Chapter 7
seven
GREER
Nathalie’s moans and groans would not stop reverberating through Greer’s brain. She’d tried, endlessly, to forget the sound as Nathalie had cried out at her climax, not just once, but so many times that Greer had lost count. If that’s what Nathalie was like by herself, how loud was she when she was with someone else?
Greer cringed and focused on the building she was walking into. She hadn’t been there before, but Ivy had given her specific instructions to bring the boys there. And she had been lucky that the twins were with Baylor, so she only had Alaric as an extra kid. Because she had a feeling that this exchange wasn’t going to be easy on anyone.
She ushered all the boys into the elevator and hit the button for the eighteenth floor. Why Ivy wanted to do the exchange here, Greer had no idea. But it was far more public, so that could play to her advantage. She held Shepherd on her hip while Leon and Alaric held hands. They at least listened to her when she nervously told them that they had to walk that way while they were downtown.
Greer hated going into the city like this. She much preferred the edges or better yet, western Massachusetts where she’d spent most of her time growing up. There were just too many damn people here. They found the Kerr HR office easily enough, and as soon as they had entered the main office, the secretary took them straight back to Ivy’s private office.
The kids were playing for only five minutes before Penny showed up. Ivy sent Greer an apologetic look. “Just keep Alaric away from it all. He’ll probably get upset.”
“Okay,” Greer said. Then she took Alaric’s hand in hers. “Wanna walk around, bud?”
He shook his head. Well, there was the first idea she had shot down. Penny opened the door loudly, startling them all. Greer looked up, catching sight of Abagail through the clear glass windows of Ivy’s office. She crossed her arms and watched everything go down.
“Come on,” Penny’s voice was a crack through the small office. She held her hand out for Leon and Shepherd, glaring at Greer the entire time. “I told you that I didn’t want her watching my kids.”
Ivy stood up a little straighter. “You don’t have a choice in who watches the kids while they’re in my custody.”
Greer really wanted to leave, or at the very least, wrap around Alaric and protect him from the entire shitstorm that was about to rain down on them. Leon stared up at Penny, his eyes starting to water. Shepherd just innocently stayed right where he was, frozen to the spot. Greer wasn’t sure she’d ever seen the kid that still before.
“She’s a bad influence on our kids.”
“ She’s right here in this room.” Ivy crossed her arms. “And if you’d like to discuss this, we can do it when the kids aren’t around and when it’s just you and me and a lawyer or two.”
Penny sneered, and it ruined whatever good looks Greer thought she had. Greer saw the behavior a mile away, and it was why she immediately recoiled any time Penny was in her vicinity. Penny reminded her of exactly how her mother acted. Blame everyone else for her problems, focus on the easiest target, and if that one didn’t work, move on to the next. Unfortunately, that’d probably end up being Leon or Shepherd. And whichever one it wasn’t would be the golden child who could do no wrong.
Greer tugged on Alaric’s hand. “Come on, bud.”
She pulled him out of the office, sliding by Penny standing in the doorway. Greer was so thankful for the cool fresh air of the hallway. She nodded at Abagail and headed straight for her office. At least she was safe. She had to be. Greer had run into her several times with Elia and Kam, and she’d gotten Greer this job. Surely, she’d provide some sort of safe respite from that disaster behind her.
Without asking, Greer stepped into Abagail’s office and shut the door behind her. “Hey.”
“Escaping?”
“Wouldn’t you?” Greer countered. She squeezed Alaric’s hand and then did what she never did. She handed him her cellphone and pulled up the video app so he could distract himself and Greer could talk to Abagail without Alaric hanging onto every single word.
“What was she saying?”
“Penny or Ivy?”
“Penny.” Abagail tossed a look over at Alaric and lowered her voice so he couldn’t hear her as well. “I know Ivy’s side of things.”
“Penny doesn’t like me.”
“Because you don’t put up with her shit.” Abagail nodded at Greer in confirmation and in affirmation. “You don’t put up with that bullshit ever.”
“No, I don’t.” Greer had enough experience of that type of behavior in her life that when she ran into it face first, she typically avoided it as best as she could. And when she couldn’t, well, she didn’t back down from it either. “Penny’s out for blood.”
“Is she?”
“She’s suing Nathalie.”
Abagail hummed and nodded, glancing at Alaric again. “I think she might be behind the complaints. But it’s not like Nathalie helps herself in that situation either.”
Greer chuckled. She could only imagine what Nathalie was like at work. She was bossy enough in the house, strict without compassion except when it came to Alaric, that she imagined at work she was a beast to deal with. No wonder Lachlan was the only one who was able to handle her and that was a miracle in and of itself. Lachlan was a saint. A very patient, very calm saint.
“Ivy asked to do the exchange here because there’s cameras.”
“Ah.” Now that made sense. Greer should have guessed it was because of something like that.
“She hasn’t been able to get supervised exchanges yet through the court system.”
“She really should. I’ll testify that they need them.”
Abagail shot Greer a sideways glance. “Maybe that’s why Penny doesn’t like you.”
“One of many reasons, I’m sure.” Greer shot Abagail a smile back. “But you like me, right? I’m a likable person?”
“It’s not like you to question or care what other people think of you.” Abagail faced her. “If you were, I wouldn’t have suggested your name to Ivy. They needed someone who could hold their own and was a little desperate.”
“Well, I was definitely desperate.”
Shepherd screeched. It echoed through the hallway and under Abagail’s door, startling Alaric, who came up next to Greer and held her hand, watching everything happen in front of him. Penny said something that Greer couldn’t make out as she hauled Shepherd up onto her hip. She snagged Leon’s hand in hers and stalked away. Both boys were in full-on tears.
Greer gave Ivy some time as she watched the boys be dragged away from her. She hugged Alaric to her side and protected him as much as she could from the sight, but they’d all seen it before at this point. None of it was hidden from the family, as Greer had come to think of them. She rolled her shoulders and straightened her back when Ivy stepped into her office.
“What’s your opinion on it?” Greer asked, genuinely wanting to know.
“Ivy needs to deal with it sooner rather than later, and Penny’s going to fight her tooth and nail on absolutely everything until she no longer has any power over Ivy.”
“Which is when?”
“When one of them dies.” Abagail flicked Greer a look that was full of serious acceptance. “That’s the price you pay when you have kids together.”
Greer hummed her understanding, and she hated that for Ivy. And for the boys. It wouldn’t be an easy life growing up. Greer would know. She had firsthand experience.
“We should get drinks sometime,” Greer said suddenly.
“You and me?” Abagail looked surprised.
“Yeah. I mean… I don’t know anyone in Boston, not really. All my friends are out west. I could use someone else to talk to.”
“Uh… sure.” Abagail didn’t seem too sure about that, however.
Greer would have to try again sometime soon and see if the notion settled a bit more for her. Taking Alaric, she ushered him out of Abagail’s office. “Thanks for the safe space.”
“Anytime, Greer. Really, I do mean that.”
Greer nodded. She walked directly to Ivy’s office and knocked on the door. “I’m not going to ask how that went.”
“Horribly,” Ivy said, tears streaking down her face. “And I’m sure Abagail will be out for me because I did it here and because it took up so much of my time.”
Greer glanced over at her. “Want me to drive you home?”
Ivy sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. It was her nervous habit for sure, and Greer had noticed her doing it more and more lately. “I’d need a ride in the morning to get my car.”
“Come on.” Greer looked over at Alaric. “We can take you home. I’m not sure you should be driving right now, anyway.”
Ivy nodded. “Thanks.”
She gathered up her things and then told Abagail she was leaving for the day. Greer and Abagail shared a knowing look and nod as Greer led Ivy out of the offices and down to the parking garage. Once everyone was buckled in, Greer pulled the giant car out of the parking garage, which was her least favorite thing to do on the face of the planet lately, and started to head for home.
The drive home was quiet. When they got to the houses, Greer parked in Nathalie’s garage and then ushered Alaric inside. Nathalie, however, wasn’t home yet. No doubt working another late night without telling Greer about it.
Instead of sending Ivy home, Greer plopped her down onto the couch and immediately started to make some tea for both of them. She debated whether or not to add whiskey to it, but she wasn’t entirely sure that was what Ivy needed right now.
When the tea was made, Greer brought it out to Ivy who was already snuggled up on the couch with Alaric by her side. He was reading a book and had it balanced in his lap. He was such a quiet kid, which was odd considering Nathalie wasn’t very quiet. Again those memories of Nathalie’s voice echoing down the hallway, as if she was making the noises just for Greer and no one else.
Shivering as her nipples hardened, Greer sat down next to Ivy and handed over the hot mug. “It’s chamomile.”
“Hmmm, my favorite.”
“Really?” The kitchen was stocked with it, so she’d just assumed that Nathalie liked it. Then again, she couldn’t remember seeing Nathalie with tea at any point in the two months she’d lived in the house.
“Nathalie keeps it for me since we end up at her house more often than not.”
“I did notice that,” Greer commented. She was sitting far closer to Ivy than she normally would, but she also felt that Ivy needed it right now. She needed closeness, not distance. The way she petted her hand through Alaric’s hair was a sign of that. It was a cute moment, one that reminded Greer just how much of a family unit they really were. Because Alaric didn’t care that Ivy wasn’t his mom right now. He just knew that Ivy needed him, and he needed Ivy—both needed the comfort of the other person who had been present during today’s events.
“She keeps that cashew milk for Lachlan.” Ivy wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know why she drinks that disgusting crap.”
“It’s not because she can’t have normal milk?”
Ivy snorted lightly. “No. I think it’s some diet kick she’s on lately.”
“Ah.” Greer bit her lip on that one. “How are you, after today?”
“Drained.” Ivy closed her eyes and scooted a little closer to Greer, resting her head on Greer’s shoulder. “So drained.”
“It’s not always that turbulent, is it?”
Ivy shook her head. “Only lately. It wasn’t that way in the beginning. Well, at first it was, but then it got better for a while there.” Ivy yawned, covering it up with the back of her hand. “It just hurts so much to see them hurt.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Greer glanced at Alaric, who settled deeper into Ivy’s lap, his book still in his hands as he read the words and traced the pictures with his finger. “Does anything make it easier?”
“This is,” Ivy admitted. “And often spending time with my next favorite boy.” Ivy smiled down at Alaric. “Because I love him like he’s one of my own.”
“I can see that. In all of you.” Greer had commented on it to Kam, but she hadn’t quite heard the women say it out loud yet. Nathalie would be too aloof to ever say something like that. But Greer would expect Lachlan to. Perhaps the opportunity just hadn’t come up yet.
Sipping her tea, Greer listened to the gentle rhythmic breathing, and she realized far too late that Alaric had fallen asleep on Ivy’s lap. She really didn’t want to move him or wake him up, but Nathalie would be home soon, and she wouldn’t be happy that he was taking a nap so close to dinner time.
“Just a few more minutes,” Ivy murmured, sounding sleepy herself. “It’s so nice and warm here.”
Greer stayed right where she was, being not only a physical support for Ivy, but an emotional one. Something in this family was going to break, and likely soon, because if Penny kept pushing, she would find the weak spot. Greer just hoped that it wasn’t her. She didn’t want to let them down.
Not now. Not ever.