Chapter 38
To saythat I was pleased the police were here was an understatement. I was getting tired of Max... fast. He’d infiltrated every part of our life. Turning up to a tour where we had no option but to be polite and smile was a conniving and infuriating move.
Jasmine had done an amazing job. She’d hardly uttered a word until she told him to contact the solicitor. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like that he couldn’t connect with her, which meant he couldn’t sway her. His third arrival made me wonder if it was more Jasmine he was trying to connect with rather than the children. I thought he would have tried to see the kids on the sly, bypassing Jasmine altogether. Today would have been the prime opportunity. But it was her he kept making contact with.
Any person would understand that she wanted nothing to do with him. Any person other than Max. I just wanted to grab him and tell him to fuck off. I took a deep breath and willed calmness through my body. The police were here now. Surely, they would do something. Would it be enough?
We escorted the guests off. The police pulled Max to the side while Jasmine and I went through the normal routine with our guests. I didn’t like that idea. It gave him time to construct the narrative he wanted. At least Jack was there.
When we finished with the last guest, we headed over to the police.
“Jasmine, Ethan,” the older officer said. “Jack called us about Mr Reynard.”
Jasmine considered them both. I knew she was on first-name terms with them. It was a ranger thing and a small-town thing.
“I’ve told Max repeatedly that if he wants to see the children he needs to speak to my solicitor.”
The policeman turned to Max.
“It’s been five years, officer. I’m desperate to see my children.”
Here we go. Playing the victim card. Now we would see how far Jasmine’s relationship with the police would take her. The younger police officer shifted from foot to foot. The older one remained staunch.
“That may be the case. But papers we have on file state that Jasmine has full custody of the children and your visitation rights have been withheld.”
“I wasn’t aware of those papers, sir. As I’m sure you know, I’ve been tied up for the past five years.”
Is that what we’re going to call being in jail now?
The young officer watched the older one, scrutinising his every move.
“Yes, Mr Reynard. I’m aware of your circumstances.” He glanced at Jasmine before returning his stern look to Max. “I will take your word that you were unaware of the court order. However, as of this moment, you are.”
Max’s jaw twitched.
“My advice to you is to contact a solicitor and not to come back here until the family court allows you access.”
Twitch. Twitch.
“Thank you, officer. I will take that under advisement.” Max turned his attention to us, but not before a sneaky glance at the young officer. He addressed Jasmine. “I’m sorry if I’ve upset you. I only wanted to see my children.”
“You can see Bailey and Rose when the family court grants you permission.”
Twitch. Twitch. Fucking twitch.
Max thanked the officers before walking away.
“Please contact us if he appears again,” the older officer said. “We’ll leave you to the rest of your day now.”
They headed back to their car. While they were still in earshot, I heard the sergeant say, “You’ve got a lot to learn about the arseholes of this world. That man was lying out of his arse.”
“Hopefully that deters him for a while,” Jack said. He strolled away, leaving Jasmine and me alone.
She turned to me. “He’ll be back.”
“I know. His thinly disguised anger said it all.”
“You saw it too. We’ll need to keep the kids close.”
I nodded. That man was ready to explode. I didn’t want the kids to see it, but I didn’t want them away from us either.
Jasmine looked down the road out of town. One way in. One way out. No escape if we needed it. If it came to it, I would protect her and the children with everything I had. I took her hand and led her along the sand.
“Was this what it was like with your father?” she asked.
I looked out at the water. This opening up thing was hard. “My father was emotionally coercive and physically abusive.” That was a good start. Stating facts and not feelings was easier. “The abuse was mainly directed at Steve and me. I took the brunt of it though. Steve is younger than me. It was my job to protect him.” Time and time again. I sighed. “My mother never learned. When she got cancer, people donated for her treatment. He took it all.”
Her hand tightened. “That’s terrible.”
“He wore her down until she had no opinions of her own. She always took his side.”
Jasmine shook her head. It would be hard for a mother like Jasmine to understand.
“Is that why you hide your feelings?”
My heart thumped. There was no hiding from her questions.
“I didn’t do it because he wanted me to. I did it to save myself. I didn’t want him to have power over me.” I sighed. “When Audrey and I got married, I vowed not to be like my father. I let her do what she wanted, never argued, never tried to convince her of anything.”
We stopped walking and sat at the end of the jetty.
“She was spoiled. And bored. In the end, she told me I was like my father, but my weapon was silence.”
“It must have hurt to hear that.”
“She knew those words would hurt.” Why couldn’t I stop myself from talking? They just kept flowing out of me. “She said me letting her do whatever she wanted showed that I didn’t care about her or our relationship.”
Jasmine rested her hand on my leg. “Do you think maybe your silence has eaten away at you? Like first, you weren’t allowed to share your opinion and then you were too scared to share your opinion?”
Was she talking about her experience with Max?
I nodded. “In my work life, I’m fine. No one can get hurt. What I say is based on science, not emotions.” I ran my hand through my hair. “My personal life is different. I’m always worried that when I say something, it’s for my own agenda.”
Like now. I was telling her these things I kept hidden. Was I doing that so she would trust me? And what exactly was I going to do with that trust?
She turned to face me, tucking a leg under herself. “Do you tell me I’m a good mum for your own agenda?”
I shook my head. “It’s because you are.”
“Do you tell the children that I’m brave and strong for your own agenda?”
“No.”
“Do you compliment and encourage the children for your own agenda?”
“No.”
“Would your father have done any of those things?”
“The opposite. He always told my mom how bad a mother she was.”
“See. You’re not repeating your father’s failures.”
True. What she said was true. She made it sound logical, but could it be that easy? Being with her was easier than I had ever imagined. So much easier.
I smiled. “I did kiss you for my own agenda though.”
“And what agenda was that?”
“This.” I cupped the back of her head and pulled her toward me. Her lips were soft and supple, so willing they opened at the slightest touch. Her tongue swept across mine, sending a heated jolt through me. And damn if I wasn’t going to take everything she was going to give.
My hands ached to touch her curves, to feel them and memorise them. But not here, not where everyone could see. No, this kiss was a premise of what was to come.
I wanted to kiss Jasmine one hundred different ways in one hundred different places.