Chapter 36
Hudson
Everyone trickles in right on time, including Monica since it’s Saturday, but she is clearly not happy about it.
She’s scared and pissed and she doesn’t have a great poker face so everyone knows exactly how she feels as soon as she gets out of her SUV.
But when she greets Shannon, there’s no additional animosity directed toward her.
In fact, the women greet each other with a firm handshake and a no-nonsense head nod. A second later, Camden recognizes Shannon and says, “Dr. Shannon! Look! My finger’s all better!”
Shannon squats down to Cam’s eye-level and makes a show of inspecting his finger before declaring him strong and brave to have survived the chocolate blister. He beams up at her before running after his sister into my house to find their favorite toys.
“You’re good with kids,” Monica states.
Shannon gives a genuine laugh and flashes me a smile. “That’s a recent development actually.”
Phoenix arrives next and… “Goddammit, Phoenix,” I groan when he gets out of his big truck wearing ass-hugging Wranglers and a white wifebeater that’s under an open plaid button-down.
Instead of his usual ballcap, he’s sporting a white cowboy hat, and even as a straight man, I have to admit he looks fucking edible.
His cocky smile, and the wink he flashes me, tells me knows it.
“You’re a dick, you know that, right?” I ask as he approaches.
“Dig your thong out of your ass, princess. Rodeo’s in town. I had a delivery to make.”
Along with being a full-time firefighter, Phoenix is a stock contractor which means he supplies the animals used in the rodeo when it comes to town.
An injury ended his career early, but you can’t take the rodeo out of the man, I suppose.
He lives on a gorgeous farm not too far from me, but our properties couldn’t be more different.
Phoenix hugs my sister first. “Monica, looking fine as always,” he says, kissing her cheek.
“Yeah, yeah.” My sister’s tone is unimpressed, but her face flushes a bright pink when his lips connect with her skin.
Then he turns his attention to Shannon and holds out his hand. “Phoenix Harding, nice to finally meet you.”
“Shannon Hartley,” she says a little too breathlessly. Fucking Phoenix.
He gives her a full-wattage smile and a wink. “I know your name.”
“Jesus, can you just go inside already? Where’s your handler?” I swear Dylan’s the only one who can get Phoenix to behave.
Phoe just chuckles as he enters my house making monster noises to, no doubt, terrorize the kids. They love him. Everyone loves him.
Jake and Dylan roll in last. Dylan pulls in first in Jake’s vintage Corvette and Jake pulls in behind him in the Range Rover I requested.
Once they’re out of the cars, I clap my hand to Jake’s and pull him in for a slap on the back like we’ve always done.
Dylan, I give a one-arm-over-one-arm-under hug.
Jake then wraps his left arm around his husband’s waist and sticks his right hand out to Shannon as I do introductions.
“Glad you were able to leave. Sounds like your fairytale took a nose dive.”
“Yeah, you could say that, but I’m working on creating a new one.” She looks up at me as she says it and I mirror Jake’s stance with an arm around her waist, finally understanding his desire to touch his partner all the fucking time.
At some point, my sister followed Phoenix inside—probably to check on the welfare of her children—and we find them already digging into the boxes of pizza despite it only being four.
“Help yourselves,” I tell them with no real bite to my tone.
Everyone else follows suit, because we might as well and once everyone has their plates, we sit down and begin discussing the events of the last several weeks.
These are my closest friends, my allies, and this has the potential to affect all of them in some way.
It feels weirder than I thought it would without Knox here, but I press on, laying bare every skeleton in my closet.
“So, that’s our story,” I finally finish.
“The good, the bad, and the ugly. Now, we need help taking the wind out of Greg’s sails.
He’s going to come after us hard. I have this,” I say, pulling my cell phone out of my pocket and opening my videos.
“It’s not much, but it might prove intent or something, I don’t really know.
The legal system is Mon’s territory.” I press play on the video I recorded from my pocket when I picked Shannon up outside the hotel.
The screen stays black, but we can hear the words being said just fine.
I put my hand on Shannon’s knee reassuringly and squeeze. She stares at the phone, her face frozen in a slight sneer at the voice threatening her in the video.
“Wait a minute, go back. Did he say he’d fabricate evidence?” my sister asks, her eyes snapping to mine. “Hud, what if that wouldn’t be the first time he did that?” she asks.
Monica got the majority of the intelligence in our family so my mind races to keep up.
“You think he fabricated the evidence that got Jason off?” I ask, making sure I’m following along.
“Fabricated or tampered with,” she clarifies.
Jake speaks next. “I don’t suppose you’ve had enough time to make much progress on the subpoena, have you?” he asks.
Monica raises her head. “What subpoena?”
“Steve Ellington is Greg’s financial advisor,” I tell my sister, forgetting that I never closed that loop with her. She opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, but Shannon cuts her off.
“Ohmygod.” Five pairs of eyes swing toward Shannon, mine included. “Your dad is the man Greg’s representing in the case that starts Monday,” she says to Jake, the realization sinking in.
“Unfortunately,” Jake says. “But please understand, my father deserves to be in jail.”
“I don’t think he’s going to jail,” Shannon says.
“Why? What do you know?” I ask, my heart thundering in my chest.
“Last weekend we had one of Greg’s partners and his wife over for drinks. The Ellington case came up. Greg made some comment like, it’s important for all of us that he walks. He was talking to his partner…what if they’re all clients of Mr. Ellington?”
“Jesus,” Phoenix says, scrubbing a hand down his face.
“I can certainly check. As CEO of Ellington Wealth Management, I can access all of it. I just can’t hand the records over without being in violation of the law,” Jake says, making me huff a laugh of disbelief.
“I couldn’t believe you accepted the position after your dad was arrested, but damn am I glad you held on to the company.”
“Yeah, well, if my dad’s crooked connections run this deeply, I might have to close the doors anyway once it gets out that he’s padding his attorney’s pockets in order to avoid jail time.” Jake sighs.
“Guys, hang on a second,” Monica says, getting up from the table.
She grabs her keys and heads outside, coming back in a moment later with her work bag.
Shannon has gotten Serafina out of the Pack ‘n Play and is holding her in her lap as Monica opens a file.
“These are the filed documents for the Ellington case,” she says, licking her finger so she can flip through them faster.
The whole table wants to know what she’s looking for, but we stay silent.
We’re all confused as hell when she slams the folder closed—without finding whatever it was she was looking for.
With a huge smile she says, “We’ve got a starting point.
Gregor never submitted a conflict of interest form.
The court is completely unaware of his relationship with your father,” Monica says, turning her attention to Jake.
“What does that mean?” I ask, my skin tingling from nerves, excitement, and stress.
“Well for starters, it means Steve Ellington can counter sue for legal malpractice, it also ensures Gregor is going to be kicked off this case—” Before she can keep listing the repercussions, Shannon speaks up again.
“That means his law firm will fire him just like they did Driscoll. They’re all shady as hell, but their inner circle is tight and they do not like being put under a spotlight or a microscope.”
Unable to help myself, I reach over and plant a kiss on Shannon’s mouth. Overcome with hope and currently surrounded by everyone I love, I lean forward and kiss Serafina’s head too. She claps her little hands and waves her chubby arms, making everyone at the table laugh.
“I can’t believe one piece of paper could solve all our problems,” I muse out loud.
“Not all of them,” my sister says, popping my bubble and sending me plummeting back to earth.
“He can still have you fired and bring a pretty hefty alienation of affection suit against you. If he wins, you could potentially be financially supporting him for the rest of his life.” Her eyes swing to Shannon.
“Especially since you’re employed and will most likely be in one of the highest tax brackets. ”
“Fu—” I cut myself off mid-word, forgetting that my niece and nephew are playing behind us in the living room, "—irecracker.”
Phoenix and Jake both chuckle.
“We need something to ensure he doesn’t come after you and Hudson,” Monica continues, her eyes softening as they move to Shannon.
“I know this is a lot to throw at you, and you don’t have much time to think about it, but what about Serafina?
If I can find a way to get him to sign over his parental rights, would you want that? ”
I hold my breath as I wait for Shannon’s answer.
This is moving fast, alright.