42. The Lone Half of a Forever Whole
THE LONE HALF OF A FOREVER WHOLE
EMBERLEIGH
My phone rings, surprising me and setting me on edge. It’s after midnight and do not disturb is activated, only allowing a handful of contacts and clients through. Unless we have a PR crisis, very little should be getting through at this time.
My father’s name flashes across the screen, and a moment of indecision hits me. No reason I should answer. He has to know I’d be asleep, but the flip side of that is the expectation that I will always take his call. It’s rare that I don’t.
It will suck now.
It will be much worse later.
“Hello?”
The silence that greets me is worse than what I expected because it’s not dead air.
“Hello?”
“I just got home.” The hiss in his voice is an attempt to seem controlled.
But it belies so much more. “From being arrested,” he emphasizes the word as if it is abhorrent.
“While trying to fight for my grandson. He deserves the life we can give him. And you—” The word is spit from his mouth.
“You turned traitor. Abandoned your family. You’re a selfish bitch. You always have been. I’m done.”
The line disconnects and my phone screen light bounces off my face as I sit here, holding it to my cheek, having spoken two words before being… What? Disowned? Disinherited?
I know I’ve had a comfortable life, at least in comparison.
My life hasn’t been one of deep sacrifice.
But I can’t say it’s been easy. Overbearing mother, demanding father, ridiculous expectations, and always maintaining appearances.
Look flawless. Act proper. Speak correctly.
Dress appropriately… It’s a gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless.
Many would beg for that cage, not knowing its trappings or the bondage it brings.
And the one who knew it best is gone.
My phone slides from my hand, hitting the bed, and tumbling to the floor. I leave it there. The one person I need, the one I’d call, can’t help me any longer. My Em.
The tears flow.
Three months without my best friend.
Three months without my confidant.
Three months of being the lone half of a forever whole.
She’d have known what to do. It would’ve pissed off our parents. And she’d have done it anyway.
I’d like to say I’m in this mess because of her. And I am. In more ways than one.
But I am also here for her.
For her legacy.
In her stead.
For Colt.
Today brought something else to light, something I never considered would rear its head.
The legal battle swirling around Colt swirls around me too, but that tornado could sweep me up into a world I never want to visit.
The devastation in its wake could upend everything I was willing to sacrifice for.
Because if they figure out what I did, that could end horribly for everyone.
I grab my phone, find the contact I need, and hit go.
“Hello?”
“It’s Emberleigh Carrington. Can I retain you as counsel?”
“I don’t know if that’s necessary.”
“It is,” I reply back, faking the confidence I know this conversation requires.
“Then, sure.”
“Can we meet in the morning? I obviously need advice and an attorney.”
“Sure thing, Emberleigh. Want me to come to the ranch or want to meet at my office?”
“Here works if that’s okay with you. Nine?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Thanks. See you then.”
Elias Finchley stares at me, the look on his face registers his surprise.
“Hope your poker face is better than this if this info ever gets out.” I wait for the shock to move off his face.
“I had no idea.”
“Of course, you didn’t. How could you have even guessed?”
He rights his features and looks back to the money on the table. He slides a twenty from the pile. “Keep the rest. I’ll bill you as time accrues. We can work on a retainer if that’s ever necessary.”
I nod. No sense in arguing with another hard-headed man. I’m surrounded by them, and I’ve lost patience fighting with them just because they need to be right.
“I have one more question. Does Colt need his own representation?”
“I discussed the same with Braxton yesterday after your parents showed. I think it’s a good idea that his interests have their own advocate as well. Wouldn’t have considered it until I saw the genius in your father’s actions.”
I huff, but he continues, “Like it or not, it’s an astute move—showing Colt as his own legal entity, untethered to Braxton. I recommended several attorneys I feel would be good fits, given the situation.”
“It should be you.”
“There are some family law counselors who will bring additional perspectives that I don’t have. Not to mention, it shows no conflict of interest and protects him better.”
“That is beside the point. It needs to be you.”
A smile breaks wide across his handsome face, but he shakes his head like he’s an Etch A Sketch and he can erase his expression with a little agitation.
“What? You have to know you’re the only one Braxton would trust with Colt.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you two were a couple. You might as well be parroting his words from yesterday.”
“Glad he’s taking your advice, Eli.” I stand from Braxton’s kitchen table.
“Emberleigh?”
I turn back to face my attorney. “Yeah?”
“He’s a good man. Loves his family. Brax can be an ass, but he always comes through. He’s hell-bent on doing the right thing, even if it takes him some time to figure out what that is.”
“I can see that.” I don’t know where he’s going with this and don’t want to offend by asking.
“He’ll also screw up and piss you off, but he always comes through.”
“Why are you telling me this, Eli? I appreciate it. I do, but what does that have to do with me?”
“Something tells me you’ll be around a while, Emberleigh, and I hope that’s true. Just remember what I said when he does something stupid.” He shuffles papers and a tablet into his bag and stands. “Because he’ll definitely do something stupid.”
“I think you have the wrong idea, Elias.”
He just smiles and shakes his head. “Don’t think so. Thanks for the info. See you tonight?”
“What’s tonight?”
“Monday Night Football at Kimpton’s.”
“That’s a thing? Not Monday Night Football, but something at Kimpton’s?”
“Tonight it is.” His laugh pulls me from my thoughts. “What’s with the face?”
“I’m always prepared, two steps ahead, and never behind the eight ball. And for the last few months, I might as well be a circle at a square dance, because I rarely know what’s going on. Except with my clients and with Colt. The rest feels like a movie set where I don’t know my lines.”
His laugh is warm and inviting and is interrupted by Colt’s cries as he wakes from his morning nap. I head his way as Elias makes for the front door. “See you tonight,” he throws over his shoulder as I head for Braxton’s room.
Braxton
I stand over my bed, gazing down at Emberleigh asleep, blond hair fanning over the pillow, face younger, more innocent, in her sleep. It’s sexy as fuck. Colt is on my hip, happily slapping my cheeks and shoulders, gnawing at the collar of my shirt.
I hate to wake her, but she stirs and stretches out her hand, looking for something or someone. “This is new.” The smile in my voice is unmistakable. “You’re welcome to stay if you need more rest. Just going to fix some lunch. Want anything?”
She nods, stretching like a cat, before accepting my outstretched hand to get up. “Late night. Didn’t sleep well. My schedule is out of whack.”
Colt flops toward her and just as she reaches for him, I swing him back up onto my shoulder. His giggles fill the space. He tries again, and I repeat the motion, willing his laughter to continue.
Not for the first time, I wonder how I didn’t know my heart was empty before knowing them. I mean… him. Colt.
“We need to consider a room for him.” She drops her head, not holding my gaze, and moves ahead of us to the kitchen. She speaks as though she’s discussing business.
I squeeze the back of her neck to stop her forward progress and turn her to face me.
“That’s a good idea.”
She nods, but bites her lip and averts her gaze.
“Emberleigh.” The command in my voice snaps her back to me.
“Yes.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just thinking through logistics. Should we set him up in the weight room? My room?” She hurries to add, “And is there anything you want? Don’t want?”
“I want you to look at me. I want you to stop hiding from me. Now, what are you thinking about for his room?”
“I’m not thinking about anything in particular, just that I invade your privacy on the regular to put him down or to grab him. And that it’s going to cramp your style… Eventually.”
“Yeah, cutting teeth hasn’t been fun. But that won’t change with him down the hall. And I don’t know what to do for a baby’s room, aside from making sure the outlets are covered. You want it, take it on. Go wild. I’ll do the heavy lifting if you’ll make it special for him.”
“They’ll still try to take him.” It comes from nowhere, and her fire is gone. She might as well be three inches shorter with how she’s deflated. “From you. From me. They’ll try to find a way.”
“And we’ll be one step ahead of them.”
“Colt needs his own counsel. And I want it to be Elias. I think it would be more complex, more challenging, for my parents if there were multiple interests and multiple attorneys, but I don’t know that they couldn’t get to someone else.
Elias is loyal, and he loves this family.
It may not be the most strategic decision, as far as added layers of legal protection and with him representing you both, but he could never be bought off. ”
“Already discussed with Eli, and Colt is represented.”
“What if they succeed?” Her voice is small, and she wraps her arms to hug herself tightly.
I slide an arm around her back and pull her tight to my chest. Colt leans down and takes a hand from his mouth, slime and spit trailing from his fingers and touches her cheek.
“I’ll die before I let them take him.”
She pulls in several ragged breaths, her body growing with each one. When she pulls back, her hands on my chest, she looks me square in the face. “I’d do the same.”
I hold her gaze until her eyes turn to fire. My head dips, and she pushes onto her toes at the same time as I take her mouth. She melts into me, a hand snaking around my neck, and a moan pours from my throat. I pull her flush to me until wet fingers smack my cheeks.
“Cockblock,” I deadpan. The humor in Emberleigh’s eyes is unmistakable, as is her smile.
“If you’re not careful, his first word will be tit or cock or something ridiculous.”
“He’s my son, after all.”
“You’re not lying.” She turns and sashays to the kitchen, ass on full display, long legs tanned from running in our Texas summer.
“Damn.” I say it under my breath but she turns all the same and gives me a look over her shoulder.
“You may not be used to dirty talk. But you, Miss Carrington, certainly know how to play the game.
My phone vibrates and I slide it from my pocket.
Elias: NAPOs are in and granted. We have three weeks before the assumed court date. I expect hell could rain down, but we’re on the record.
Me: NAPO?
Elias: Notice of Application for Protective Order. Basically, Wainwright Carrington has been notified and been told we’ll meet in court over the physical threat.
My thumbs fly across the keyboard just as I hear Emberleigh’s phone ding. She reaches for her phone and I start. “Em—”
But her face blanches, and she sinks to her knees on the tiled kitchen floor. When her gaze meets mine, I don’t know whether to comfort her or slowly back away.
“A restraining order? You filed a restraining order on my father?”
“I did.”
“He punched you, and you filed for a restraining order?”
“Yes and no.”
“Explain.”
“I didn’t file for a restraining order. We filed multiple.”
“I see that.”
“He assaulted me. He attempted to assault you. The assumption he’d do what he needs to get Colt is valid. So I’m protecting my family.”
She holds her phone up, like she can shake the words from it for me to hear or see. “He’s been alerted. He’s been alerted, and it’s been filed, and he’s livid.”
I nod. Can’t imagine he’d be happy about it, but don’t need to say that part.
“He’s already disowned me. Or he alluded to it.
Now this? I mean, I don’t need his money.
And I sure as hell don’t want his control.
But—” She pauses, eyes closed, chin facing heavenward.
“But I function better when I have consistency. I’ve lost my sister, my home, my city, two clients, my parents now.
I feel adrift.” Her eyes open, and she stares at Colt in my arms. “Except for him. And he’s in jeopardy too, while we just poked a nesting snake in my father. ”
I walk to her and pass Colt to where she sits on the floor. He coos and wiggles and is all boy.
“What should I call you?” I lean over the fridge as I pull things out to begin lunch.
“Emberleigh works. It being my name and all. But I kind of dig Miss Carrington when you’re playful.”
“I mean—” I hold her eyes before tipping my head to Colt. “To him? What will he call you? It won’t be Emberleigh or Auntie Em.” The look of surprised horror at that forces a bark of laughter from me. “He’ll repeat it, so decide. And when you do, tell me.”
She nods, staring at Colt, smiling and tickling him. Her eyes never leave his face when she adds, “How many?”
“How many what?”
“Restraining orders?”