He crossed his arms. “When my father died, I became quite wealthy. I have a steady job, a boss who thinks I walk on water, a house with a yard, a housekeeper, and the means to provide my daughter with the best education and care money can buy.” He paused. “I’m also engaged to a woman who wants kids and will love Samantha as her own. Together, we can provide a stable, loving home with two parents.” He tilted his head, studying me. “As opposed to a single mother who requires the backup of her boyfriend and mother to make sure her daughter is looked after. Who is barely able to meet her financial obligations, has no car, no savings toward Samantha’s education. A woman who dresses like a dyke and hangs around construction sites likes she’s one of the boys, choosing to work erratic hours before going home to her rented accommodation and her neglected daughter.”
The air flew out of my lungs in a long gasp.
Everything he said was true but taken out of context. But I knew what he was doing—already building a case against me. Making himself sound perfect, and me unstable. I refused to let him see how terrified his words made me feel.
“You are such a bastard,” I hissed. “I will fight you every step of the way.”
He leaned against his desk. “I’ve already instructed my lawyer to petition for visitation.”
“Over my dead body. You will lose.”
He picked up his cup, taking a long sip, not at all worried about my reaction.
“We can do this one of two ways, Olivia. You let me see her, get to know her, and we arrange something legally between us, or I fight you. I have the means, the best lawyer money can buy, and the time. I can make this as ugly as possible, or we can work together, and nobody gets hurt.”
“Except Sammy. Nothing good will come from her spending time with you.”
“It’s going to happen. You know what I’m like. When I set my mind to something, I don’t give up. You fight me, you risk legal bills you have no means to pay and losing your daughter completely.”
I couldn’t believe this was happening. “You threw us away. You made this choice.”
He smiled, a cold, evil one which made me shiver.
“Not when I tell the story, Livvy.” He sneered Van’s nickname for me with so much venom, I could feel the hatred in his voice.
He stood, crossing his arms. “Van Morrison is not going to get to play daddy to my daughter. You’re going to lose, and if you fight me, I’ll make sure you lose big-time.”
His words made me feel ill.
“When I’m done, you’ll be lucky to see her on weekends,” he threatened.
I refused to let him see how terrified I was. How his words were affecting me. I picked up my bag and headed for the door. I paused before I walked out. “Bring it on, Chris,” I said, my voice filled with loathing. “I’m not the only one with something to lose here.”
I walked out before I collapsed.
He had found my weak spot and hit it so hard, I was bleeding.
Van
I wrote down the last of the measurements and snapped the cover shut on my notebook. “Okay, I’m going to double-check all this, then order all the millwork for the building.” I clapped Simon on the shoulder. “Thanks for the help.”
He grinned. “No problem. I hope I get a chance to help with the installs. I love that part.”
I had discovered Simon shared my love of woodworking. He showed me some of his work he had pictures of on his phone, and I could see he was a real craftsman. He told me he often did jobs on the side, and if I could arrange it, I planned to hire him to help once the contract with WIN was over.
Which couldn’t come fast enough. Not beating the shit out of Nolan was getting harder every day. Between the way he ran his crew and his snide comments, I was ready to blow. Liv was so anxious, the dark circles prominent under her eyes and the stress she carried evident in the tense set of her shoulders. It was killing me. But he was a smart bastard. His remarks were either muttered to himself or done in such a way he could defend himself, passed off as “teasing.” My hands were tied about how he ran his crew since he was getting the job done, and I had no control over his jurisdiction. John was rarely on-site, and when he was, Nolan was smart enough to behave.
It was driving me crazy.
I shook my head to clear it and turned, running my hand over one of the intact window casings. “I want to reproduce all this as close to original as possible. It’s going to be gorgeous when we’re finished.”
Simon stepped beside me, admiring the beveled edges and intricate cuts. “It will. Your boss has an eye for detail and unique opportunities.” He laughed humorlessly. “Nolan would have bulldozed these places to the ground and rebuilt.”
The words were out before I could stop them. “Nolan is a short-sighted, narcissistic asshole.”
He guffawed, and I had the decency to look ashamed. “Sorry. I know he’s your boss.”
“He is. That is all he is. My boss. I work hard and earn my paycheck. I don’t owe him anything more than that. He doesn’t deserve anything more than that, frankly.”
“Have you thought of leaving?”
“Only every day. I apply for every job that comes up, but there isn’t much these days. Building has changed. So much is prefab off site and brought in and put together like a jigsaw puzzle.” He pushed his hard hat up his forehead, wiping his brow. “I kinda miss the old days of building from the ground up and being proud of the work I’ve done. Now they just need strength and to be fast.” He shrugged. “I do what I have to and put up with Nolan because WIN pays well, and I have to think of my family. I don’t have to like it—I only have to put in the hours and go home to what really matters.”
“He isn’t easy on you.”
“No, he isn’t. But to be honest, I’ve worked for worse. John runs a good business. No cutting corners or shoddy workmanship allowed. I’d rather put up with the likes of Nolan’s attitude than risk my life with negligent operators or be forced to build shit, if I’m being honest.”
“I can understand that.”
“That’s why I do some small side jobs. I get to indulge in what I love doing and it helps make the Monday-to-Friday gig bearable,” he explained. “This one is actually great. I’m enjoying working on this one with you, Van.”
I was about to respond in kind, when I saw the trailer door fling open and Liv rush through it, her steps fast. Nolan appeared in the door and shouted something after her, but with the distance, I didn’t know what it was. I knew, however, it wasn’t good.
“Shit,” Simon swore. “Is he at it again?”
Wordlessly, I turned and jogged down the stairs, needing to get to Liv. I grabbed a spare hard hat as I went and met her partway across the pavement.
“You need to be in a hard hat, Liv,” I muttered as I placed it on her head. “What the fuck did he do?”
She was so pale, I was sure she was going to faint. Ignoring the looks and not giving a shit about the unwritten rule we had, I wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her toward the building. She was shaking, her body vibrating so hard, I was surprised she could walk. As soon as I got her into the building, I pulled her into the closest apartment, shut the door, and yanked her into my arms. She gripped my waist, burying her face into my chest. I tugged off the hard hat and stroked the back of her neck for a minute as I murmured quiet reassurances.
“I have you, Liv. It’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”
A long shudder went through her, and I tightened my grip, pressing her into my body.
“Did he touch you?”
If he had, I was going to kill him.
“No,” she whispered.
“Was he being an insulting asshole again?”
She lifted her face, her eyes dry but panicked. “He wants to take Sammy away. He says he’s going to fight me.”
My response was instinctive and honest.
“The fuck he is. No one is taking your daughter from you, Liv. Not in this lifetime.”
“He’s hi
red a lawyer. He’s going to try to get his rights back. He-he wants visitation.”
I slid my hands up her neck, cupping her cheeks. “I don’t care what he wants. Our girl is staying where she belongs. With us. He doesn’t get her. Do you understand?”
“How am I going to fight this?”
Her heartbreak and pain bled from her eyes.
I held her face tighter. “You’re going to fight it with me. And we’re not going to lose.” I wrapped her back into my embrace. “I won’t allow this to happen, Liv. I swear to you.”
She fell forward, my words giving her what she needed for now—strength.
I held her, then tilted up her chin.
“Tell me everything he said.”
* * *
Listening to her repeat the conversation with Nolan, I became enraged. His remarks were insulting, degrading, and all lies. Liv grabbed my hand as I swung around, determined to cross the site and teach him a lesson he would never forget.
“Don’t, Van. It’s exactly what he wants—you going off in a rage and attacking him. It would only add to his story and give him more ammunition against me,” she pleaded.
She was right, but I had to hit something. Take out my wrath. Liv gasped as my fist plowed through a piece of drywall, the sound exploding in the room.
“That fucking bastard—I swear I’m going to kill him,” I raged.
She was at my side instantly, inspecting my hand. She clucked at the scraped flesh and rapidly bruising skin.
“Look what you’ve done,” she admonished.
“It was the wall or his head. The wall, I can fix. His head, I can’t.”
She met my gaze. “This isn’t your fight.”
“The hell it isn’t.”
She sighed, the sound a painful shudder of the air leaving her lungs. “Are you sure I’m worth it?”
I held her chin with my good hand. “Absolutely.”
Her phone rang. She ignored it, and it pinged a few seconds later. Mine did the same.
“We can’t talk about this here.”
“Tonight,” I agreed. “Do you need to go home?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I have work to do, and I need to stay busy.”
I pressed a kiss to her forehead in admiration. “You are the strongest person I know, Livvy.”
She looked up, her eyes telling me everything she couldn’t say at the moment. Fear, panic, and worry filled them, but she refused to give in to it right now. I was so proud of her.
“Let’s get through this afternoon, and we’ll figure out our next step tonight.”
“Mom is down with another bad headache.”
“Okay. After Mouse is in bed.”
She nodded and moved toward the door.
“Liv, avoid him until you leave. Do not give him a chance to reengage. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on you.”
She paused. “Control your temper, Van. I know how his mind works. He’s counting on you losing it. That’s why he keeps baiting you.”
“I won’t give him the satisfaction.”
“Okay. I’ll work in here for a while.” She slipped out and I followed, watching her walk upstairs to do the measurements and sketches she wanted to work on today. Simon passed me in the hall.
“There was a little accident in unit one,” I muttered.
“I’ll fix it now.”
“Thanks.”
“I hope everything is okay.”
I glanced toward the staircase. Liv’s body language said it all. Nothing was okay.
But I would make sure it was. No matter what.
* * *
How Liv held it together all day was a mystery to me. How I managed to make it through the rest of the day and not beat the shit out of Nolan was a miracle. We met in our usual Friday afternoon session, Jordan’s presence a buffer for all the tension in the air. John made an unexpected appearance, which put Nolan on his best behavior. Updates, schedules, and issues were addressed. Liv’s responses were short and quiet, mine direct and blunt. John was pleased with the progress, as was Jordan.
“We might finish ahead of schedule,” John stated, pleased. “I guess I had better get your bonus ready, Nolan.”
“Does the rest of the crew get a bonus?” I asked. “Or do the rewards stop at Nolan the same as everything else does?”
Jordan lifted his eyebrows at my unusually snarky question. John lifted one shoulder. “I leave it to Nolan. He decides who is deserving.”
I snorted quietly. “Well, I guess that answers my question.”
Liv nudged my leg. Nolan glared at me.
“Got something on your mind, Van?”
I leaned back in my chair. “Nope. It was a simple question. Always interested in how other people run their crews.”
“I run my crews just fine,” Nolan snarled.
I shrugged. “Never said anything different.”
“You insinuated,” he insisted.
Jordan spoke up. “I think that’s enough. It’s been a long week for everyone and we’re ahead of schedule. Let’s leave it at that and wrap this up.”
I stood. “I’m done.”
Nolan stood, his hatred for me blatant in his gaze. “So am I.”
I barked out a laugh, heading for the door. “You got that right.”
Liv said nothing but picked up her bag, following me. Nolan spoke.
“We’ll talk more next week, Olivia.”
She stopped and turned. “I’m happy to discuss the project with you anytime, Mr. Nolan. If there is anything else you want to talk about, you’ll have to book an appointment. With my lawyer.”
With that bombshell, she walked out ahead of me.
I wanted to kiss her, but I refrained.
She worked the rest of the afternoon on designs, spoke with people on the phone, and solved problems with her assistant, sitting in an empty apartment while I double-checked my order. She was calm, in control, and efficient.
Only I saw the turmoil in her eyes.
We picked up Mouse, and I made dinner for my girls. I decided mac and cheese was in order, and I made it extra cheesy and gooey, much to the delight of Sammy. Liv barely ate, but Sammy was so happy, she never noticed. She talked nonstop, filling us in on her day, and asking about going to the park on the weekend and her need for a bacon and grilled cheese sandwich before we did.
I noticed how Liv’s eyes followed her. The way she sat closer than normal and listened with an intensity born of fear. I cleaned up the kitchen while Liv gave Mouse a bath, taking extra-long with her. They cuddled on the bed as I read to them both, giving Liv the chance to hold Sammy close and stroke her hair.
“You’re so cuddly today, Mommy,” Sammy observed. “You’re hugging me extra hard.”
“Because I love you extra much.” Liv’s voice caught.
“I love you too, Mommy.” Sammy’s eyes met mine. “I love you too, Mr. Van.”
“Right back at you, Mouse. And I told you last week you can call me Van if you want.”
She rubbed her nose, looking thoughtful. “You call me Mouse because it’s a special name, right?”
“Yep.”
“I like calling you Mr. Van because it’s special too.”
“Okay.”
Liv’s lip trembled, and I knew it was hitting her. The whole awful day and the situation that was happening. I stood, shutting the book.
“I’ll leave you girls to say good night.” I bent down and kissed Sammy. “Sleep good.”
“I will!”
I left the room and headed for the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I had a feeling we were going to need it.
I was on my second cup when Liv appeared. She looked exhausted, her shoulders drooping, and eyes heavy. She paused in the kitchen, shaking her head no at my offer of coffee. She turned and headed back to Sammy’s doorway, leaning on the frame.
I drained my cup and followed her, standing close and observing Mouse as she nestled under the covers, her doll clutched tight, sleeping dream
lessly.
I knew she would probably be the only one getting any sleep tonight.
Liv began to shake. The tremors started slowly and grew. I could feel the rate of her heart picking up as her emotions began to overwhelm her.
I slid my arm around her waist, pulling her back to my chest.
“Shh, Liv.”
“What if he wins? What if he takes her away? How am I going to deal with this, Van?” she whispered, her voice raw.
“He won’t. I promise.”
Her breathing became harsh. “You can’t make me promises like that.”
I tugged her back to the living room, turning her to face me. The pain in her face made my chest ache.
“We’re going to get all the information we need, and we’re going to fight this, Liv.”
“I don’t have the resources. He knows that.” Panic began to overtake her. “How can I fight him? He’s right—he has everything on his side!”
Tears formed in her eyes, her earlier strength now depleted. She was falling apart in her panic, and I realized I needed to let her. She needed to give in to the fear before she could face it.
I pulled her into my arms. “Let it out, Liv. It’s okay.”
She began to sob. Her tears bothered me because of the way she cried. Silently, her body shaking so hard from the force of her cries, yet no sound coming out. I knew she was used to handling everything on her own, hiding her fears, and not showing the world anything but a brave face.
But I wasn’t just anyone. She needed to know that.
I lowered my face to her ear.
“I told you earlier I’ve got you. I meant it. You and Mouse are safe with me. Nothing, and no one is going to hurt either of you. Especially not some lowlife from your past who thinks he can waltz in and take what’s mine. Both of you are mine now, and I will protect you with everything in me. Know that, Liv. I have you.” I paused a beat, knowing I had to say it. “I love you.”
Her body stilled, and she looked up at me. Her cheeks were wet with tears, the pain and worry etched into her eyes. I wiped away the tears. “I love you,” I repeated, hoping my declaration would give her some strength. “And I’ve got you. We’ll figure this out together—you don’t have to handle this alone. You don’t have to handle anything alone ever again, okay?”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 45
