Betting on Beaumont: A Brooklyn Novel #3 (The Brooklyn Series)

by Danielle Jamie

  Holding my cell up, I snap a picture of Dixon lying down with his arm above his head. The tattoo artist, Skit, I really hope that isn’t his real name, is working on Dixon’s new ink.

  I still can’t believe he’s tattooing my name on his arm. Kayden is going to have a field day with this. Especially, after Dixon busted Kayden’s balls the entire plane ride home from the Bahamas for tattooing Savannah’s name on his ribs.

  “How’s it lookin’?” Dixon asks dragging his gaze from me to his arm.

  Climbing off of the stool, I make my way over beside Dixon and observe the tattoo; it looks pretty bad ass. “It’s turning out really awesome, babe. I love it!” Leaning down, I kiss him before going back to watching Skit finish the detailing around my name.

  “It sure hurts like a mother fucker…” Dixon says between clenched teeth as Skit fills in the swirls around my name.

  He did ‘Brooklyn’ in a cursive font, with really interesting swirl-like details around it. It’s a work of art on his arm. I can’t wait to show it off to everyone with him tomorrow.

  Reaching into his jeans, Dixon pulls out his chrome flask. “Nothing like some Jack to numb the pain.” He laughs and flashes me a cocky grin, as he holds it up to me. “Can ya help me out, babe?”

  Rolling my eyes, I take the flask and twist the top off for him. “I don’t know how you’re not numb already. I think you drank an entire bottle of Jack back at the club!”

  He takes a long swig from the flask. “Ahhh,” he says as he slaps his lips together and slowly drags his tongue over them, licking the remaining whiskey off. “It takes a whole lot more than that to make me numb, baby. As soon as this tattoo is done, we’re heading up to the suite to consummate our marriage…hell maybe we can do that on the way up to the suite.”

  Skit sure is finding this conversation interesting, he slides his gaze from Dixon’s tattoo up to me, before focusing back on the tattoo. “So I take it you two got married? Let me guess, by a guy dressed up like Elvis?”

  Dixon lets out a loud chuckle. “Yup! Damn, it’s the best fuckin’ idea ever. It was a spur of the moment thing, but shit, it beats dealing with all that crazy ass weddin’ plannin’ shit!”

  Wow. Isn’t he just romantic?

  Biting back a smile, I run my hand over Dixon’s arm, “You’re right, Dixon, Savannah and Kayden should save themselves the headache of planning a wedding and just elope, too.”

  A devilish grin spreads across his lips as he flashes me a mega-watt smile. “We’re fuckin’ geniuses. I will so be telling Knox tomorrow he should ask Savannah to elope.”

  I highly doubt Savannah will go for that idea, but I’ll just let him enjoy his moment of glory.

  Chapter 10

  -Dixon

  The sound of my phone going off beside my head stirs me awake. Grabbing my pillow, I roll onto my stomach and shove it over my head.

  Ignoring the asshole persistently calling me, I try to fall back asleep. My head is pounding thanks to my dumb ass drinking way too much last night.

  I lost track by midnight. After that who knows? I probably drank enough to get half of fucking Vegas intoxicated. A soft, sleepy moan fills the room as I feel the bed shift beside me. “Either answer your phone…or turn the damn ringer off.” Brooklyn grumbles with her voice sexy as ever and husky from sleep.

  Flipping over I grab the phone and silence it before rolling back to face her. I sling my arm over her body and pull her into me. “There. Happy now?” I ask as I bury my face into the crook of her neck and breathe in the fruity aroma of her shampoo. We showered early this morning after hours of sex. Now the bed smells of her, and I can’t get enough of it. It was a bitch though trying to not hit my fucking tattoo the entire time. Which, I’m still somewhat in shock over the fact that I tattooed her name on my fucking arm.

  I’m never going to live this one down.

  “Yes. Very,” she says sleepily before snuggling into me and draping her leg over mine.

  I never liked sleeping in a bed with a woman, let alone cuddling with one. That is until Brooklyn came charging into my life like a fucking bull at a goddamn rodeo. She’s shaken my entire life up and changed everything.

  Her breathing has already slowed back down as I feel her slipping back to sleep in my arms when I hear my phone vibrating on the table. Trying to ignore it, I squeeze my eyes shut willing sleep to come. But as soon as my phone stops, it begins buzzing again.

  For fucks sake!

  Slipping my arm out from under her head, I lean down and press a kiss to her temple before climbing out of bed. Grabbing my phone, I look around for my briefs to slip on. It takes me a few minutes of searching in the dark with only the light from my phone, but I find them near the door of our room. Slipping them on, I grab a t-shirt lying discarded across a chair near the sliding glass doors leading out to the balcony.

  Pulling the shirt over my head, I’m extra careful not to rip the gauze off of my arm. The sun trying to force its way into the room through the blackout curtains reminds me that I’m going to need some shades. Especially with this fucking hangover.

  I pad across the room over to the dresser where I left my sunglasses last night. Snatching them up, I hurry toward the sliding glass doors as my phone begins vibrating in my hand.

  Whoever the fuck is calling me sure is persistent this morning.

  Unlocking and sliding open the door, I step out onto the balcony overlooking the swimming pool below. The bright, morning light blinds me temporarily as I slip my sunglasses on attempting to shield my eyes.

  I plop down onto the lounger and hold my phone up to see who’s calling. No one ever calls me. Everyone knows if you want to reach me on the weekends to text me. I don’t check any messages over the weekend. Once Monday rolls around I’m back into business mode, but on the weekends you want to talk to me, shoot me a message before you call, I will ignore it.

  The only exception I’ve made is with Brooklyn. That’s only because I love hearing her voice.

  I’m officially one of those love-sick assholes who find themselves falling all over themselves over a chick. But I don’t give a flying fuck. Let the jokes fly, but I have the last laugh because I get what every man wishes he had, full access to her killer body anytime I want it.

  My eyes almost fall out of my head when I read my father’s name lit up across the screen. My father never calls me…like ever. My mother does because I swear it’s some weird mom thing. She insists on calling not texting whenever she needs to speak with me. But my dad, he’s a straight shooter. He messages me only when needed and keeps shit short and simple. Just the way I like it.

  So seeing his name pop up as the person calling my phone non-stop this morning makes my stomach knot up nervously.

  Sliding my finger across the screen, I answer the phone and bring it up to my ear. “Shit, Dad. Did someone die?” I joke, but from the screaming on the other end, I take it he’s in no mood to joke around. From his tone I can tell he’s as pissed off as a fucking bee in a beer can.

  “Please tell me you didn’t get married last night, Dixon!” His voice booms through the phone and sends ice sliding through my veins.

  Well, shit. News traveled awfully fast this morning.

  Raking my fingers through my hair, I try to figure out how to defuse the situation. “Well, as a matter of fact—” My father cuts me off before I can get a full response out.

  “Have you lost your fuckin’ mind? Do you know what you have done?” I flinch at his words and hold the phone away from my ear before he blows my ear drum straight out of my head.

  “Dad, calm down.” I let out a frustrated sigh as I plead with him to relax. It’s a wedding not the end of the fucking world.

  He lets out a frustrated groan on the other end of the phone, and I can hear my mother talking in the background but can’t make out what she’s saying. “Don’t tell me to calm down, Dixon. You have no idea what you’ve done! You’ve just put everything in jeopardy over a girl? The minute you land to
day, you’re to come to the house and we’re going to meet with my attorney so we can figure out how to get this marriage annulled.”

  I cup my forehead in my hand as I will the throbbing inside of my skull to go away. I’m too hung over to deal with this shit. “Dad, I’m fucking hungover and tired as shit. I don’t want to deal with this right now. Why the fuck would I get an annulment? I love this girl. I wouldn’t have married her if I didn’t.”

  “Since when do you even know what love is? You have your dick between a new girl’s legs every fucking weekend, Dixon. I’m grateful you’ve at least been smart enough up until this moment to wrap it up before you slept with them to protect our family and our company. But this…you really have no idea what you’ve done. All over a girl you’ll probably forget about the second the next pretty girl with a nice rack and tight body waltz in front of you.”

  Shaking my head, I try to keep my anger in. He’s pissed, I get that. But I can’t have him thinking Brooklyn is just some gold digging whore that conned me into marrying her.

  “Thanks, Dad. I’m glad my common sense to practice safe sex has been my shining moment with you. Not the fact that I’ve built my own successful business, all the while running Beaumont Energy alongside you, Mom and Kayden.”

  “Don’t get mouthy with me, boy. You know damn well the shit storm you’ve just created with this circus of a wedding in Las Vegas. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you not care that this girl can leave you and take everything? How could you be so fuckin’ stupid! Your mother is beside herself. Crying hysterically that she had to learn about her son getting married by watching the news this morning! Your little elopement has gone viral and is now plastered all over the internet and every news station! Our PR team is going to have a field day trying to clear this mess up you’ve created.”

  Climbing to my feet, I walk over to the railing and grip onto it with my left hand. The light catches my wedding band and glimmers in the morning sunlight. A pang of sadness knocks me hard in the chest.

  This is going to break Brooklyn.

  “I can’t ask her for an annulment, Dad. Do you know how insensitive that is? She’s not like those other girls I’ve dated. She’s different. She’s best friends with Kayden’s fiancé. Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to marry someone I thought would use me just for my money?”

  I hear the door slide open behind me, and the sound of Brooklyn’s voice speaking is like a knife piercing my heart. “Dixon? What are you doing outside?”

  Turning slightly, I glance at Brooklyn over my shoulder. She’s wearing a tank top and cotton shorts with her long brown hair thrown up into a messy bun on top of her head. The breeze whips past me and I watch the warm air blow the loose strands of hair in front of those fiery eyes of hers as they stare lovingly at me. She looks sleepy, with fine lines across her face from the sheet imprinted onto her cheek.

  “Dad, I have to go. We’ll talk about this when I get home.”

  “There’s nothing to discuss, Dixon. You need to tell her that y’all are getting an annulment filed first thing tomorrow. If you truly love this girl, then you’ll go about things the proper way. Get engaged, plan a wedding, have a proper pre-nup drawn up by our family attorney. If she loves you like you say she does, she will understand and agree to these terms. You have billions to worry about.”

  I can’t help but roll my eyes at the audacity of this man.

  Brooklyn’s hands wrap around my waist as her cheek rests against my back. Vomit rises in my throat as my father’s words ring loudly inside of my head. Even though I know it’s going to hurt Brooklyn, I understand where my father’s coming from. I’m risking a lot going into a marriage without any legal security protecting myself and my family’s money. Our relationship is volatile enough as it is. With us off and on and then off again over these last few months, what’s to say that in a few weeks or months, one of us decides this isn’t working and wants to walk away?

  “I’ll see you when I get home.” I end the call and toss my phone onto the lounger beside me.

  “Who was that? Whoever it was sure has you all worked up.” Her hands slide under my t-shirt and scratches my skin lightly with her nails.

  I bring my hands up to cover hers as I keep my eyes focused on the people below lounging poolside. “That was my father. Somehow news of us eloping last night got out to the news outlets.”

  Her fingers tighten against me as her nails dig into my skin. “Ohh. I take it they didn’t take the news of our marriage well? I need to turn my phone on, more than likely I have a million messages from my parents’ also.”

  I let out a slow, deep chuckle as I try to let the craziness that is my life right now sink in. “Not taking it well is putting it lightly. My mother’s a mess and my father is two seconds away from giving himself a fucking heart attack.”

  “God, now I’m scared to turn my phone on. My dad is going to kill me. I don’t even want to think about what my mom is going to say. Eloping sounded like a much better plan when we were both too intoxicated to worry about the consequences.”

  Shifting in her arms, I turn to face her leaning against the railing. I bring my hands up to her face and stare down into her eyes that are filled with worry. “When we get back to Houston, we need to file for an annulment.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth. The pain that fills her eyes as she blinks through tears beginning to fill her eyes is like a sucker punch to my abdomen.

  “Excuse me?” She shoves me away from her and takes a step back.

  “Listen. It’s the only option we have right now to fix this.” I reach out for her as I try to plead my case, but I can see it in her face. She’s hurt and shutting me out. Nothing I say will matter now.

  “I cannot believe this. I was expecting something along the lines of let’s meet with our parents together and figure everything out. Your first idea is to dissolve our marriage and pretend it never happened? Do you even love me, Dixon?”

  Stammering, I grab her arm and pull her to me pinning her to my chest. “Yes I love you. I fucking love you so much I can’t even think straight whenever I’m around you. Hence the fucking tattoo on my goddamn arm! It’s just that I was stupid to get married without a prenuptial agreement. Someone of my stature is putting everything I own at risk—“She slaps me across the face and wiggles out of my embrace.

  “I don’t want to hear another fucking word, Dixon. You want an annulment? I’ll give you one. But I promise you, this you sure as hell won’t be seeing me again. I was a fool to think you were serious about us. All you care about is your stupid billions! Don’t worry, I don’t want a dime from you. Not now and not ever.”

  Before I can explain to her why, she’s storming back inside. I chase after her trying to get Brooklyn to listen to me. Like usual she’s being the same stubborn Brooklyn she always is.

  Why are women so fucking complicated?

  “Brooklyn, wait! It’s not like that. We can get an annulment and then get married again later on down the road. That way you can have a real wedding and then everyone will be happy. I’m just trying to do the right thing.” I watch as she runs around the room collecting her clothes and her cell phone.

  Refusing to look at me, she speaks as she heads toward the door. “You think I would want to re-marry you after you make me sign a paper saying our marriage means nothing to me. It may be as easy as signing your name on a line, Dixon. But no matter if it was spur of the moment, it meant everything to me. I love you, and I thought you loved me too. But I guess your view on love and marriage is different from mine.”

  With that said, she pulls open the door and disappears out into the hallway slamming the bedroom door behind her. Dropping back onto the bed, I run my hands over my face. I’ve made a mess of everything. With Brooklyn, with my parents’. It’s like no matter what I choose to do it won’t be the right choice for one of the two. There’s no way to make everyone happy. I am at a complete loss on what I can do to fix this. The damage was done the se
cond the words left my mouth. I don’t know how I’m going to fix this with Brooklyn.

  My father fucked with my head screaming about money and pre-nups. I should’ve thought it through and figured out a better way to ask her. I thought it was better for her to hear it from me and not from my father the second I bring her home to meet them.

  My life is officially one big mess. I don’t know where to begin so I can try to fix the train wreck I’ve caused.

  Brooklyn

  Fighting back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes, I pop open the door to my room, tossing my dress and heels onto the floor. Slamming the door shut, I make my way down the hallway toward the stairs leading to the first level of the suite. I can hear voices as I descend the staircase so I know Savannah’s downstairs.

  Running down the stairs, I beeline it into the kitchen where I find Savannah and Kayden. She’s buttering a muffin when she lifts her eyes and meets mine. With my pulse racing and my mind reeling I snap, “Savannah! I need to talk to you.” Focusing her eyes on Kayden, I emphasize, “Alone,” before bringing my eyes back to Savannah’s.

  “I’m going to bring our bags downstairs,” Kayden says dryly, kissing her cheek and disappearing into the living room.

  I dread having to leave. Now with all of this happening, the last thing I want to do is ride a fucking plane back to Texas with Dixon.

  Sighing, Savannah grabs her muffin and slides up onto a barstool at the kitchen island. “Okay, now that we’re alone, what’s going on, Brooklyn?”

  I look nervously toward the floor and begin pacing back and forth in front of her as I try to find the courage to spit this out. I’m grateful that she hasn’t watched the news this morning or read any gossip crap online so that she didn’t have to learn about my spur of the moment marriage from someone other than myself.

  “You are going to flip your lid,” I tell her as I nervously chew on my fingernail, ignoring the fact that I’m ruining my newly manicured nails.