14. Chapter Fourteen | Savannah
Chapter fourteen
“What’s the end game here, Sav?” I didn’t even see Shane when I walked out of the ladies’ room, but he now has me boxed in the corner of the hallway.
I look around him, but I can’t see Theo—I can’t see anyone but my ex looming over me.
“Are you happy now? Do you feel like you’re winning?
And what the hell were you thinking retaining Smith and Harrington as your attorneys?
Did you really think I wasn’t going to connect the timing of this federal probe bullshit that came out of nowhere a few days ago and you pushing back on our divorce?
Like that isn’t somehow a parting gift from one of your brothers? ”
Shane is seething, and honestly, I understand his anger, but I have no idea what federal probe issue he’s taking about, or how it would involve my brothers.
He thought he had full control of how this divorce was going to unfold when he fired the first shots, but he overlooked my access to The Cavalry and having my family’s bank accounts at my disposal.
Honestly, he underestimated me, and I’m starting to see that he has been doing that for a while now.
The hearing went entirely in my favor and he was fuming by the time we walked out of the courtroom.
His previous injunction that froze our assets was thrown out, although now any significant purchase needs to be approved by both of us until everything is settled, which is fine because I wasn’t the one buying real estate without my spouse’s knowledge.
Thankfully, the required approval does not include regular monthly and household expenses.
I still have Jack’s credit card, but it’s nice to know Shane isn’t controlling my literal purse strings anymore or preventing me from buying bread or toothpaste for our children.
Before I can respond to him, Shane’s livid face turns an unnatural shade of red and a vein in his neck begins throbbing with each beat of his racing heart.
My chest tightens and breath quickens as a foreign feeling crashes over me—I have never been afraid of this man, until this moment.
He takes a step just a little too close for my comfort as he towers over me, but it is brief as his shoulder is quickly yanked backwards away from me.
“Get the fuck away from her, immediately,” Theo growls—literally growls like a bear.
His eyes are burning with fury and Shane’s legal team is quickly stepping between the two of them.
Shane chose to have one of his firm’s junior partners represent him, which tells me he’s still representing himself and stuck attorney Kyle Clark on it for appearances only.
Helping Kyle pull Shane away are Shane’s senior paralegal, Jimmy, and another junior associate attorney that I don’t know as well, but I’ve spoken to Cooper a few times, and at least once at my own house when we hosted the staff Christmas party last year.
“Shane, man, come on, step back. Don’t do this. You’re better than this.” Kyle tries to talk him down.
“I’m sorry, Savannah. Are you alright?” Shane’s paralegal asks me and I nod to Jimmy.
I’ve known him for close to a decade, and the remorse on his face for this confrontation is clear but misplaced.
Jimmy didn’t do anything wrong; his asshole boss is the one that just cornered me—quite literally.
I don’t know why Shane thought he would be able to keep the penthouse out of the divorce proceedings.
He bought the five-million-dollar condo while still married to me, and prior to any separation papers were filed, so when Theo filed Pippa’s motion to have it included in the divorce proceedings and settlement, Shane was blindsided.
Moron.
I guarantee he assumed I wouldn’t look into it or question what he told me needed to happen. But that’s not my fault he was foolish enough to once again underestimate me.
“Come on, Shane, walk away.” Kyle pushes Shane toward Cooper and Jimmy before turning back to me.
“Savannah, I…” Ky le swallows and shakes his head, his eyes wide at the display of Shane’s aggressive behavior.
“Are you okay?” I’ve known Kyle and every other partner at the firm for years; they have been to our house for barbecues and holiday parties, and I’ve never had an issue with anyone except for one rude receptionist a few years ago.
“I’m fine, Kyle, thank you.” I barely have time to respond before Theo has his hand around my lower back and is ushering me away from him while glaring at Shane’s legal team. When Theo’s hand touches my lower back, Shane starts yelling—yelling!—in the courthouse.
“Harrington! Get your fucking hands off my wife!” I lean toward Theo, alarmed by Shane’s behavior.
Has he lost his damn mind? “She is not yours, get away from her!” Shane continues to yell at us as Kyle, Jimmy, and Cooper try to hold Shane back while two deputies rush to separate us from my irate ex.
Theo’s hand firmly guides us as we walk out of the courthouse, with a deputy following us to the door.
Theo looks physically pained as we quickly exit the courthouse and he guides me to the side of the building.
Once we’re around the corner, he turns to inspect me, as though there will be a visible wound to discover from that interaction.
Shielded from any prying onlookers, I close my eyes and take a deep breath—or at least try to.
Theo gently brushes a rogue hair back from my face as he checks me over for physical injuries.
“I’m sorry, Savannah. I should have been waiting closer.
I was talking to his team about something, but at this point, I think you should consider just running everything through our legal teams. I should have been right outside the door. Are you hurt? Did he touch you?”
“He didn’t hurt me, he’s just so mad. I don’t think he would have physically hurt me, but honestly, he should be embarrassed by his behavior.
” Lifting a hand to smooth my hair, I realize my hands are trembling, so I try to shake them out and take another deep breath.
“I hope one of his clients saw his tantrum. What was he thinking? Has he lost his damn mind?” I huff and try not to show how much that threw me for a loop.
It’s not that I think he would’ve put his hands on me, but Shane has never raised his voice, let alone spoke to me with such …
hatred. I think that’s the closest word for the vitriol spewing from him when he cornered me.
I think he hates me, but right now I’m too damn pissed off to care, and I will not let him make me cry, especially in public like this.
Blinking quickly, I look up to try and keep the tears back.
I will not break for him, not here, not in this moment.
Theo rubs my arm and searches my face. “Let’s go get some lunch, okay? We can go to the diner and I’ll even buy you a milkshake.”
“A milkshake?”
He shrugs. “I mean, it works when I need to cheer up my sister or daughter so I thought it might be a universal girl thing.”
A small laugh escapes at his reasoning. “I think that’s universal for most people, regardless of their gender. Okay, let’s do it, just so long as it’s not the same place Shane is going to be. I don’t want to be anywhere near him right now, or for the foreseeable future.”
“Absolutely. Kyle mentioned Shane has a hearing this afternoon in Nashville, so I doubt he has time to go to the diner. If he’s there, we will just leave, okay? I won’t let him corner you like that ever again.”
I brush another rogue piece of hair from my face and nod, allowing Theo to guide me to his sleek black Lincoln SUV.
He opens the door, like a gentleman should, and the short drive to the diner is silent as I try to process everything that just happened.
When I walked into the courtroom with Theo at my back, Shane just about snapped the pen that was in his hand at the opposing table.
I made sure not to make any eye contact with him, as though he was invisible to me, despite him hissing at me in a hushed tone, “What the fuck are you thinking?” as I took a seat across the aisle.
I wanted to say that I was thinking this would be an effective strategy in riling him up and he was proving me right once again, but I followed Theo’s advice and kept the bitchiest mask firmly in place.
At one point, Shane’s attorney Kyle was spewing a completely false narrative of our marriage and my entire body was vibrating from anger.
Without even looking at me, Theo reached over, placed his hand next to mine on the table, and leaned ever slightly into my arm, calming me by knowing he was with me and I was not alone.
After we order our food, I can tell Theo is trying to keep things light by talking about our girls, how fast this school year is going, and anything that does not include my asshole ex.
“Thank you for today,” I tell him sincerely as I play with the straw in my Diet Coke.
“It’s in my nature to take care of things, and others, but I’m not always the best at allowing someone else to take care or help me.
So, thank you for doing just that, and not making me feel …
weak in the process of doing so.” I look up and meet his vivid gray-blue eyes that aren’t just looking at me, he is actually seeing me, and maybe even seeing beyond what I allow most to be able to know.
“There’s nothing wrong with needing someone else, and in fact, I don’t think allowing someone else to stand with you makes you weak, it makes you smart to know when you aren’t meant to fight a battle alone.
” Who knew this tall, dark, and handsome man was also so wise?
“But I also get it. I know it’s in my nature to figure things out on my own, but life has taught me that sometimes I can be just as strong—if not stronger—with the right partner and team. ”