Chapter Nineteen
Justice
Kyle
Rain-laden skies hung over the city like an uninspiring patchwork of gray as they made their way out of the courthouse, but the smile emanating from Amy was as warm as the July sunshine. Glancing down at her relief, Kyle was in no doubt. Saving Jonah from a custodial sentence had been worth every penny.
“I can’t believe it!” It was at least the fourth time she’d told him, but clinging to his left arm, she was still as excited as a small child at Christmas. “He’s free!”
“I had no doubt, little girl.” Kyle whispered the words into her ear, smiling at her shell-shocked expression. “Randall is the very best.”
There was a good reason he cost so much money.
It had been weeks since the lawyer had come to Brock Hall to discuss the case with him and Jonah. Weeks of loving and getting to know the feisty little brunette emerging from her downtrodden chrysalis, and weeks where she’d played the supportive mum to Jonah, while serving Kyle in sizzling, salacious ways whenever her son’s back was turned.
They were happy. Not just in the superficial way that came from great sex and regular orgasms, but he realized, in a more fundamental way. Kyle enjoyed her company just as much as her body, and as he slowly broke down the walls she’d erected around money and debt, he started to release her from the prison she’d built for herself. Liberated and eminently desirable, she’d set his world on fire.
During the same period, his lawyer, Randall, had also been busy. Based on the verdict they’d just heard in court, the wiry old man had managed to create miracles. Not only had he discredited the prosecution’s lead witness—the same ex-manager from Jonah’s job who’d found him taking money—by proving the senior of the two had been siphoning business funds for himself for more than a year, but Randall had succeeded in bringing the court date forward by months to prevent Kyle’s little girl the stress of a long and drawn-out affair.
The upshot of events had been once Randall was finished with Jonah’s superior on the witness stand and had spun the jury a yarn of half-truths about how shocking the education system was when it pushed capable young people into debt and drugs, he’d eradicated any chance that the ensemble of Jonah’s peers would convict him. The ‘not-guilty’ verdict had been all but inevitable.
“Mr. Kyle.” The only person with a wider smile than Amy was Jonah, who thrust his palm in Kyle’s direction as he approached. “Thank you. Thank you so much!”
“It’s Mr. Randall you should be thanking.” Kyle gestured to the gray-haired man on the steps behind him as he shook Jonah’s hand. “He weaves the magic. I only pay the bills.”
“I want to thank you both.” Jonah looked as stunned as his mother. “I never even dared to hope for an acquittal.”
“You’re welcome.” Randall’s lips curled as he came to stand with Kyle and patted Jonah on the shoulder. “We all deserve a second chance, Mr. Kendal. I hope you go forward and make the most of yours.”
“Well said.” Kyle’s gaze slid between the two men.
“Mum.” Tugging down his lapels, Jonah moved toward Amy and embraced her. Untangling herself from Kyle, she returned the hug willingly. “Thank you for everything, too.”
A silent look passed between the two of them as though Jonah had any idea of the sacrifices she’d made to get him to that point in his life, which naturally he didn’t. Even without offspring of his own, Kyle recognized children had no clue what their parents went through for them.
“Of course.” She reached to ruffle his hair with a smile. “That’s my job, silly.”
“I promise I’ll make it worth all of your while.” Jonah glanced around at the three of them. “I’m going to smash my exams and leave with a first-class degree!”
“Just do your best.” Amy dabbed at the tears in her eyes. “That’s all I want for you.”
“Why don’t we go and celebrate?” Kyle motioned to his waiting car. “Mr. Randall, would you like to join us?”
“No, thank you, sir.” Randall’s smile was weary. “I’ll leave the celebrations to you. I’m content that my clients are happy.”
“ Very happy,” Kyle assured him. Randall was yet to let him down. “I’ll make sure I settle up with you soon.”
“No rush, sir.” Randall waved his hand as he stalked down the stone steps. “My secretary will be in touch.”
“Where would you like to go, Jonah?” Kyle’s attention glided to his lover’s son.
“No offense, but the one place I’d really like to go is back to university.” Jonah’s brow rose as though he’d said something he should be ashamed about. “It’s only a few weeks until my exams, and I’d love to spend some time with my friends before the shit hits the fan.”
Kyle looked in Amy’s direction. “What do you think, Mum?”
It was odd to refer to his little girl that way, but despite his need to dominate and protect her, intellectually, he understood. She had a bond with Jonah and, presumably, her other jailbird son, Seth, that he would never understand, and that was okay. There was plenty of Amy’s love and attention to go around, particularly when both sons were now men themselves.
Amy’s lips twitched as she met his eyes. “I think university is the right place for you, love.” Her focus flitted to Jonah. “You should go there and enjoy the last few weeks. It’ll all be over soon enough.”
“And afterward?” Jonah probed. “Will you be staying on with Mr. Kyle?”
“She will.” Kyle answered for her that time, unwilling for there to be any doubt on the subject. “And there’s plenty of room at Brock Hall for you too, Jonah. You know that.”
“Thanks.” Jonah grinned. “I appreciate that, but I’m thinking I’ll work for a while, then travel while I wait for my results.”
“Travel?” Concern radiated in Amy’s tone.
“Yeah.” Jonah shrugged. “Just around Europe, probably. I’m only young once.”
“Good plan.” Kyle might have envied Jonah had he not had the privilege of relishing his mother in the meantime. “I say, enjoy yourself.”
“I suppose.” Amy sounded less certain as she assessed her more than six-foot son. “Just stay safe and keep in touch, please. I know you’re all grown, but I still worry about you.”
“I know.” Jonah wrapped his arms around her. “And I will. Don’t worry.”
“Need a lift back to university?” Kyle ventured as Jonah moved away from his mum.
“I’m happy to get the train, Mr. Kyle. You’ve done so much for me already.”
“Nonsense.” Kyle dismissed the idea. “Go back to Brock Hall and pack your things. I’ll ask Stevens to take you.”
“Today?” The same uncertainty echoed in Amy’s voice.
“Why not?” Kyle would have preferred she called him ‘sir’, but he understood her reticence to do so in front of her son. With Jonah departing, though, that would all change. “He has a life to lead, doesn’t he?”
“I’ll be fine, Mum.” Jonah offered her a reassuring smile. “And okay, yes, please, to the lift, Mr. Kyle.”
“Please, Jonah.” Stepping toward him, Kyle reached for his shoulder in an almost paternal way. “Call me William.”
“Thanks, William.” Disbelief shone in Jonah’s eyes as he met Kyle’s eyes. “And thanks for looking after my mum.”
Both men turned to take in Amy’s shocked face before Kyle replied.
“It’s my pleasure.” He slapped Jonah on the back as he guided him to the car. “Let me tell Stevens the plan.”
***
Amy
“You asked him to call you William?”
Amy fingered the stem of her wine glass nervously as she stared at Kyle across the table. Lunch had been a magnificent blend of fresh ingredients, but despite her happiness at Jonah’s freedom and the blossoming relationship between her and her ex-employer, she hadn’t been able to shake the nagging unfairness of recent events.
“That’s right.” His gaze was knowing, as though he’d been expecting the question.
“Why?”
She couldn’t wrap her head around it. All those months she’d known him, from the time she’d signed the contract to the weeks she’d been his lover and now his partner, he’d never once asked Amy to do the same.
“Why what, little girl?” He threw emphasis on the second word, his withering glare insisting she squirm in her seat.
The restaurant he’d taken her to in order to ‘celebrate’ wasn’t quite as swanky as Worthington’s, but it still had an array of clientele who she didn’t want to know about their kinky sex life.
“ Sir .”
She mouthed the word, hideously aware of the two couples sitting on either side of their table. In principle, both were out of earshot, but still, it was a sophisticated place, and despite his warning about potential public punishment, she had no intention of demeaning herself for him there.
“Why is he allowed to call you William, but I’m not?” She realized how petulant she sounded, but in the hours that had passed since Jonah had driven away with Stevens, she hadn’t been able to get past the bewildering contradiction.
She was the one loving and supporting him, the one providing his footrest in the evenings and polishing his cock in the mornings, yet she couldn’t use his first name? It didn’t seem right.
“It bothers you.” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Yes.” She heaved in a breath, unsure why she was being so affected by the matter. Perhaps she was only tired and emotional after the verdict. After weeks of worry, she was certainly relieved.
“I don’t mean to be rude, sir, but I’ve never even got to use your name.”
“You use my name all the time, little girl.” His hand reached for hers across the table linen.
“Not your first name,” she corrected, surprised at how adamant she was.
Shakespeare had once asked what was in a name, as if to deny its significance, but according to Amy, the answer was one hell of a lot.
“If it’s so important to you, then you may use it.” He squeezed her fingers. “But only when we’re in public and not if I specifically instruct you not to.”
“I can?” She stared at him as though she couldn’t believe her ears, as though he’d just offered her the deed to Brock Hall.
“Of course.”
For so long, he’d refused her the right. He hadn’t even confirmed how he liked to be called until she’d heard his friends refer to him as William, yet after so long and one ask, he seemed content to cede.
“You’re my lover and friend, Amy. It’s allowed.”
“Oh.” Her throat dried, as if the concept of using his first name was perturbing. “Well, thank you, William .” Her brow creased as she nearly tripped over the word. It seemed strange on her lips. “I appreciate that.”
He laughed gently at her response, signaling to the server as his hand drew away. She watched, still perplexed at the turn of events, as the young man hurried over.
“Yes, sir?” The server glanced between them.
“We’ll share a cheese board, please,” Kyle ordered, although Amy must have missed the conversation where that was decided.
“Very good, sir. More wine?”
“Amy?” Kyle’s head tilted. “Would you like another glass?”
“Erm.” She glanced at her wine glass, realizing she’d finished the first. “Yes, please.” Sir.
The final word was right there on the tip of her tongue, and she noticed his lips tug, as though he’d read her thoughts.
“No problem.” With a smile, the server retreated back to the kitchen.
“After all that, you didn’t even use my name again when you had the chance.” Kyle chortled, as though she’d made a song and dance about nothing.
Gazing at him, she was starting to wonder the same thing.
What had her defiant plea been based on if she wasn’t even going to call him William in everyday conversation?
“I just didn’t understand why everyone else seems able to use it and not me, sir, that’s all.” She lowered her tone.
“Everybody else calls me either Mr. Kyle or sir,” he countered.
“Except Jonah.” Her brow furrowed, wanting to understand why it bothered her so badly.
Kyle had given her so much—pleasure, privilege, and comfort—what did it matter if she called him sir? It wasn’t as though she didn’t bloody love the deference to him.
“I thought he’d appreciate it.” Kyle shrugged. “It’s funny, but in the last couple of months, I’ve tried hard to be something of a father to him.”
“You’ve been brilliant.” She couldn’t fault a single thing Kyle had done where Jonah was concerned. “Thank you, sir.” She noticed how she was significantly less concerned about calling him sir that time, her hand stretching across the table to seek the reassurance of his touch. “I didn’t mean to complain.”
“Poor, little girl.” His tone was definitely patronizing that time. “The problem is, I know how much you like to call me sir, so…” His brow arched. “I didn’t anticipate your frustration about not calling me William.”
It sounded ridiculous when he put it that way, and her reddening face suggested she might agree with the conclusion.
“Honestly, I’m fine.” She was starting to wish she hadn’t said anything at all. “I’m very happy to keep calling you, sir.”
“Don’t do that.” His tone was clipped as he stared her down.
“What?” She sensed the heat crawling over her face at his admonishing tone.
“Don’t belittle your needs, Amy. I don’t know how long you’ve been sitting on the request to call me William, but if you want to talk to me—about anything—then I want you to do so.” His lips curled. “I hope you know that, but if it wasn’t clear, then I hope it is now.”
“It’s clear.” Her heart hammered at his directness. “Thank you for clarifying, sir.”
“This is new for us both.” He clasped her fingers. “But we love each other, and now that Jonah’s leaving, you can truly be mine again.”
We love each other.
The old, familiar butterflies spread their wings and flew around her stomach at his affectionate candor. Only a few months before, the idea of a man like Kyle proclaiming his love for her would have been preposterous, yet she’d come to revel in the succor of the sentiment. Her emotions twisted as she considered what Jonah’s departure would mean. She’d miss her son, but there was no doubt the idea of being at Kyle’s beck and call the way she used to be was sexy as hell.
“Your cheeseboard, sir.” The server appeared, hovering the wooden block of cheeses, crackers, and fruit between them and forcing their hands apart.
“It looks delicious.” Kyle took the words right out of her mouth. “Thank you.”
“Enjoy.” The young guy forced a smile. “I’ll bring your wine soon.”
Kyle selected a red grape from the bunch as the server left. “Eat up, little girl. You’ll need your energy when we get home.”
“Oh?” She squirmed on her chair, wondering where the conversation was going but secretly hoping she already knew the answer. “Why’s that, sir?”
“Well, it seems I’ve been bereft in my duties to you recently.” The twitch of his lips conveyed what was truly on his mind. “You need to learn to be honest with me, and I need to create that ambiance of openness, so when we’re back at Brock Hall, you have a date over my lap, Amy.”
“Yes, sir.” Gulping back her excited anxiety, she met his alluring eyes. “I can’t wait.”