“And what does she want?” Tom asks.
“Seeing as the judge was willing to offer half of Mr. Moore’s yearly salary, she would like five hundred thousand dollars to rebuild her life, the keys and title to her Dodge Challenger, and for Kyle to have zero contact with her.
“Yeah-fucking-right,” Kyle scoffs. “She’s not getting the car.”
“Kyle,” Tom hisses.
“That is my car!” Kyle hisses. “I paid for it with my hard-earned money, just like everything else!”
“Yes, but that was out of your free will,” Jasinda notes. “Gabrielle would like the title switched to her name, as well as the keys to the car. All effective immediately. You must agree to that today. If not, she will not come to any other agreement, and you will have to turn over half of your yearly income, which is slightly more than $500,000, Mr. Moore. With that kind of money, she can easily purchase another vehicle. She’s cutting you a break here.”
“You can’t be serious! After everything I’ve done for you, you really have the nerve to sit there and request more money from me!” Kyle barks in my face.
“Yes, I have the nerve to request more money from the man who fucking traumatized me!” I bark back. “You choked me, and kicked me so hard it left a bruise on my face for weeks, Kyle! You raped me. I lived in fear because of you! You’re not walking out of this with everything you had, when you’ve taken things from me I’ll never get back!”
Kyle shakes his head, his fists clenching on top of the table. “You are un-fucking-believable. I have no idea why I married a bitch like you.”
“And you are a sad, worthless excuse for a man. In fact, you aren’t a man. You’re a spoiled little boy who hates when he can’t have his way.”
Kyle’s jaw steels.
I stick my middle finger up at him.
Jasinda places a hand on my shoulder, a silent plea for me to relax.
“This is the only offer we will make. If you don’t agree, Kyle, you will have to deal with what the judge hands you. You will lose money every single year, for the rest of your life. Do you really want that?” Jasinda asks.
“No, he doesn’t want that,” Tom answers rapidly, giving Kyle a stern look. “Give me a moment to talk to my client.”
“Sure.” Jasinda collects her papers and stands.
I go with her, heading to the bar. “Gah! I hate him so much!” I growl when we’re by the bar.
“I know, but this is almost over,” she says, rubbing my shoulder. “It happened much faster than I anticipated. I’m glad we were appointed to Judge Walker. He’s a good man. Very old-fashioned. I heard he was a total mama’s boy growing up.”
“That’s good,” I sigh. “I’m glad we had him.”
We look over at the table Tom and Kyle are at. Kyle is fuming, slamming his fist on the tabletop, arguing with Tom.
He finally pushes out of his chair and storms out of the restaurant. Tom comes our way, fixing his tie.
“My client has agreed to the settlement. The title for the car will be signed over to Gabrielle as soon as possible, and she will have the $500,000 by tomorrow. After the case is over, she will never see or hear from Kyle again, and he will adhere to the restraining order.”
“I’m pleased to hear that. We will have this agreement in writing and signed by the end of today.” Jasinda extends her arm, and Tom shakes the hand she offers.
Tom then shakes my hand, nods once at me, and leaves the restaurant.
Jasinda grins. “I would ask you if you want a drink, but we have to get back. We’ll celebrate afterward, though, yes?”
I laugh. “Yes, yes. Let’s go.”
Chapter Thirty
Gabby
I didn’t get off easy about my affair. Like Jasinda said, Judge Walker is an old-fashioned man, which means he doesn’t believe adultery is okay either but, despite the scolding he still got me through the case $500,000 richer and with the dream car that I missed so, so much.
I think I’m shocked, more than anything. It’s all so surreal.
Jasinda announced the agreement, and though Kyle’s family was upset, Kyle was the angriest. He wasn’t going to live this down for the rest of his life, and that’s all I wanted. I wanted him to have no choice but to swallow his pride and deal with it.
The funny thing about Kyle is he doesn’t know when to give up. He believes that he is always right, and that he is untouchable. He figured, because he had money, that he could walk out of the courtroom without so much as a dent. I made sure I had enough evidence that he couldn’t. He didn’t exactly lose the case, but he didn’t win either.
Mrs. Moore made one little mistake when she found me at the mall though, and Judge Walker made a point in bringing it up before the case was dismissed.
When Mrs. Moore told me about Kyle having an ex-girlfriend he hit and paid off, I told Ricky, and he, being a huge tech-guy and all, found out exactly who the woman was.
Her name is Emery Tundra. I contacted her myself on Facebook several weeks before the trial, and she agreed to write up a statement giving her name, age, the year she and Kyle dated, and her address and number in case she needed to be contacted. Her statement, I believe, was the icing on the cake. It made Kyle look like a man with a pattern of domestic abuse, not just situational, and for that, the affair became a back-burner issue.
Judge Walker no longer assumed my affair was the reason for Kyle’s lashing out. He realized it was much deeper than that and required Kyle to have a full year with a well-known psychiatric therapist in New York.
To top it all off, as we left the courthouse, my dad was at my side one moment and gone the next. Before I even realized what was happening, he was standing in front of Kyle, as Kyle pouted to his parents about the money he had to send.
When Kyle saw my dad, he snapped at him. “What the hell do you want, Will? I have no more money for you!”
“Oh, I’m not here for money,” Dad said. “I just want to let you know that I haven’t forgotten about the bruise you left on my daughter’s face, or the things you did to her.”
Then my dad’s fist slammed into Kyle’s face, and I gasped as Ricky yelled out, “Oh, shit!” with a laugh.
Kyle stumbled backward and landed on the ground with blood gushing from his nose. He looked dazed, like he had no idea what was going on.
“Why would you do that!” Mrs. Moore screamed as she and Mr. Moore rushed to help Kyle up.
“What would you have done if you had a daughter and it happened to her?” Dad flung his hand out, shaking off the pain as Mamá ran toward him.
“I can sue you for this!” Mrs. Moore spat at him.
Dad shrugged, walking away. “Go ahead! I don’t give a damn! You and I both know your son needed to be taught a lesson.”
Damn.
Even I felt those words.
Mrs. Moore looked from my dad to me. I pressed my lips and lightly shook my head. She knew he was right, but she’d never admit it.
Fortunately, they didn’t press charges. I’m certain, once Kyle shook it off, they decided to cut their losses. No judge would have cared about him being punched in the face after he’d kicked me.
It would have dragged into another case for Kyle, and for the sake of his company, he needed to avoid the scandal.
After catching lunch with my parents, Teagan, and Ricky, Marcel and I went back to the hotel, showered together, and had a victory fuck on the bed.
He kissed me everywhere, sucking my bottom lip, teasing me with his cock, before pushing inside of me and making me his.
We owned that night, and I couldn’t have been happier.
I didn’t think I would be able to escape Kyle so easily. I thought, surely, he would haunt me for the rest of my life, make me suffer for what I’d done.
I suppose that’s what living in fear feels like. You never know what to expect, so you’re always looking over your shoulder, waiting for the attack. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
But not anymore.
> No. I am free now.
It’s all over. I can breathe again.
I’m behind the wheel of Lady Monster with the sunroof open and my windows down. I picked her up from Tom last week, and I’ve been riding around Hilton for days, listening to this beautiful car’s engine rumble.
In the passenger seat is Marcel, who is smiling at me, calling me a wild woman. I don’t care. I am a little wild, but he loves that about me. He appreciates me for who I am, and I’m glad he’s stuck by my side during all of this.
I feel empowered, victorious.
I didn’t know what it was really like to be in love until I met Marcel, but now that I know, I intend on keeping it that way for a very, very long time.
Hell, maybe even for life.
Chapter Thirty-One
Gabby
“Here’s to Gabby, for finally divorcing the son of a bitch who made her life a living hell!” Teagan has a shot glass full of silver tequila in the air as she cheers.
I laugh and everyone at the bar cheers with her, holding their shot glasses up too.
“As a matter of fact, let’s get her another shot!” Ricky taps on the bar counter, getting the bartender’s attention.
“Cheers to that!” Meredith says after downing her shot.
We’re at a modern bar in Hilton. Of course, Teagan found the place, seeing as she loves to look into reviews for clubs and bars to make sure her money will be worth it.
She wanted to celebrate the divorce formally, so the weekend after the trial, she contacted Ricky, Mamá, Dad, and even Meredith, asking them to join us. My parents couldn’t make it. Dad had a meeting to attend for a loan, and Mamá had her citizenship test this morning. She passed it, thank goodness.
I can thank Marcel for helping me handle the remainder of her lawyer and immigration fees. He’s been so good and accepting about all of this.
Speaking of, Marcel wraps his arms around my shoulders and reels me back. He kisses my cheek, and I laugh then spin around to hook my arms around the back of his neck.
“Rumor has it I’m a free woman now,” I say with a smile.
“Well that rumor is a lie, ’cause you’re not free. You’re all mine.”
I giggle while he smirks. “Yeah.” I kiss his lips. “I’m so yours.”
“Look, I know it’s too soon, but when do you two plan on getting married?” Teagan asks, holding a margarita in her hand. She’s looking right at Marcel and me with a grin.
I pull away from Marcel and turn toward her with narrowed eyes. “I think we can both agree that it is way too soon to discuss marriage, T,” I laugh.
“Yeah, just a little bit,” Marcel chuckles, then he says something that catches me completely off guard. “Not that I would mind makin’ her my wife or anything, though.”
“Aww!” Teagan chimes as I look back at Marcel.
Marcel gives me a small shrug.
I fight a blush. I can’t pretend I haven’t thought about what it would be like to be with Marcel forever. I don’t think it would be wrong, but for the sake of my sanity—and his patience—and a little more time is best.
But…in the meantime, a girl can always dream, right?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Marcel
One year later
I figured I’d surprise Gabby with a trip to Clearwater Beach.
We’ve been working hard this past year, and it’s about time we have another one of our getaways.
With the money she got from Kyle, she started fresh and opened up her own paint, sculpt, and sip studio in Hilton Head. In the studio, she teaches people how to paint a certain painting she’s created, or mold a sculpture, all while they get to sip on wine and eat cheese and crackers. She gets a lot of business, and I’m damn proud of my girl, but it’s time for us to escape reality for a little while.
She’s been looking so tired lately, and I feel like I haven’t been doing enough for her because my schedule has been full too. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing to be thriving, but we need the escape.
She doesn’t know where we’re going, but I’m driving Lady Monster. We left Callie with Meredith, who was happy to spend some time with our girl. Even though she’s much bigger now, Callie’s still such a sweet thing.
When we make it to Clearwater, the sun has just set.
I check into the hotel I booked online several weeks ago, unbeknownst to Gabby, and then go for our bags in the trunk when I reach the car again.
“I think I need a nap after that ride,” Gabby says after a yawn.
I smile over the trunk. “You should have slept in the car.”
“How could I? I was too excited!”
When we make it to the room, Gabby changes clothes and crashes in the bed. She was up late packing last night and getting Callie’s things ready.
I told her to get some sleep last night, but she swore she’d sleep during the ride. She didn’t sleep a wink because she was too concerned about where we were going. She just couldn’t let it be a surprise, and I had a good laugh about that.
By the time she figured it out, it was too late for her to catch some shut-eye.
* * *
Around two in the morning, Gabby pulls me out of a deep sleep, sliding her hand down my chest and then going beneath my boxers.
“Someone’s awake, huh?” I rumble.
She laughs softly, her nimble fingers wrapping around my dick. “Just thought I’d thank you for bringing me here. Surprising me.”
“Yeah? And how are you gonna do that?”
“You’ll see.” She makes her way between my legs, pulling my boxers down and revealing my semi-hard cock. In an instant, her lips are sealed around the head of my dick and I groan.
“Shit, Gabby.”
She moans around me then takes me deeper into her mouth.
A hiss spills through my teeth. I bring a hand to the back of her head and thrust upward. She gags around my dick, and I love the sound of it, so I do it again.
She pulls back up, sliding her tongue up and down the length of me. When her tongue slides over my balls, I clutch a handful of her curly hair. Damn, it feels so good.
I can’t take the teasing anymore. I release her hair and sit up, flipping her onto her stomach. She positions herself on her knees, her ass tilted in the air, and I yank her cotton shorts down, as well as her panties.
Running a finger through the slit of her pussy, I sigh, kissing the arch of her back.
“Already so fuckin’ wet,” I rasp.
She moans, spreading her hips wider. She’s ready.
I position my dick at her entrance, sliding into her with ease. She moans even louder with every inch she takes from me, and when I’m all in, she throws her head back.
I grab a fistful of her hair and draw my hips back before slamming them forward again.
“Fuck me harder,” she begs, and I do, but I wish she hadn’t begged me because I already feel myself about to come. Still, I don’t stop.
She gasps when I thrust my hips forward several times while letting out guttural noises. I love the sticky sound her pussy makes when I’m inside it.
With one more deep stroke, she groans, and I pull out, squirting my hot cum all over her ass in thick, white ropes.
“Stay on your knees, just like that,” I command.
She lets out a small noise while I grab my shirt to clean the cum off her gorgeous skin. I climb back on the bed but turn onto my back, placing my head right between her legs.
“Sit on my face,” I demand, and she lowers her hips. Her pussy is right on my lips and I open my mouth, sliding my tongue through her damp slit and making my way up to her clit.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathes raggedly, lifting her hips.
“Nah-uh. Don’t pull away. Fuck my face, baby. I’m all yours.”
My words clearly set her on fire. She lowers her body again as I grip her waist and rolls her pussy all over my tongue while in a deep squat. Her hand comes down to my hair, and she clutches a handful of i
t, looking down at my eyes.
“Fuck, I love you so much.” Her voice is shaky, breaths ragged as she grinds her pussy back and forth on my tongue. I can’t do anything but groan in response. It’s all I want to do. I love the taste of her pussy.
“Oh, babe! I’m about to come,” she cries softly, and then she stills on top of me, but I lift my head, circling her clit repeatedly with my tongue to finish her off.
Her legs quake and she tosses her head back, yelling my name even louder. I don’t let up until her body goes limp.
She collapses beside me, chest heaving, a lazy grin on her face.
“What are you smilin’ about?” I ask with a laugh.
“Because I’ll never get tired of that,” she pants.
I let out a belly-deep chuckle. “Shit, I hope you don’t.”
She turns onto her side, caressing my cheek for a second. When she pulls away, she flops onto her back again and closes her eyes.
“Do you ever think about how we got here?” she mumbles.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, like…just us, being in this place right now? If I hadn’t taken that risk with you, I wouldn’t be here. I’d still be miserable. Lonely. Hell, I might be dead.”
“Oh.” I bring her over to my chest and run my fingers through her hair. “Yeah, I do think about it sometimes. Still shocks me that you want my crazy ass.”
“Well, to be fair, the things I wanted to do with you were just fantasies at one point.”
I bust out laughing. “Oh, really? And what did you fantasize about, exactly?”
“A lot of stuff,” she giggles. “I remember one night I actually masturbated on my couch because I was picturing you doing exactly what you just did to me a minute ago.”
“What? Eatin’ your pussy?”
She laughs softly. “Yes. That.”
“I assume what you got in real life exceeded the fantasies?”
“Oh, for sure, but don’t get cocky.”
The Man I Need Page 19