“Doug, what are you doing here?” Nix said. I saw him glance toward the table then straight at his agent.
“Nix, we need to talk.”
I felt my entire body stiffen and my heart plummeted to the floor. I looked at Nix, but his resolve wasn’t going anywhere. I was eighteen. Legal. They couldn’t do anything.
“Sure man.”
“We should do this in private,” Doug said.
“I don’t think so. You’ve already got it all laid out. Might as well hit me with it.” Nix said.
The longest pause in history took place while this man decided how to deliver whatever he was meant to deliver. He shifted and grabbed at one of the documents. “Here’s what’s happening, we received these documents from a Mrs. Marie Summers.” He handed the document to Nix. When he took it from him, I say the header. It was from a law firm. The law firm my family used. Nix read over it and then let it drop back to the table.
“No.”
That was all he had said. I froze. I didn’t know what to do. But before my mind could catch up to my body, I reached for the document. As I scanned over every legalized word, I kept shaking my head. It was an order to stay away from me. Specifically, a restraining order, signed by a judge, and with specific ramifications.
Tears started to gather in my eyes. Nix grabbed my hand.
“She’s eighteen. She would be the one to get a restraining order. Marie can’t do this.” Mama Drayden said, wringing her hands in front of her.
“She wasn’t when the judge signed.” Nix’s dad said.
“So, what do we do to get it removed? I’m not going to stay away from her.” Nix said.
“Mrs. Summers is ordering for zero contact between you and Chloe,” Doug said. “She’s ready to go to the media about your relationship. The media, Nix. She’s going to turn the entire world against you because you started to mess around with some underage girl.”
Nix slammed him up against the island counter with his hand clutching Doug’s shirt and his arm across the top of his chest. “Chloe is special to me. I suggest you word everything carefully.”
Doug nodded. “Nix, this is bad. The owners have these same documents. They pulled your contract and are looking for an out. This kind of publicity will hurt sales. There’s no way they won’t let you go.” Doug looked over at me and said, “I hope it’s worth it.”
“She’s with it,” Nix said, but his tone was so dark sounding. It made me regret what we had done. I never wanted him to lose everything for me. I wanted everything for him. I tried to pull my hand away. I wanted him to know it was okay to let me go. He turned toward me and looked at my hand as I tried to pull away again. “Don’t.” He said, almost pleading with me.
I stopped trying to pull away.
“Doug, what are our options here?” Nix asked.
Doug sighed, “worst-case scenario, you’re going to prison. You’ll lose everything you have with the NHL, and you’ll be labeled as a child molester. Best case, the Knights drop your contract, and you’ll live out the rest of your life in some small town with the girl.”
“I want both. But I’d rather have the girl.” Nix said, smiling at me.
“You’re going to need a lawyer. They’ve got to look over your contract, see if all of this has any validity, and keep your fingers crossed Mrs. Summers won’t press charges. That would make your situation worse.” Doug said, then cleared his throat, “Look, Nix, I’ve got to drop your contact with me. I can’t be associated with this kind of scandal.”
“I understand,” Nix said. I could tell he was pissed off by the news. We had thought we were coming home to have a nice relaxing day with his family. We had never expected this kind of news. But looking at Nix, it’s possible he had already seen this coming.
The next few hours happen in slow motion. Nix’s father’s lawyer had been called, and he came over to look over the documentation my mother had sent. We sat in silence as he poured through every single page. When he was done, he sat back and pushed a couple of pages toward Nix and his father.
“This is one of the only problems I see. If you look here…” he pointed, and we all followed his hands across the page. “Before this date here…” he pointed again. “There was no communication at all through the cell phone. What happened here?” He looked up at Nix and then over to me.
We both knew what had happened. That was the day Nix and I had first gotten together physically. Nix didn’t look over at me when he flatly said, “It doesn’t matter what happened on that day. She’s eighteen now. We decided to be in a relationship now.”
“So, you were physically intimate then?” He asked.
“That’s not what we’re saying.” I snapped. “Nix has been nothing but respectful, and I’m not going to sit here and listen to everything we did wrong. It’s frankly none of anyone’s business. And I don’t see anything here that is fact or evidence of any wrongdoing on Nix’s part. In fact, it’s all speculation.” When I finished, everyone was looking at me with surprise. I had no idea where all the courage came from to speak up, but it happened, and I was grateful it had. No one is going to berate Nix for falling in love with me just shy of my eighteenth birthday.
The lawyer, Mr. Lancaster, smiled at me and then said, “Yes. That was exactly my point. It doesn’t matter now who approached first or when it happened. You are now both legal adults, and there is not actual proof here.” He paused, shifting in the kitchen chair. “Miss Summers, do you know why your mother would be doing this?”
I swallowed, looking around the table one more time, and said, “she doesn’t think Nix is good enough for me. They have this guy already picked out because Nix wouldn’t be the kind of man they want to be associated with if my dad goes ahead and runs for president.” The table went quiet. My eyes met Mr. Lancaster’s.
“Are you telling me your father is George Summers?” Mr. Lancaster asked.
“Yes,” I said, nodding.
“I’m going to lay this out for you straight. Mr. Summers is a supporter of my firm. There is no way we will be able to represent you; however, I suggest you make a deal with her to keep this out of the media.” Mr. Lancaster explained.
Make a deal? That sparked something in my mind. My parents would never want that kind of news put out there for the world to speculate. The idea hit me all at once. I realized I would destroy any sort of relationship I would possibly have with my parents if I went through with this. I looked at Nix and my resolve strengthened. He was it for me. I gave him a reassuring smile and quietly stood.
Nix reached for me. “Where are you going?”
I smiled at him again and said, “I know how to end this.”
Chapter 43
Pucking Lines Drawn
Chloe
I got my cell phone out of my bag and pulled my mother’s contact information up. It started to ring as I put my phone to my ear. I didn’t have to wait long. She picked up after the second ring.
“Chloe Marie Summers, what on earth are you doing at the Drayden’s house?” She snapped at me.
“I am with Nix and his family. My family.” I said, sounding slightly robotic.
“You’ve got to be kidding. You are not allowed to see that boy. He is—”
“Look,” I snapped, interrupting her, “here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to destroy everything you have on Nix or his family. You’re going to leave him alone. You’re going to leave me alone.”
“You’re not going to tell me what—”
“NO! You’re going to do all of this because you don’t want your little secret to come out about James when I go to have my paternity tested.” I threatened.
On my side of the phone, Mama Drayden and Brooklyn gasped, and Nix looked so proud of me. I didn’t feel great about this, but I knew it was something that had to happen for my future with Nix.
“I’m figuring you wouldn’t like that for Daddy’s campaign.”
“We never should have had you. I should have aborted you wh
en I found out about my mistake. You’re such an ungrateful little bitch.” She spat out at me.
I was so glad no one else could hear what she had said to me. It wasn’t something I was going to fixate on because I knew my role a long time ago and it wasn’t to be loved or cared for by my parents.
“I don’t care what you have to say. Do it, or you’re going to have one hell of a scandal on your front door. I won’t hesitate on this. I stopped thinking of you as my mother a long time ago so it won’t be a hardship to pretend you’re dead.” I said, anger starting to influence my tone.
“I can’t believe you think you can threaten me.”
“Believe it,” I growled. “You’re not going to fuck up his life because you didn’t get your way. So, do we have a deal?”
The pregnant pause took place, and I had to check my cell phone to make sure she was still there. When she finally had spoken my skin felt like ants were crawling all over me. “We have a deal.”
“Fine. I’ll have a contract sent over for you.”
“Contract?” She huffed out.
“Yes, I don’t trust you. You’ve made your own bed, and now you’re going to have to deal with it.”
By the time we had finished making our deal, she had been the first to hang up on me. Nix and Brooklyn were at my side before I looked up after disconnecting. “You didn’t have to do that,” Nix said, knowing what I just gave up. He knew I would never talk to my parents again after that call. If anything it would all be through lawyers from then on out. Which would leave me alone. But I will never be alone with Nix’s family. Mama Drayden had been more of a mother to me in the last twelve years of my life than my own mother at any point. Nix wrapped me into his arms and let me cry out a few silent tears for the parents I would never have.
When he let me pull back, Brooklyn had taken me into her arms, allowing me to secure my emotions before I had to get into the legality of the deal I had just made. When I pulled away from Brooklyn and faced Mr. Lancaster, I wasn’t sure what expression he had on his face, but he was worried about what he had just heard.
“I can’t be privy to this conversation. Even hearing what I’ve heard now can devastate one of my firm’s clients.” Mr. Lancaster said.
Nix’s dad stood and reached out his hand to shake Mr. Lancaster’s. “Thank you, Will, for coming. I understand the position we may have put you in and will do our best to keep you out of this.”
“I appreciate that, Knox.” Mr. Lancaster said.
Nix’s dad walked him to the door and spoke a little more, which none of us could hear, and then when he returned to the room, he came directly for me. He pulled Nix and me together and hugged us tightly. “It’s not going to end here. Knowing your Marie and that she had sent all of this to the Knights’ owners you’re still in for a long hard ride. But hopefully, this gets shut down as quickly as possible.”
I nodded in understanding. I wish I could say that our moods improved that day, but everyone was just in a funk as we sat on the sofa and watched movies while Nix’s dad had a different law firm draft a contract for my mother. When we heard it had been sent over to her, I had almost expected some sort of phone call or outrageous voicemail. But there was nothing.
We got the word around eight o’clock that night that my mother had signed the contract drawn up to keep her from going further. Not only would her secret come out about my paternity, but she would also be sued for breaking the contract at a percentage rate. My parents would basically lose everything if they said a word about Nix and me.
I took a breath of relief as I snuggled closer to Nix that night on the sofa. I don’t know what changed, but we had all become more serious about our relationship. I had been scared he would never forgive me for putting him in that situation. I hadn’t known where we would end up when we had started this. I’m not sure I would change anything so we would still end up at this moment together.
I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I opened my eyes, Nix was picking me up and carrying me upstairs. I hadn’t known if he was going to take me to my old room or if he would take me into his. I really wanted him to declare I was his completely by taking me into his room. It told everyone we belonged together. I had closed my eyes back until morning when I woke in his arms.
I had wiggled to get out of his arms, and he tightened them around me and with his lips to the shell of my ear he whispered, “stop moving.” He pulled me tighter, which only emphasized the fact that I needed to use the bathroom.
“I’ve got to go to the bathroom.” I squeaked out.
He loosened his grip and rolled over to let me get up. I tiptoed out of his room to go to the bathroom in the hall. After I was done, I was about to open the door to Nix’s room when Brooklyn came out of her room. She smirked at me and then said, “I’m glad it was you. I wouldn’t have been okay with anyone else stealing my brother’s heart.”
I started to get emotional, and she pulled me into her. She hugged me so tight that I let out a squeak. “B, it’s time to let go.” The door to Nix’s room opened, and he stood there staring at Brooklyn gripping onto me like a toddler to a mom. He smirked. “B, you got to let go,” I said.
“Come on, you’re squishing her,” Nix said, trying to remove my octopus of a friend.
“You know it was weird at first, but now I totally get it. He’s not so bad, but you make him better.” She said. I looked at Nix when she said it, and he looked right to me. Then Brooklyn said, “at least he’s not a slut anymore.”
My face fell, and I tried not to look at Nix after she said that. I, of course, knew about his past but it still kills me to hear how much of a manwhore he was before I came into the picture.
With a growl, Nix said, “Fuck you B.”
Chapter 44
Pucking Done
Nix
I was requested to come in and speak with the owners that Monday morning. I knew I was fucked going into it. I brought the attorney with me we hired to write the contract for the deal between Chloe and her mother. Paying top dollar, I felt pretty comfortable walking in. I still understood I wasn’t going to walk out as a member of the NHL.
“Mr. Drayden, please come have a seat.” Rich Howell said.
I nodded and stood. “This is Grant Groner, my attorney. He will be sitting in on this meeting.”
Rich nodded, probably assumed. We walked in and sat on one side of the long conference table. I remembered sitting here when I had signed just out of high school to become a member of the Knights. But it was not like that this time around.
Chloe said she was going to wait to hear from me before she returned to school, but I wouldn’t let her. She had to go back and act like everything was normal. That was part of the deal she struck with her mother. Marie Summers returned the contract with the stipulation that Chloe finished high school at Remington Academy. Reluctantly she agreed. She hadn’t wanted anything else from her mother, but it wouldn’t be good for her to leave after being there for only two months. It was going to be positive for her to graduate from there either way. So, late Sunday I drove her back to Remington and said goodbye. It was probably one of the hardest things I’d ever done. I knew I wouldn’t see her until April with spring break. Then it would be a long seven weeks until she walked for graduation in her cap and gown.
Grant and I looked at each other as my coaches filed into the conference room. It literally looked like I was on trial with eight stuffy men in suits all sitting on the other side of the conference table.
Rich was the first to start. “Mr. Drayden, it has come to our attention that you have violated certain areas of your contract.”
“Which areas are you speaking about?” Grant asked.
“It is outlined in the termination contract,” Rich said passing over a new contract.
Grant started to read through the stack of papers.
“Unfortunately, we’ve decided to release you from your contract.”
Hearing the words spoken aloud hit me harde
r than I had thought they would. I knew it was going to happen walking in, but still hearing it made me sick to my stomach. I nodded in understanding.
“Because of the sensitive nature of the termination we’ve included an NDA,” Rich said.
“Fine,” I said.
Grant finished up looking at the contract and nodded at me. I signed the papers and stood. I had worn a suit, so I needed to button it and then shook hands with the owners. No words were exchanged until I stood in front of my coach.
He looked at my hand and then back into my eyes. “I can’t believe you wasted your talent for a girl.”
“She’s not just any girl. She’s my everything. And she means more to me than this team.” I growled.
I decided not to shake anyone else’s hands and walked out. Grant gathered our paperwork and caught up with me. When he was right next to me, he spoke without looking up at me. “They released you to a farm team.”
“What?” I said, jerking toward him.
“Yep. You will be starting on the farm team for the Badgers this summer.” He said. Then looked like he was trying to figure out how to tell me. “The media got ahold of some material. Nothing concrete. But you’re going to have to hire someone in PR. From the sounds of the rumors, it was actually the P.I. who turned it into the media.”
“Who has the info?” I growled.
“TMZ.” Grant sighed.
“Fuck.”
I got on my cell phone and opened up the message thread with Chloe.
Me: Apparently TMZ got the story
Chloe: I know
Rising Summers (Pucking Unbelievable Book 1) Page 27