Possessive Lawyer: An Instalove Possessive Alpha Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 183)

by Flora Ferrari

  But the dream we share is short lived, for tonight anyway. The sound of my cell buzzing wakes me, and even though I try to ignore it, it won’t stop.

  Something’s wrong, I can feel it.

  Something’s happened.

  I gently remove myself from the bed and shimmy over to my phone, noting the first gray light of dawn peeing over the dark horizon line out the window.

  It’s the guy watching Beth’s house. He’s been trying to reach me for about five minutes.

  At the same instant, I can hear Beth’s phone humming in the living room, buried under our clothes. Silenced by the product of our passion.

  I hit call, and before he even tells me what’s happened, I join the dots.

  Dad’s home.

  “What should I do, Mr. Sharkey?” the guard asks.

  “Has he called the cops?” I ask, running my hand through my hair, willing myself to concentrate on every possibility.

  “As far as I can tell, no,” he says, sounding agitated.

  “Good,” I tell him. “You’ll have to reveal yourself to him, gently though. Tell him the truth. There was a break in, his daughter’s with a friend and you were hired to watch the house until the door’s repaired in the morning, got it?” I ask, surprised at how frantic I sound.

  “Yeah, I got it. Here he comes now. If you don’t hear from me, it’s because he’s brained me with the bat he’s carrying.”

  The line goes dead and I rush to get dressed.

  I’ll have to head on over, but I can’t leave Beth here alone either.

  “Ugh!” I exclaim loudly, planting my palm against my head as I walk to the lounge to get Beth’s phone, which is fortunately unlocked.

  I should have thought of it sooner. In two rings, I’m talking to Beth’s father.

  My newest client, whom I’ve never actually been introduced to.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Beth

  Half asleep, I can hear Jarrett’s voice. His low, powerful tone is almost enough to send me back to sleep as I reach out for him next to me.

  But he’s not there.

  Sitting up with a start, I feel the space next to me, fresh with his warmth and register the gray light from outside.

  It’s way too early to get up, but there’s something wrong, I can feel it.

  Slipping out of bed and finding one of Jarrett’s robes on a chair, I cover myself from the chilly air as I follow the sound of his voice.

  He’s pacing in front of the huge windows of the suite, trying to talk quietly, but giving up once he sees me.

  Is that my phone?

  “She’s right here, Mr. Shaw. I’ll put her on,” he says, breathing a puff of air out through his cheeks as he hands me my phone.

  “Daddy?”

  Poor dad. He’s beside himself with worry, then nearly sobbing with relief as I confirm everything Jarrett’s told him.

  He managed to catch a flight instead, courtesy of the train company, meaning he got home about a day sooner than expected.

  “Coming home...in the middle of the night. Finding the back door of its hinges… My god Beth… I thought… I was so scared they’d… those bastards!”

  It takes some doing, but I calm dad down enough to set him at ease but I’m still not sure exactly what Jarrett’s told him about what’s happening, about us either. But he seems to have been filled in on everything except the part where Jarrett had his way with his daughter.

  And whatever he’s planned next to take care of our little problem with the landlord.

  Holding my phone to my chest for a second, I ask Jarrett what he’s told dad already.

  “Only that the house has security posted and we’ll be calling the police in the-”

  But I can hear my dad’s voice interrupting. “No cops!” he says suddenly. Sounding more agitated at the thought of police than what’s already happened.

  “Alright, dad. Just take it easy. I’m safe… yes, Mr. Sharkey has me staying in a hotel… the security guy is there all night so there won’t be any more trouble.”

  “I’m coming to get you, Beth. Where are you?” He asks me gruffly.

  I go quiet, reaching out for Jarrett who takes my hand and brings me closer to him.

  “It’s late dad. I’ll be home in the morning. This morning. Mr. Sharkey’s wanting to talk to you about some other legal stuff anyway,” I offer, my voice sounding shaky.

  “Beth? What’s going on?” Dad asks, his tone telling me he’s not just worried about the back door anymore.

  “I’m fine, Dad. Really. Listen, I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

  He goes quiet and I can feel his hurt through the phone.

  “Dad?”

  “Okay Beth. Just tell me you’re safe for now.”

  “I am daddy, I promise. I’ll see you soon. I love-”

  But he’s hung up already.

  I throw myself into Jarret’s waiting arms, nuzzling into his hard chest, wishing this would all just be over, wishing we could just…

  “What are we gonna do?” I ask Jarrett, feeling my emotions getting the better of me again.

  “We’ll do like you said, go back to your place a little later. Your dad had to come home at some point and he’s just early is all.”

  Hearing it said aloud, calmly and reasonably does settle my nerves some, but I’m worried now. Worried about dad finding out about everything else between Jarrett and me, not to mention the already existing problems… which are still unresolved.

  “Beth?” Jarrett asks me softly. “Trust me, okay?” he says and I nod my head, letting my phone slip into the robe pocket as Jarrett guides me back to bed.

  “What did dad say about you taking his case? I thought he was mad as hell about you and Camberwell, the last time you represented him.”

  “I explained the situation,” Jarrett says casually, and tracing his finger up my spine before he kisses my neck, he orders me to get some sleep.

  I feel like I can’t sleep, like there’s too much buzzing inside my head, but a few minutes in Jarrett’s arms after we lay down and I’m sleeping like a lamb.

  Next time I wake up, I feel much better. I can tell it’s much later but I don’t feel like I need to panic anymore. There’s the smell of coffee and something delicious, along with the sounds of Jarrett humming in his deep baritone in the kitchen.

  I give a little squeak as I stretch, and groan when I check the time on my phone.

  It’s late.

  And no calls from dad, but Jarrett’s cheerful sound sets my mind at ease. As does the sight of him wearing nothing but an apron as he brings in a tray for me.

  “Brunch?” he asks with a devilish grin, speaking over me before I can bombard him with questions.

  “I spoke to your dad again, as his attorney, this morning so no need to worry there. The door’s fixed and the locks changed as a security measure.”

  I open my mouth again to ask a question, but Jarrett only presses his finger to my lips before he kisses them.

  “It’s all taken care of, Beth. So don’t worry, okay?”

  I sigh with reluctant relief.

  I know Jarrett has things in hand, but I can’t help worrying. Especially when it comes to my dad.

  And the sticky truth about me and Jarrett, when that finally does come out. Which something tells me will be sooner rather than later, knowing my dad.

  Jarrett sets down the tray of coffee, which also features a warm chicken salad, croissants and some juice.

  He shrugs as I compliment him on his efforts.

  “Room service,” he says sheepishly.

  “And the apron?” I ask, looking down at how well he bulges out of it.

  “Well, somebody pinched my robe last night,” he tells me, making me laugh out loud when he turns to go.

  The sight of him in an apron and nothing else is too much for me.

  “Aren’t you joining me?” I ask, and he only growls in reply, tugging the straps behind his back and letting the apron fall, his real a
nswer bobbing up and down in time as it becomes rock hard again.

  “What about brunch?” I protest feebly, shivering as he climbs onto the bed.

  “Brunch can wait,” Jarrett growls. “I know what I want to eat first.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Jarrett

  While Beth sleeps, and even though it’s a Saturday, I have a busy morning.

  Fielding another call from her dad, I encourage him to sit tight. If my plan’s going to work it’ll take more than one night. But I can understand his concern.

  “And what’s going on between you and my daughter?” he spits out accusingly.

  I have to give my professional response, but unfortunately I have to remind him of some facts too.

  “I’m acting as your attorney at her request, Mr. Shaw. And from our conversation earlier, plus Beth’s own account of things, I take it you don’t want any police involvement at this stage?”

  He growls, accusing me of changing the subject.

  “I can and will help you, Mr. Shaw, but you’ll need to give me two things: some time… and a little respect. Right now you’re not showing either.”

  I hear him inhale sharply, but then once he weighs things up in his own mind, he sighs bitterly.

  “If I find out there’s been anything else going on…” he says, but hangs up before he or I can dig that hole any deeper.

  I’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.

  For now, I need to guarantee Beth and her dad won’t be harassed by this Camberwell creature or his men any longer.

  I’ve taken the law into my own hands by handing Camberwell’s men straight over to the local crime boss, Bruno Carlotti.

  A few hours in his pleasant company should change their minds about who they really want to work for.

  As for Camberwell, he’d be insane to pursue the case through any court. No attorney will touch it now, word’s out that Carlotti is involved now, and nobody who isn’t already in that line of business is unlikely to want to get involved.

  So, all I have to do is wait. And enjoy Beth, our new life together. But I can tell she’s worried about her dad more than anything now.

  “Okay,” I put it to her. “We can just tell him if you like. I’ve got nothing to hide, I haven’t broken the law.”

  Not where Beth’s concerned anyway…

  But Beth’s not so keen on the idea.

  “I just don’t want to hurt his feelings,” she reasons aloud.

  “Am I that bad?” I protest, really feeling a bit of a sting inside. I know I’m older, but if Beth wants me as much as I want her, what’s the difference?

  “It’s not that, Jarret,” she says, her eyes pleading with me to be more understanding.

  “You know it’s not that,” she adds, sighing before she throws herself back on the bed, covering her face with a pillow.

  “He’s bound to know soon enough,” I tell her, but it’s alright. As long as Beth stays here with me, I don’t really care if her dad knows, finds out or what he even thinks when and if he does.

  “You’re all that matters to me, Beth,” I tell her, taking her hand and kissing it.

  “I don’t want to fight about it,” she murmurs from under the pillow, which I lift from her face and kiss her lips, telling it to her straight.

  “I’m not fighting,” I remind her.

  “If we want to fight about anything, it should be whether we stay here on the beach or get a place in the burbs,” I tell her, unable to hide my smile.

  Even saying it out loud just makes me happy.

  She sits up suddenly. “What do you mean?” she asks excitedly.

  “I mean… I want you to stay with me, Beth. I want to live with you, starting right now.”

  She looks shocked, but in the best way. Excited, but she tries to play it cool.

  It’s not the biggest question I could ask her. Not by a long shot.

  There’ll be another time for that. But for now, I don’t want her out of my sight, not even for a minute let alone a whole day, so what better way to overcome that problem than to have her live with me?

  “You want me to move in?” she asks, beaming, but trying to keep a serious face.

  “I was kind of hoping you already had,” I tell her. Kissing her again I whisper in her ear. “I just think we might be better off… in the long term, in a bigger house. A proper house.”

  “You want me to move in with you?” she asks again, staring straight ahead as she hears herself say it out loud.

  I think she’s shocked from wanting to live with me. I hope.

  “Just say you will, please? I can’t bear the thought of you away from me. I want you right here, by my side where you belong.”

  She looks stunned still, and then her face becomes pale, her jaw dropping even further.

  “Ohhhh shiiiit!” she exclaims, leaping from the bed and stumbling to find her clothes, nearly tripping over in the process.

  “What is it?” I ask, hoping she hasn’t changed her mind this quickly.

  Hoping she’s not going to run away again.

  “I have to be at work in half an hour!” she calls out, rushing from room to room in the suite, unable to find anything to get herself dressed in.

  I open my mouth to call out to her, but I can only shrug, smiling as I watch her naked then half-naked dart to and fro across the doorway.

  “Don’t just sit there,” she pleads with me, standing in the doorway, her naked chest heaving and making my eyes zero in on it, growling again as I realize just how sexy she is when she’s flustered.

  “Dammit Jarret! I’ll lose my job! Hurry up and help me find my clothes. Can you give me a ride?” she calls out over her shoulder, dashing off again to try and recall exactly where we peeled the rest of her clothes off.

  I glance at the clock, willing Mr. Carlotti to call me. Wishing he’d tell me what I need to hear so we can put all this business to rest.

  There’s no need for Beth to go home, she is at home with me and there’s no need for her to go work in a shitty diner either.

  I’ll make damned sure of that.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Beth

  Shit!

  I can’t believe I totally forgot about work.

  Actually, I can totally believe I forgot about work.

  Having nothing but Jarrett on my mind and in my, well… he sure is one pleasant distraction.

  And right as he announces he wants me to move in, I remember.

  I’m due for my ten hour shift in like an hour.

  Less than an hour.

  How can he just sit there?

  Why is he smiling?

  “I don’t think this is very funny, Jarrett!” I tell him, still frantically trying to find the rest of my clothes.

  My shoes. Where are my shoes?

  “Did you hide my shoes?” I ask him, accusingly. When he finally gets up off the bed and takes me by both elbows, and he sits me down on the end of the bed.

  “Beth. I don’t want you to go work at a shitty diner either,” he says in his deep, calm voice. The kind of voice I can’t help but want to hear more of, especially when he’s talking like this.

  “But… You don’t understand,” I protest. “I need to work so we can pay our rent. So we can survive.”

  I feel embarrassed for having to spell it out, maybe Jarrett is in a good place financially, but me and my dad? We’re not. Me on my own? Definitely not.

  I need to go to work to earn a living.

  And right now, amazing as the past twenty-four have been, I’m running late for work and the most amazing man I’ve ever met is content to just sit and smile at me while I run around like a maniac.

  I move to get up again, figuring if he’s not going to drive me I’ll have to catch a cab if I’m going to make it.

  But he holds me firmly in place, telling me one more time.

  “Beth. You’re not going to work today, or any other day. I won’t have it. You’re my woman now and no woman of mine
is getting her hands dirty at some shitty diner, okay?”

  “But…” I try again to protest, but his hands riding up my thighs, as he leans in, his lips teasing mine and his stubble tickling my chin make me forget everything I was trying to be upset about.

  “Damn you, Jarrett Sharkey. Damn you for being so perfect!” I exclaim, punching his hard chest and still not sure how I can just not go to work.

  “What about Tiffany?” I ask him, watching his face become a knot.

  “Who’s Tiffany?” he asks me, and I realize he wouldn’t know her.

  “She’s the other waitress. Ugh! It’s a long story.”

  “Don’t tell me you really want to go work for what? Ten hours in some sleazy diner, Beth. What’s the pay? Tips plus what? Four dollars an hour?” he asks me gently.

  I can see how he’s won every case. Something in the way he puts the simplest question, it makes me just want to agree with everything he’s saying.

  “No,” I tell him truthfully, looking down at my hands.

  “It’s less than four,” I hear myself saying, feeling myself shrinking hopelessly as I feel a sob welling up in my throat.

  “But I don’t want to bail on my co-workers either, and I need a job. I need… I need the money,” I finally manage to tell him, realizing how out of control my life really feels at the moment.

  How out of control it was before I met Jarrett anyway. Because I know what he’s going to say next, and a big part of me is just too proud to want to hear it, let alone have him make it happen.

  Jarrett gives me a small smile and I can see he feels as bad as I do but for different reasons.

  His head starts to shake from side to side and he’s not kidding around anymore. He’s not joking.

  “You’re mine now, Beth. And that means I look after you. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, ever again… understand?”

  I can hear him, but it’s just too much. It’s all happened so fast.

  “I can’t just switch off from my old life, Jarrett. What about my dad? What about… Tiffany?” I stammer, but it’s no use.

  I know he’s right.

  I knew I was his the moment I laid eyes on him, the minute he touched me.

  I know I’m bound to him forever, and it’s not a bad thing. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, so why am I fighting it?