by Karen Deen
We spent time going over all the paperwork and then called Greta in to witness Mia sign everything. I expected her to hesitate, but when it came time to put the pen to paper, she was signing without hesitation. Ready to get out of my office as soon as she finished, though. It was almost as though she needed to distance herself from what she had just done.
As much as I don’t want to think about it. I’m sure at one stage she loved Edward, enough to have a child with him and marry. It must hurt to finally start the process of severing that bond forever. No matter how much he hurt her, the human brain is strange. Part of her will still love him and hope he’ll change.
“I better go and rescue Paige and Mason. I’ve been longer than I anticipated. I’m sure they’ll be regretting offering to babysit, and I’ve probably turned them off ever having kids of their own.”
“I’ll walk you to the boardroom to meet up with them, but before we go.” She stops at the door to look at me. “I’m so proud of you. Today was tough and you never gave up. You might not let those walls down often, but I’ll always be here if you need to do it again. What happens between us, stays between us for as long as you want it to.”
“Thank you, Lex. For everything. But mainly for being my friend. I know I just need a friend right now.” I smile and take her hand and squeeze it.
Then I open the door for her to walk through. I must be the biggest idiot around. I’ve convinced the most amazing woman I’ve ever met to put me in the friend zone. Tate is going to have a field day with this one, I can already hear him laughing hard at me.
Before we even make it into the boardroom, Mia is looking worried.
“It’s too quiet. Something has happened.” Her feet move quicker down the corridor. Swiftly opening the door, she stops dead as I come up behind her.
The vision in front of us is not at all what she was expecting.
Mason is walking up and down the length of the room rocking a sleeping Kayla, her little hand wrapped around one of his fingers. He looks up and smiles as he sees the stunned look on Mia’s face.
Paige and Jack are sitting at the table with a picture of a plane and are coloring it in while they talk quietly together.
I must admit I’m just as shocked as Mia. I wasn’t expecting the room to still be in one piece, and I thought Theresa would have had to step in by now. Mia’s shoulders lower as the worry leaves her body.
Jack looks up and sees us looking at him, but he puts his finger to his mouth to tell us to be quiet. I almost choke on the irony of the talkative child being the one to tell the adults not to make a noise.
“Kayla is sleeping,” he whispers. “I get another donut if she doesn’t cry.”
Ah, and there it is. The age-old bribery used by every parent at some stage. Food.
“Good work, bud,” Mia whispers as she gets closer to him and reaches to take him in a cuddle. His little arms coming up and latching around her neck. I’m doing a very immature dance on the inside knowing she thinks I give better hugs than Jack. Seriously, I’m losing it. What grown man thinks things like that. Well, we won’t answer that question, will we.
Mason walks towards me with Kayla.
“Can you take her, man? I’ve been needing the bathroom for about thirty minutes, but I wasn’t about to move her or leave Paige on her own with them without protection.”
Before I even have a choice, he places Kayla in my arms. Carefully but also with speed. She stirs a little but nuzzles into my chest just like her mom did. Her little hand takes hold of my jacket and then she’s back off to sleep. I’ve never cuddled a baby before. Fear is radiating through me, but not in the way I imagined. It’s a sense of worry that I might hurt her in some way. Where I thought it would be a panic of being near a baby in general. Children are not something I really wanted anything to do with until two days ago. Yet the feeling of this little girl in my arms, so tiny and innocent, is doing something to my cold heart. I can see myself wanting to protect her with my life. Just like her mother, she is planting herself firmly in my heart.
Staring at her sleeping, I’m oblivious to Mia picking up Jack and she and Paige have packed up all the kids’ mess. Paige is pushing the stroller towards me and the door.
“We’ll wait for Mason in the reception area. Do you want me to take her?” Paige stands to the side of me. Looking down at my sleeping angel in my arms, I’m not ready to give her up yet.
“It’s okay, I’ll walk out with her. She’s happy at the moment.” Looking up, my eyes meet Mia’s. The sparkle in them makes me wonder what she’s thinking. Smiling at me, she walks past me towards the reception with Jack. Following her I hear Mason come up behind us and whisper but not low enough so I can’t hear him.
“What a cute little family man our big tough lawyer makes.”
“Mason, stop it,” Paige quietly tells him. “Leave him alone. He looks too cute with Kayla curled up in his arms. Any man in a suit with a baby is like porn.”
I keep walking imagining the look on Mason’s face.
“Woah. Don’t you ever mention Lex and porn in the same sentence again, Tiger, otherwise there will be trouble. Yes, and what you’re thinking is exactly the punishment I’ll be dishing out.” There is no whisper this time but a very low grumble.
“Bring it on, magic man,” she replies.
Christ, this is not a conversation I need to be hearing and neither do Kayla’s innocent ears. I walk a little quicker to keep up with Mia and leave the other two behind to talk dirty.
Turning the corner into reception, I hear her voice before I see her.
Fuck.
“I don’t care if he has a full calendar. I will wait. He will see me as soon as he is finished with this appointment. If you had put my call through earlier then I wouldn’t have had to come across town to see him to deliver these documents. I’m sure once you tell him I’m here he will rearrange his schedule.” Jacinta stands in her normal power stance trying to intimidate.
“I suggest you either leave the papers with me or take a seat, Ms. Nordick. It could be a long wait, though. He is tied up with a very personal lady friend and has advised he is not to be disturbed by anyone. Which would include you. Just like I told you on the phone when you called an hour ago.” Theresa then looks back down at her desk and continues with her work. The politest way she can dismiss her without saying something to provoke her further.
Jacinta looks pissed as she turns from the desk only to see us walking towards her. Without even thinking, I take my free hand and place it on Mia’s lower back as she slows walking. I can tell Jacinta is already intimidating her with her mere presence. I just want her to know I’m here and there is nothing to be afraid of.
“Alexander!” she snaps. I can tell by the look on her face that she’s a bit shocked.
The loudness of her voice frightens Kayla which has her letting out a little cry. Without even thinking, I pat her little bottom gently and feel her relaxing back into my arm. Looking back up, I see Jacinta’s mouth open, speechless for the first time since I’ve met her.
“Sorry, Lex, I’ll take her,” Mia whispers to me. Her voice has lost all the bravado it had a few moments ago. I’m not having her feel like she needs to cower to anyone. Sliding my hand from the middle of her back around to her side, I gently pull her closer to me. Her body is stiff as a board, but the moment we touch I feel her relax a little.
“No, I’ve got you all,” I whisper back.
We stop a good distance from Jacinta. Mason and Paige have now come up beside me.
“Jacinta. What are you doing here? I don’t remember seeing you on my calendar this morning.” My courtroom voice is now kicking in. She wants to come into my domain and throw her weight around, then let’s play the game.
“I’m not. However, I have some documents I need to deliver, and we need to talk so I knew you would see me.” Her snarky reply pisses me off.
“I’m sorry, I’m extremely busy this morning. I’m just seeing my family out and then I hav
e back-to-back meetings until after lunch where I’m due in court. So, I really don’t have time today, I’m sorry. Theresa will be able to find a time tomorrow for you, I’m sure, or you can leave the documents with her like she told you.” I keep my directness so she understands I’m not backing down.
“Family. They aren’t your family. You’re an only child. With no woman in your life except me. He is just one of those annoying schoolboys who you can’t seem to get rid of, not family.” Her hand waves in Mason’s direction. Instantly Mia’s body stiffens next to me and she tries to pull away but I’m not letting her.
How dare she speak like that in my office and in front of anyone, let alone my family. Her green-eyed monster is out in full force, but she is no match for the people surrounding me.
Stepping from beside me, Paige extends her hand out. Jacinta is nothing to her.
“Paige Ellen. Nice to meet you. This is my sister Mia and her children, along with my boyfriend, Mason, one of Lex’s brothers. Who I can confirm is far from a schoolboy. He’s definitely all man. So, it seems you’re mistaken about the family. Because as far as I can see, we are all related. And while we are on the topic of wrong assumptions. Being someone’s beck-and-call girl does not make you the woman in anyone’s life.” I love Paige, but if she thinks that is going to make Jacinta back down then she is mistaken.
“Alexander, are you going to let her speak to me like that? Or are you just going to be pushed around like usual.” She’s still giving death stares to Mia. “Why are you holding that baby? Surely someone else can be doing that for you. Give it to the mother.”
“Enough, Jacinta. Don’t speak another word. My family are just leaving and then you have five minutes to explain yourself before I ask you to leave. And for the record, who I choose to spend my time with and give cuddles to is none of your business. In fact, it’s never been any of your business. Sit and I’ll be back.”
Not waiting for her to say another word, I guide Mia and the kids past her, with Mason and Paige following.
Mason mumbles under his breath, “Yep, just like I thought, grade-A bitch,” which gets him a slap on the arm for using that word in front of Jack, who is surprisingly quiet which worries me. Like his mom, he’s wary of any confrontation. Jacinta will have scared him.
Putting a little distance between us, I look down to Mia beside me. Not letting my arm drop at all.
“I’m so sorry, Mia. You didn’t need to be caught up in that. Just ignore her.” But it’s too late. She’s shutting down on me.
“We need to go. You’re very busy.” With that she puts Jack down on the ground. Taking Kayla out of my arms, she pushes the button for the elevator. Taking Jack’s hand in hers, she walks right into the car as soon as the doors open.
“Thank you, Lex,” she says, dropping her eyes to the floor as she waits for Mason and Paige to follow her.
Paige leans up and kisses me on the cheek. “Thank you. Good luck with the witch. I’ll talk to you later. Don’t worry, I’ll watch her, she’ll be fine.” Pushing the stroller, she enters the elevator.
“What a piece of work. She better have been worth it, man, because that there just looks like hard work and a whole world of pain. Good luck with that one. Call me later and we’ll talk about tomorrow.” I’m too angry with Jacinta to even reply to the comment from Mason.
“Look after them for me. She’ll need support today. It was tough.” He pats me on the shoulder as if he knows what I mean.
“Sure will. Now go slay the dragon, man.” He walks into the elevator and the doors close behind me.
I watch Mia’s face as they’re closing and all I can see is the walls back up and the armor in place.
Time.
It will take time and trust.
Neither can be rushed.
Walking back towards Jacinta, my blood pressure is rising. She has picked the wrong morning to come here and try to throw her weight around.
I’m more than happy to let off steam with a fight, because that is all I want from her now. I can’t even fathom how I ever wanted anything more than that before.
“Theresa, I won’t be long, please hold my calls, unless it’s my family.” I walk past Jacinta and don’t even look at her as I snap my words in her direction. “My office, now. You have five minutes!” I don’t know what has come over me. I don’t normally speak like this to anyone, except in the courtroom, and even then, I’m not as rude as I’m being to her.
I can hear her huffing behind me, and she hasn’t even said a word in return. She’ll be furious at the way I’ve spoken to her in front of my staff. Not that she can’t take it, it’s more about the image of me being rude to her and not bowing down to her. She obviously hasn’t gotten the message yet. There will not be any more putting up with her bullshit attitude.
I stand at the door of my office as she marches past me with her nose stuck in the air, like her shit don’t stink.
Closing the door behind her, I don’t have to move much before she spins around and starts the speech she’s come here to deliver.
“I don’t know what I ever saw in you, Alexander. No man of any class would speak to me like that or allow others to. I don’t know what is going on with you, but you need to snap out of it. Your mother sent me here to tell you she is still waiting for you to attend the house to deliver your apology.”
“Feeling is mutual, Jacinta, let me assure you.” I try to keep my voice down so I don’t sound like a raving lunatic compared to her. Determined not to give her any power in my office, I walk over and lean on the front of my desk, crossing my legs and placing my hands on either side of me hanging onto the front of the desk.
“As for my mother, that has nothing to do with you, nor do I have anything I need to be apologizing for. If anything, you and she have plenty to apologize to me for.” I try to keep my volume low but put everything in my voice to let her know my anger level. “What, did you think I’d just happily play along in your little game? Did you already have your dress and ring picked out? The proposal all mapped out for me to follow like a good little puppy dog. I mean seriously, do you really see me as that weak a man?”
I never imagined having this out with her, but today I’m ready to tear strips off someone, so her timing is perfect.
“Are you serious, Alexander? You have been fucking me most nights for six months, and I wasn’t expected to think that it was leading somewhere? What was I to you? Just a stress relief? That’s pathetic. Your mother told me you weren’t like your father and you have goals to achieve. How wrong she was.” Walking closer to me, her voice lowers slightly. “The dress is white and sexy as hell, the ring is huge and a classy single solitaire. Just so you know, your mother helped me pick them out. Stupid me thought we were close to announcing the engagement. Well played, Alexander. You got what you wanted from me, my body…” Her pause sees her face change. “Too bad I gave you my heart with it.” With that, she turns from me to walk away. I can’t let it end like this.
“Jacinta, wait.” She stops but doesn’t turn, just stays facing the door. “I had no idea, I’m sorry. But we agreed it wasn’t about that. We both said this was not about happily ever after. As fucked up as it is, we used each other for sex. It was a safe place we could go and feel no emotions. I’m sorry that changed for you. You should have told me, because it never was anything more than that for me. My mother has built it up in your head to be something more than it was, and for that part I apologize for her meddling.”
Her shoulders rise and fall at her taking in a deep breath.
“You deserve more than what we had, Jacinta. Sex is good, but I have a feeling love is even better. Look for someone who will love you like you are the most precious jewel he sees. A woman he will protect, stand up and fight for, and tell you every day that you are loved and wanted. Find the man that when he looks at you, he sees nothing else but you.”
“Like you look at her… Goodbye, Alexander.” Her hand on the door handle, she stops for one last mome
nt. “I hope she’ll be worth it.” With that the door is open and she’s gone.
“Sorry…but I know she will be,” I say to myself with her already gone.
“Money and power do not buy happiness,” I whisper to my empty office. “And love is not for sale.”
Chapter Thirteen
MIA
Twinkle twinkle little star…
Keep singing and the nasty lady will go away.
That’s what I would be telling Jack, but this time it’s me who needs to hear it.
Paige and Mason’s voices are in the background, but I can’t really hear what they’re saying. My heart is racing, and I just want to get as far away from here as possible. I need this elevator to hurry up. Breathing is becoming harder. My body jolts as the elevator reaches the bottom and the doors open.
“Come on, Jack, we need to go.” I drag him with me, striding through the foyer. I just need to get outside. I need fresh air.
Bursting through the doors I can feel my lungs slowly starting to fill, but my breaths are still fast, and the panic is starting to come.
A hand grabs my arm and spins me quickly.
Mason holds me in place with his hands on my shoulders.
“Mia, count with me. Calm the panic. Ten, nine, eight, deep breath… seven, six, five, breathe again.” Mason’s voice has me transfixed as he slowly counts backwards.
Repeating the words, I feel my heart slowing and the panic subsiding slightly.
“Four, three, breathe… two, and one.” I look at him standing in front of me full of concern.
“Mason,” I whisper.
“I’ve lived where you are, Mia. Panic attacks are crippling. You’re okay, just keep taking slow deep breaths.” Still with his hands on my shoulders, he never looks away but talks to Paige.
“Paige, take Jack to look at the fountain and birds.” His gaze still keeps me engaged.
Jack’s hand slips from mine. I know he’s safe but still feel his loss.
“That’s it, a few more deep breaths for me, Mia.”
