”
“You’re only making me more pissed that you’re not studying with me, you know that?” Her voice already sounded clearer, though.
“Yeah, I know. I told you that we could still do our thing. How about I come over to help you make sense of criminal procedure, and you help me make sense of life without it?” I sounded whiny, even to myself. I hated it. Also, I was kind of jealous that she was stuck in criminal procedure. I loved the procedural subjects.
I quickly pushed the thought from my mind. Heather was studying it without me because I’d chosen to follow my own path. Getting sucked in by what was familiar was precisely what I didn’t need.
“Sure thing. Sounds good, I’m sure that I could do that.” She sounded relieved. “Come on over. I’ll make the coffee.”
“Got anything stronger?” I was only half-joking. We hadn’t had much time to party over the last few years, given how serious we both had been about our studies, but I kind of felt like a buzz that wasn’t caused by caffeine.
“I’m sure I have a bottle of scotch in a cupboard somewhere. You’re welcome to it. I might add a drop to my coffee, but I can absolutely not afford to be knocked out for a day by a hangover right now.” She sounded distraught by even the possibility.
“Gotcha. I’m on my way. I’ll pick up Chinese on the way.” As far as I knew, my credit card was still active. No doubt my father would deactivate everything soon to force my hand. Which was exactly why I had to figure out where I was going so fast. I would be out on m
y ass before the end of the month, otherwise.
“Sure, if you want to. I think I still have some leftovers from last night in the fridge. So if you don’t want to stop, it’s all good.” I seriously doubted that whatever leftovers she had in mind were from the night before. I wasn’t about to chance old chicken. I had too much to figure out.
“I’ll stop. It’s not a problem. I’ll see you in about an hour?” I was already stuffing my wallet into my bag and grabbing a light sweater. Not that I would need it, but Heather’s apartment was near the beach, and I liked to be prepared.
“See you then, and drive safe,” she said as she absentmindedly ended the call.
****
“What the hell,” I muttered to myself as my car shuddered and suddenly veered toward the shoulder. I hit the brakes and pulled over, trying to calm my nerves.
I undid my seat belt and hopped out in the near dark, walking around the car. I’d gotten a tune-up a few months ago, so it couldn’t be anything too serious. At least, I hoped so. Otherwise, I would have to go crawling to my father for help with getting it fixed. I had some money saved up, but not enough for a major vehicle malfunction.
“Fuuuuck,” I groaned when I saw that one tire was almost completely flat. Sure, I could fix it myself, but I had never changed a flat in the dark on the shoulder of the road.
The roadside assist sticker on my windshield caught my eye, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, this was why I had roadside assistance. I settled in the driver’s seat and dialed the number. I answered the security questions and waited to be put through to an operator.
The automated voice told me I would be connected to the next available operator, and the knot in my stomach finally came undone.
The man on the other end of the line finally answered. “I’m sorry, Ms. Ralls. It appears that your roadside service has been suspended.”
“Suspended?” It all clicked into place then. My father had made a power play. Suspending my roadside assist service had been a part of it.
