Chapter Seven
The next morning, I was out the door by seven thirty.
After a shower and a peanut butter and honey sandwich the night before, I crashed faster and harder than I thought possible. I slept a dreamless sleep. I woke with a start before my alarm clock sounded, and all that happened twelve hours earlier came rushing to the forefront of my mind.
The hood.
The trunk.
The cronies.
The Stallions.
The money.
The Harley.
The kiss.
That kiss.
I laid in bed replaying every second of that kiss over and over until my alarm clock finally sounded. The thought of seeing Jed again in a matter of hours was what got me out of bed.
I had an ugly bruise from where I’d been punched in the stomach, and the tender spot was what helped me choose an outfit.
Well—it was part of what helped me choose my outfit.
Conscious of the appointment I had that morning, I made sure I wore the proper attire to befit my mood. I was going up against Wendy Abbott, and I had no interest in being handled. She was tough, but I would be tougher. I had a fight in me that was awakened by the helplessness I felt whilst shoved in the trunk of a car.
There were bigger issues and worst men in the world to warrant either of us wasting our time questioning Jed and his ability to parent. I was fully aware I had grown quite biased—but my biases aside, I saw no reason that justified the mediation.
As Jed had warned me, it was a game. One I intended to win.
I chose my high-waisted, burgundy pencil skirt, the hem extended past my knees with the generous slit up the back. I paired it with my long-sleeved, cream, satin blouse, with maroon polka-dots and a large bow-tie at the neck. I completed my look with the same nude stilettos I wore the day before.
For some reason, they felt kind of lucky.
I took extra care with my makeup, too. A full brow, a neutral bold eye with big lashes, accented cheeks, and my favorite subtle, rose lipstick. My hair was half up and half down. Simple and classy.
When I arrived at the office, I shoved aside the memories of how I’d been carried out of it kicking and screaming the previous evening. Instead, I headed straight for the copy machine, gathered my abandoned documents, and hurried to my desk to finish my last bit of prep.
At eight-forty-five, I was headed for the elevator.
Gillette Family Lawyers was only two blocks away, so I made my way there on foot. Five minutes later, I was boarding another elevator, my destination on the third floor. The doors opened into the firm’s lobby, and I spotted Jed right away—standing with his arms folded across his chest.
I swear, my lips tingled at the sight of him.
He was dressed as I was used to seeing him, in jeans, a tee, and his vest—aviator sunglasses hooked at the collar of his shirt.
For the first time, I allowed myself to study his arms a little closer. In his stance, I could only make out the ink on the back of his left forearm, but I was intrigued to see the image of a tattered scroll with we the people in the iconic script of the constitution.
As I made my approach, I watched as he noticed me, a minute smirk almost hidden by his mustache playing at his lips.
“Good morning,” I greeted, aiming to remain as professional as possible.
His smirk got a little bigger before he replied, “Wondered how you’d be feelin’ this mornin’. I see now I was worried for nothin’. You came with your claws out.”
I feigned ignorance, fighting a smile as I said, “I don’t know what you mean.”
His smirk morphed into a grin, and we both shifted our gazes down at our feet.
I’d just recovered myself when a woman came toward us, waving slightly to get our attention. “Hi, good morning. You are here for a mediation with attorney Abbott, correct?”
“Yes, we are,” I answered.
“Wonderful. They’re ready for you in the conference room. I can take you there now.”
Jed and I exchanged a brief glance, then followed her down a short hallway. The conference room door was open, and she stood aside, allowing us to enter.
Wendy was on her feet next to her client. Nicole and Evan, whom I recognized as the older version of the man from his mugshot, were seated on the opposite side of the table.
Nicole was beautiful, with her long, blonde hair, her bright, blue eyes, and her angular face. She was probably four or five years older than me, but she wore her age well. It actually startled me how the sight of her made me bristle. It wasn’t intimidation or anxiety that coursed through me—it was envy .
For a moment, I wrestled with an internal jealousy at the fact that she’d had Jed first. Moreover, she’d had him for years. He’d loved her enough to give her two children. And I knew, instinctively I knew, the man at her side would never satisfy her the way Jed did, and that’s why we were there. Not because their current custody arrangement wasn’t a benefit to their children, but because she found someone else to love her, and it wasn’t enough to fill the void.
Then I saw it.
I saw her eyes grow cold as her expression went blank at the sight of me . Her mouth tightened as she looked me up and down before she aimed her glare at Jed.
“Attorney Torres, good to see you,” said Wendy.
“Likewise,” I replied with a smile.
Wendy was nearing fifty, with loads of experience and enough vanity to keep up with her Botox injections and trips to the hair salon—to ensure her auburn hair saw not a strand of gray. I certainly wasn’t one to judge. She looked pretty great, even if her face didn’t move as much as it used to.
“Have a seat. Let’s get started, shall we?”
Jed and I sat, and I took my files and a notepad from out of my purse.
Wendy took the floor first, outlining why we were there and the reasons behind the contested custody agreement. I listened as she explained how Evan and Nicole could provide a more stable and consistent living environment for the children, and how Jed wouldn’t lose access to his children or his custodial rights. I nodded and jotted down a few notes about the concerns her client had about Jed’s membership with the Wild Stallions. As we anticipated, Wendy vaguely mentioned quite a few of the Stallions had arrests on their records, and it wasn’t the kind of company her client wanted around her children. Finally, she made note that Jed failed to properly communicate with her client regarding Axel’s recent injury. This violation put into question the children’s safety while in the care of their father.
I was pleased to note Wendy was not in possession of any information I didn’t already know.
When she yielded the floor to me, I held nothing back.
I stood from my seat in order to place one of my files in front of her. I then sat, opened my own folder, and proceeded to make my case. I went down the list, providing a counter argument for every point she made, and then I told her what Nicole obviously hadn’t.
“If you wouldn’t mind flipping to page ten—you’ll see there, while it’s true my client is associated with men who have records, none of them pose as a danger to the children. They may interact from time to time, but my client doesn’t leave them alone with any of the Stallions in question. Moreover, none of them reside at my client’s residence.
“While I think it’s ridiculous to insinuate my client’s membership to the local motorcycle club somehow negatively impacts the wellbeing of his children, when there is no proof of that being the case for more than a decade, I would like to point out that Jed himself has not a single arrest on his record. However, the same cannot be said of Evan Stevens.
“With not one but two DUIs on his record, and his regular participation in Marlowe and Axel’s daily lives, I would argue any potential threat to their safety is greater when they are in your client’s care.”
“What?” Nicole hissed, snapping her gaze in Evan’s direction.
“That was almost twenty years ago!” he stated, obviously taken aback and upset. “You can’t hold that against me.” He took hold of Nicole’s hand and insisted, “You know me. You know I would never drink and drive with them in the car.”
She yanked her fingers away from his, hiding both hands beneath the table. “I cannot believe this. How could you keep something like this from me?”
I fixed my eyes on Wendy, who was reading through my file, and continued, “Let me be clear, we are not here to challenge the custody agreement. Our intent is only to ensure the status quo is maintained. If we cannot agree on that today, further negotiation will not be necessary. We’ll have to go to court. But, given my client’s consistent track record of providing a safe, healthy, and loving environment for his children, quite frankly, this entire mediation is a waste of time.”
Wendy sighed, closed the file, and offered me a small smile.
“You’ve painted quite the picture, Alexia. Unfortunately, now that I’ve seen it, I’m inclined to agree.”
“Great.”
I did my best to hide my victorious smile as I stood and began gathering my things.
Evan and Nicole bickered softly, and I pretended not to notice as I looped my purse over my shoulder. Jed stood and pushed in his chair. We were about to leave when I remembered.
“Oh, one more thing.”
I paused and waited until I was sure Nicole was listening.
“The written court order in place states that Jed is obligated to contribute twenty-three percent of his monthly income for child support. In his generosity, his current payment is closer to thirty-five percent. I’ve recommended, given the circumstances, he lower his payment to the court ordered amount, and he intends to do so.
“While his excess has him covered for years in advance, he doesn’t intend to withhold any funds to mitigate his overpayment. But going forward, you should expect a decreased payment. Just a heads up. Good day to you all.”
I added a small wave for good measure, then headed for the door, Jed following close behind.
That had gone exactly as I had hoped.
Neither of us spoke a word to each other as we made our way to the elevator, but I was sure he felt as elated as I did—in his manly, biker sort of way.
When the lift car arrived, it was just the two of us who boarded. After I reached the middle of the small space, I turned to face the doors, and I was surprised to find Jed close. Very close. So close, I got a decent whiff of sandalwood, leather, and a hint of smoke. So close, I was forced to look up .
He wasn’t even touching me, and yet I felt as though I was floating.
Not sure what was happening, I whispered, “We did it.”
“You did it.”
The elevator doors closed, and he stepped closer.
I tilted my head back some more, so as not to lose sight of his face.
He took hold of my jaw, my chin tucked in the space between his thumb and forefinger, his grip unyielding as he gently forced my head back further, then descended for a kiss.
My eyes fell closed.
As if we’d done this a hundred times before, I was instantly his for the taking.
When I opened my mouth, he hummed his approval and slid his hand around the side of my neck as he kissed me thoroughly. I blindly reached for the front of his shirt, gripping hold of it with both hands, and he pressed into me, forcing me back against the wall. As we indulged in one another, the sound of our wet affection reverberated off the walls of the elevator, and it was intoxicating.
I thought our first kiss was pretty great, but this one—this one made me warm all over.
He pulled away abruptly, and my body acted of its own accord. I pressed up onto my tiptoes, reaching for more.
I felt his smile against my lips before he spoke.
“Tonight, I’m takin’ you out.”
“Okay,” I agreed without hesitation.
“Seven o’clock.”
“Okay,” I breathed.
“Okay,” he echoed before closing his mouth around mine.
I sighed in relief, unashamed of my longing.
Then the elevator doors opened with a chime, and the moment was suddenly over.
Jed, whose hand was still warm against my neck, turned to glance over his shoulder.
“Oh. Shit. My bad,” he muttered as he let me go.
It wasn’t until he stepped aside that I realized we hadn’t gone anywhere. Nicole and Evan stood waiting outside of the lift car.
Nicole none too pleased.
“I knew it. I fucking knew it,” she muttered, glaring at her ex.
Jed didn’t entertain her comment with a response. Instead, he hit the button for the ground floor and stated, “You can take the next one.”
As the doors began to close, Nicole shifted her angry gaze onto me.
I stared back at her until she was gone, hiding my glee behind my poker face.
Suddenly, I wasn’t the least bit jealous.