Chapter 18
Eighteen
Adrian
I’m so fucking proud of my wife. She held her head high and stood up to Sanford without once letting him see her sweat. I’m also not surprised that she collapsed against me the moment he left. He was cruel and probably caused her to panic inside.
I pull her into my embrace and hold her tight while she cries. Everyone else nods toward me and disperses. They understand. And bless them all for having my back.
After sweeping Blair into my arms, I carry her back to our house and sequester us from everyone. I sit on the sectional, keeping her on my lap and pulling her head against my shoulder. “I’m so fucking proud of you,” I say, kissing her temple.
She’s no longer sobbing, but she’s still sniffling.
I lift the corner of my flannel to wipe her face. Her cheeks are red, and her eyes are swollen when she looks at me. “I’m so sorry.”
I flinch. “What on Earth are you sorry about, baby?”
“He’s not going to let this go. He’s going to report some nonsense back to my parents, and they’re going to cause trouble for your family.”
“Our family, and let them try, princess.” I cup her face. “They will not win.”
“They could send reporters or lawyers or—like William said—someone to fucking have me committed.” Her voice squeaks.
“No one is going to have you committed, baby. I promise. Over my dead body. They can send whoever they want. It won’t change anything. Instead of waiting for them to make a move, we’ll get ahead of them. I’ll call our family lawyer right now and get the jump on every possibility.”
She gasps. “That will cost a fortune.”
I narrow my gaze at my wife. “Blair…”
She sighs. “I get it. You have money. But I don’t want you to spend it on legal fees to keep me safe.”
“Blair Gallant. I would give every dollar I have to keep you safe. Don’t you get that? No one is getting near you.”
She sniffles. “I don’t like that I’ve put your entire family in danger.”
“Oh, princess. No one is in any danger. I’m certain Asher has already contacted the security firm we use. They will send people up here to block the road. No one will drive past them again.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“This could go on for months or even years. I don’t think my parents are going to take no for an answer.”
I lean to one side and pull my phone out of my pocket. A few taps later, and I’m holding it to my ear.
A receptionist answers on the first ring, “Evans and Son. How can I help you?”
“Hi Amy. This is Adrian Gallant.”
“Oh, hi, Adrian. How are you?”
“I’m in need of some legal counsel. Any chance Nate can fit me in sometime soon?”
“I’m sure he can. Let me look at his schedule… He has an hour free after lunch. Will that work?”
“Yes. Thank you, Amy.”
“I’ll have him call you. This number good?”
“Yes.”
I pocket the phone and put my arm back around my wife. “Easy peasy.”
She sighs. “I guess it would be futile for me to harp on what that’s going to cost.”
“Totally futile, yes.” I grin. “This is a minor bump in the road, baby. We’re going to nip it in the bud.”
She slumps against me again. “Do you think there’s any chance they could have me committed?”
“Not a chance in hell, princess.” I stroke down one of her braids.
I love her hair like this. I love that she’s happy to let go of material things, like makeup and nail polish, and trade them for mountain air.
I don’t give a shit if my wife wants to wear makeup.
But I do want to see her smile, and I love that she’s so comfortable in her skin here that she hasn’t put any on since our wedding. She’s gorgeous either way.
Her hair, too. I love the braids. Again, if she wants to be fancy and spend an hour blow-drying and styling it, I won’t stop her, but she’s beautiful without it. Carefree. She’s lighter than she was when I met her.
“It’s so weird,” she murmurs. “I never imagined myself being in a legal feud with my parents. Why can’t they just let me be?”
“Maybe they will.” I continue to stroke her braid.
“Their texts are so angry. And the voice messages are worse. They’re going to be ten times more livid when William reports that he was unsuccessful in convincing me to return. I think they expected him to be able to talk reason into me.”
I move my hand to her shoulder and graze my fingertips over her soft skin. “Which is odd and shortsighted since you barely know the guy. They expected you to just nod and grin and marry whoever they said?”
“It was na?ve of me to think they wouldn’t send someone after me from the beginning. I left New York without telling them. When they went to my condo and found it empty, they probably had a coronary.”
“Why didn’t you tell them before you left?”
“Because I wanted a full break. I didn’t want to argue with them.
If I had mentioned my plans at any step along the way, they would have tried to stop me, possibly even by force.
Instead, I told them I was taking a little vacation.
I sold my condo, piled what I wanted into a brand-new car, and drove across the country.
I felt my old oppressive life lifting off me with each mile.
By the time I got here, I was floating.”
I chuckle. “And I met you soon after that. You were definitely floating, princess. You were invincible.”
She presses her face against my neck. “The word you’re looking for is stupid.”
“No. Stop that. Na?ve, maybe. Stupid is not a word that describes you. Stop using it.”
My wife gives a huge, dramatic sigh and flops backward onto the couch cushion. Her legs are draped over my lap, but now she’s staring up at me. “I don’t deserve you.”
I twist my body around so I’m fully facing her and crawl over her, planting my hands on the cushion on either side of her.
“I’m the luckiest fucker alive. I stumbled upon the perfect woman for me, and she agreed to marry me without hesitation.
I’m so in love with you, baby. So, whatever is going through your head that makes you fear that you’re a burden to me or anyone in my family, squash it right now.
We’re in this together. You’re my wife for life.
Whatever we’re facing, we do it as a unit.
Don’t think for one second that I’m ever going to think you’re not worth it.
That will never be the case, and none of my brothers or their wives is going to hesitate to protect you, either. ”
Her smile lights up the room. “Okay.”
“Guess where my personal lawyer’s office is located.”
A broader smile makes her eyes squint. “New York City.”
“Yep. How do you feel about taking a little trip?”
She shudders, but she’s still smiling. “The last thing I want to do is return to my parents’ house, but that’s what you’re suggesting, isn’t it?”
“Yep. We get our legal ducks in a row, and we face them in person. They either get on board with their daughter’s new life, or they miss out on their grandchildren.
There’s no wiggle room. There will be no more threats.
We will not spend years dodging their calls.
We will not accept threatening messages from William or any other person.
I want this over. I won’t have my wife always worrying about when the next shoe will drop. ”
She reaches for me. “I’m pretty sure I’m the luckiest fucker alive.”
“Yeah, we’re going to have to do something about that potty mouth before our baby is born.”
She giggles. “What about your foul language?”
I sigh. “Mine, too.”
Her hands curl around my neck. “Kiss me, Mr. Fancy Jeans.”