by Karen Deen
“Can you book two rooms for Sunday night at the best hotel that’s the closest to the courthouse, please? One suite that has two rooms for Mia and me. Then an adjoining room for Ashton. Charge it to my personal credit card, not the work one. In the meantime, I’ll call Mia to tell her about Monday. I’ll wait to talk to her in person about Sunday night, though.”
“On it. I’ll send through the booking details when I’m done. Then I’m off for the day. It’s date night, and Blaine gets to choose tonight. After the week we’ve had here, it better include alcohol, a massage, or both.”
“Too much information, G, just go have fun whatever he manages to pull off.” I laugh to myself.
“Ugh, Lex, you are hopeless. Really, that’s where your mind went?” Greta laughs, making her way towards the door.
“Well, if your mind is not going there on date night then Blaine is not doing it right. Now go. You have things to do, places to be, people to see. Leave me to do all your prep work for Monday while you’re out with your husband. I see how it is. He takes priority.” As I reach out to grab my phone, Greta bursts out laughing.
“He’ll be happy to know he’s the number one man in my life and not you. He kind of put the ring on it and has the piece of paper that proves that. But he’ll be impressed you’ve finally admitted it. PS don’t message me if you need help. I think I might be busy. You can do the junior lawyer grunt work for a change.”
As she closes the door behind her, I know damn well if I called or messaged her, she’d answer right away and be here in a flash if I really needed her. I also know I won’t have much to do as she likely has the file perfectly organized, and everything I need will already be sitting there for me. Which I’m grateful for this afternoon, because I want to get out of here to go and be with Mia. Especially after this phone call.
“Hi, Lex, how’s your day going?” Hearing her voice sounding so perky makes me sad because I know I’m about to ruin her day.
“Hey, Mia, I’m almost done for the day, and just like they say, thank god it’s Friday.” I try to match her happiness, but I know I’m failing.
“Are you okay?” her sweet voice asks me. I want to reply no, but I need to be the strong one here. Mia is relying on me, and if that doesn’t make me feel ten feet tall, I’m not sure what will.
We spend a few minutes talking, and by the end of the phone call I’m desperate to get to her and make sure she’s okay. My job is to take her mind off this over the weekend, and Monday will be here before she knows it.
Pulling together the files I need and packing them in my briefcase, I’m off to the shop to buy us two tubs of cookies-and-cream ice cream. Operation distraction starts right now.
“You seriously brought two tubs of ice cream for you and Mia and none for me? Well, it looks like Tate just became top of my list of friends. Actually, what am I thinking? Gray is top, then Tate, Ashton even rates above you. You are scraping the bottom for the no-ice-cream stunt.” Mason is trying to act all serious as I put the tubs into the freezer for later.
“Do you want to yell it any louder so Jack hears you and then starts complaining that he can’t have any? And by the way, I can accept Gray being on top, and even Ashton above me, but Tate? Seriously? That’s just cruel.”
Mason is leaning against the counter in the kitchen just laughing at me, but he sobers as he takes me in. “You look like you could do with a beer, man. Are you okay?”
“Probably, but I won’t tonight while I’m here with Mia. As for the question am I okay, no, not really, but I need to be. While Mia is in bathing the kids, I need to talk to you about something.”
Sensing my seriousness, Mason stands a little taller and is immediately paying attention.
“Hang on. Ashton, come here for a minute,” he calls to Ashton who’s still sitting on the couch.
“I called Mia earlier. Court is set for Monday morning at nine am. So, we will need to go down the night before and stay there. Just going is a big thing for her, but to leave the kids here is going to be huge. I wanted to talk to you about how we’ll handle the protection of them all. I was thinking Ashton comes with me and you stay here with Paige and the kids.”
“Fuck, I want to be in two places, but I know we need someone here with Paige, there is no way I’m leaving them vulnerable.” I can see Mason is already thinking of other options.
“Lex is right, Mas.” Ashton nods for me to keep going.
“I have another problem, and I need both your support on this. Don’t try to talk me out of this either.” I rub my hand over my beard.
“I’m not going to like the sound of this, am I?” Mason looks directly at me.
“Probably not, but I’m doing it anyway.”
“Great, this is going to get messy, I can tell.” Ashton leans on the counter next to Mason like the two of them are giving me the stare down.
“I want to go and see Edward and strongly suggest he sign the divorce papers for me to file and to turn up at court and not contest anything on the restraining order. But to do this, I need someone to come with me, but I can’t leave Mia on her own in the hotel I’ve booked for us all. She needs someone with her the whole time, every second we’re there. But I need to see this guy and make sure he understands he is never to come near her or the kids ever again.” I can feel the stress making my body get stiffer, and my heart is pounding in my chest.
“Whoa, hang on. Do you really think this is a good idea? You could lose your job over this,” Mason says sternly.
“I don’t give a fuck. That woman in there is burying herself so deep down inside me, every single moment I’m with her and even the moments I’m not. I’ll do anything to make this world a better place for her.”
“Including getting yourself thrown in jail, dickhead,” Ashton says, shaking his head. “I don’t think so. Let’s talk about this before I spend my weekend protecting Mia and also saving you from getting the shit beat out of you.” Ashton is pissing me off now.
“What, no one can be as tough as you, Army boy?”
“I suggest you back off, Lex,” Mason says, moving closer to put a hand on my shoulder. “I know you’re agitated and ready to kill someone, but remember we are all on the same team here. I know Mia means a lot to you, we can all see that, and I know she feels the same by just the way she looks at you. But you need to calm that hot head, and let’s come up with a rational plan. Man, don’t get me wrong, I want to go and beat the shit out of him too. But you have to think about how Mia will look at you. She has just come out of a place of violence and you’re going to show her that you’re no better. How is that going to help her or you?”
Standing there just staring into nothing, I know Mason is right, but tonight I know that they won’t change my mind. With or without them, Edward and I are having a chat.
The silence in the room is deafening. Until Ashton finally speaks up.
“Okay, this is how I see it. I’ll get one of my men to come down on Sunday. Lex, you and I go pay Edward a visit while he watches Mia. We have a nice chat and then that’s it. Get him to sign your papers and we are out of there. You get to say your piece. No bloodshed and everyone stays out of jail. Then we do court Monday morning and get the fuck out of town and never go back. Understood?” If there’s one thing I’ve learned being friends with Mason after he joined the military, it’s that when that tone is in their voice, you listen and don’t argue.
“I can deal with that.” I nod at him, but Mason now interrupts.
“Nope, I need to be there. I’ll drive down Sunday at the same time but separately in my car, with your extra guy to watch over Mia in the hotel. We get Grayson and Tate here with the girls to help Paige, and you can post another one of your guys at the base of the elevator. Then after our little chat. I’ll come back here for the night, bringing your guy back, and you can take it from there. If you get to say your piece to the scumbag, then so do I. That woman has become like a sister to me. We protect her as a family. Do you agree?” He is giv
ing me a choice, but not really. I’ve got a feeling he’d turn up anyway, even if I say no.
“We don’t say a word to Mia until we get there, otherwise it gives her time to think about it and panic. Well, more than she already will be about going anywhere near him. Are we cool now?”
“As cool as I’m going to be about a plan that still sounds like trouble,” Ashton says, but that’s been the story of my life for the last twenty years. Why should now be any different. I’m going to head out for tonight. You know how to reach me if you need me.” He holds his hand out to mine, I shake it to seal our plan.
“Thanks, man, for all you are doing. At least I can rest easy knowing they’re all safe when I can’t be here.”
Ashton gives me a chin lift while Mason whines like a girl. “What am I, chopped liver? Pretty sure Ashton is not the only one keeping her safe.”
“Whatever, stop sounding a like girl.” I start to laugh at him because his pout makes him look like when we were back at high school.
“You wonder why you’re on the bottom of the list. I’m going to see Ashton out so we can bitch about you being totally whipped already.” They both walk away, laughing at me.
“Assholes,” I mutter under my breath, luckily quietly as Jack comes running out of the hallway with just his underpants on.
“Jack, you get back in here right now and get your pajamas on before Lex gets here,” Mia yells from their room as he’s giggling after already jumping into my arms and getting a hug.
“I think you’re in trouble, bud.” I tickle him as we walk back towards the room, carrying him as he’s squirming in my arms laughing.
“Look what I caught running around in the wild.” Jack is still laughing and I’m trying not to with him.
Mia, looking totally frustrated trying to get Kayla dressed, stops and looks up at hearing my voice. Her eyes change and have a little sparkle in them as her mouth moves into a smile.
“Hi there. I didn’t know you were here.” She picks up Kayla off the bed, who is now dressed for bed and looks so cute.
“I haven’t been here long. I was just talking to the boys when this little rascal came running by. Here, swap.” Putting Jack down and holding my arms out for Kayla, she puts her cute little arms up and leans out of Mia’s arms towards me.
“Hello, my gorgeous little girl. Have you been good for Mommy and not running away like your brother?” I pull her in tight for a hug and take in the distinct smell of a clean baby. It’s like they brand you so you can’t think clearly when they’re near. They hypnotize you.
“God help me when she’s moving too. I can’t contain one of them, let alone two of them.” Mia rolls her eyes while getting clothes onto Jack.
“You are going to be a nice quiet one for your Momma, aren’t you, Kayla?” Before I get to say another word, Jack is running around me to grab his books.
“Lex, can you read me a story, please, pretty please? I’ll let you pick.” He is jumping up and down in front of me.
“Hey, how come I never get to pick?” Mia pretends to protest, while holding her arms back out for Kayla.
“Because you are my mommy. Lex is my new friend, so he can choose.”
I swallow my emotions so not to let Mia see them. “Okay, here’s the deal. We go and read two books while Mom puts Kayla to sleep. But you have to promise that you will go right to sleep once we’re finished. Is that a deal?”
Mia laughs and mumbles under breath, “You’ll make a good parent if you know the bribe game already.”
I wink at her as I take Jack’s hand and lead him to the living room. “Now we have to be quiet and settle down so Kayla can sleep, but I know you’re good at being super quiet, aren’t you?” Jack is busy nodding his head as we take a seat on the couch.
Mason comes walking past, letting me know he’s taking food upstairs for Paige and they’re having an early night so she can rest with her headache. I know he’s doing it for me and Mia as well, but he’ll never admit that.
With Jack snuggled into me on my lap, we start the first story and nearly get all the way to the end and I hear his breathing get that little bit heavier and his body going limp. Looking down, I can see him asleep on my chest. This boy amazes me. He goes flat-out all day, but when he crashes, it’s quick and he’s in a deep sleep before we know it. Putting the books aside and picking him up, I walk slowly to the bedroom since I don’t want to wake him. As I walk into the dimly lit room, I see Mia is sitting on the bed looking down at a sleeping Kayla. Hearing me enter, she looks up and smiles at me.
Pulling back the blankets, I place him down softly and then tuck the blankets up around him to keep him warm. I don’t know what came over me, but I lean down and kiss him on the forehead. Glancing at Mia, I see she has tears in her eyes, but I can tell they’re not sad tears.
Leaving her in the room for that quiet moment and making sure both her kids are okay, I walk out and just stand looking out of the window. The city is switching into Friday-night mode. Everyone is releasing the tension of the week. From the balcony of my apartment, I’m used to hearing the sounds, but from here I can only see the lights and hear the silence. Strangely, I enjoy it just as much.
Her soft feet on the carpet draw me out of the spell the nighttime view has over me.
“Hey,” she says as she reaches my side. I look at her standing in front of me. Not just glance, but really look at her. Her soft pale skin, the fine features of her face. Her hair pulled in a loose ponytail at the base of her head, showing off her slender neck. There is something about the simplicity of Mia that really appeals to me. She has so much inner beauty that she has never let out before. Yet since the day I met her, that glow inside her is starting to shine brighter, even when she feels the weight of the world. Still she is simply stunning.
“Lex?” Shit, I haven’t replied.
“Hi. Sorry, I just couldn’t help it. You look beautiful tonight.” The instant blush appearing on her cheeks just makes her more appealing.
“Don’t talk crazy. I’m a mess and we both know that.” Her head drops to look at the floor. I can’t take seeing her with such a lack of self-confidence. I step closer to her.
“Mia, look at me.” I wait for her to lift her face, yet it’s not coming. I take a risk when I know I shouldn’t.
I place my hand on her cheek and lift her face to see me. Her breath hitches and my heart skips a beat at the chance to touch her.
“All I see in you is beauty, please don’t ever doubt that.” My thumb slowly strokes her face, and I feel her gently lean into my hand. Oh, how I want to lean down and kiss her. Taste those precious lips. Patience has developed a new meaning. It’s the definition of describing the pain in my body right now as I try to hold back. Or as Mason called it, the word to describe blue balls syndrome.
Her lips parting just the tiniest amount now have my cock standing to attention.
“I don’t see it,” she whispers.
“I know, but I’m going to show you. Just you wait. One day you too will see what I do.”
Our faces getting closer, I have to pull back. Now is not the time for Mia. Slowly sliding my hand from her face and down her neck to her shoulder, the soft moan that escapes her is not missed. It may not be the right time, but fuck, I wish it was. And the hardest part of all is I know she wishes it was too. The look in her eyes and her body language is telling me all I need to know.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. But you just keep pulling me closer.” Finally letting her go and taking a step away from her body, she looks like she is in a bit of a trance.
“Mia, why don’t we get something to eat and have that movie night.” I try not to laugh as she snaps out of her little dream. I get it, baby, I’m in that fantasy world too.
“Umm, oh yeah, sorry. Have you eaten dinner? I haven’t cooked mine yet, I waited for you.” Still a little flustered, she heads towards the kitchen with me following.
“Actually, I haven’t, so that sounds amazing. Don’t go
to much trouble, though. I’d be happy with cheese on toast, because I know what’s coming for dessert.”
Mia’s head whips around with a startled look.
“Ice cream, Mia, nothing more. I just meant the ice cream I brought for you.” My heart aches for her fear. It will take some time for that to pass.
“Yeah, sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” She turns back to the fridge where she’s getting out some things. “It’s nothing exciting, just some chicken and vegetables like I was cooking for the kids, but I won’t make you eat all of yours mashed together like Kayla.”
Her little joke breaks the moment for both of us and we laugh.
“Thank goodness. And I promise not to get it all over my face like they do either. Can I help you with anything?” I step to the side so I can see her face as she starts working at the stove.
“No, thank you. I prepared it all earlier when I fed the kids. But you could get the plates out and set the table for us, if you like.” She even seems timid to ask me that.
“Of course, okay, I’m on it.” I give her space to cook without feeling like she’s being watched. I remember her saying that she doesn’t feel she has any confidence in the kitchen.
After getting everything ready, I start searching the streaming Paige has to find the Pretty Woman movie. I can’t say I’ve ever really watched a true chick flick so tonight will be a first.
Watching Mia carry the plates to the table and looking at her uncertainty, I know she’s struggling a little tonight.
“That looks great. I’m starving. Here, let me take them from you.” Placing them down on the table, I pull her chair out for her to sit down. The look on her face is priceless. “Yes, this is what a gentleman will do for a lady. So, you better get used to this kind of treatment. Although I don’t have a great relationship with my parents, one thing they did teach me is manners and the way to respect women.”
