Riker.
His name fills me with so many thoughts and emotions. I remember all of the good times—having dinner with Nia, going out on the town, making love all night—and the bad—Ana, Ana, his slew of personal and legal issues. How could I have been so blind? But I still don’t believe it. This doesn’t feel like it’s over.
“Well, Terry… I don’t…” I struggle to find the words. How do I tell him that I have a hunch Riker is innocent? I barely know how to tell myself that I think he is the man I’ve spent the last month with.
“You see…” I continue. “I’ve spent a lot of time with Riker this past month, as you know. I…” I sigh. It’s now or never. “I don’t think he did this.”
Terry looks taken aback. “Jane, he got his ex-girlfriend pregnant. I can hardly say I’m surprised. No one will blame you for wanting to leave. You’re free from this. Free from Riker.”
“But I don’t want to be,” I say it before I can stop myself. Terry and I both look away, embarrassed.
“Think about it, Jane. Think about it for you. Think about it for Nia,” she says.
“Thank you,” I say, unsure what I’m thanking him for.
I don’t blame Terry for this. She’s only looking out for me. I feel disgusted by the thought of breaking things off with Riker. I like him. I like who we are together. I pause on the thought. I don’t like it. I feel fearful for a second. Could everyone else be right? But then I realize, I don’t like him—I love him.
As soon as I think the words, everything falls into place and I feel more sure of myself than ever. I love Riker. I love Riker because I know who he is. He didn’t do this.
I briefly run through all of the arguments as to why he couldn’t have done this. Everything amounts to hearsay. It wouldn’t hold up in a courtroom, and I don’t know if it will hold up in Terry’s office, but I have to try.
“I don’t think he did this,” I repeat, more sure this time. “I know I don’t have any evidence, but I’m a good lawyer because sometimes I have to trust my gut. This is one of those times.”
I stare at her earnestly. I refuse to be the first one to break eye contact. I have to communicate all of these feelings and instincts wordlessly to him. Terry sighs, being the first one to break away. I have won the battle of wills, but who knows if I will win the war.
“Ultimately, this is your choice, Jane. We’re all behind you.”
It’s rare that any young lawyer hears that. Not only is she loosening the leash she has on me, but she’s letting go entirely. We’re completely off whatever path we started on trying to get Riker out of jail. Now it’s become deeply personal.
I stand up. “Thank you for your time and advice, Terry. Is there anything else before I go?”
She looks up at me. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Jane.” She gives me a nod, and I take that as my cue to exit.
I do know what I’m doing. I’m loving a man who has earned it. I think this to myself with a small smile. I almost feel guilty for doing so. With everything going on, I shouldn’t be smiling. But I feel like I’m bursting at the seams with my sudden revelation. I want to open the nearest window and shout to the world that I love Riker Lord. I’m practically giggling at the thought. I make myself a pull a more serious face. Think, Jane. Be logical about this.
I’m not like all of Riker’s groupies. I don’t let him get away with nonsense. With each step away from Terry’s office, I become more sure of my next course of action. I need to prove Riker is innocent, and I need to make this relationship real. I wonder briefly to myself if it’s been real the whole time. Who can say?
My lawyer brain is working overtime. Even though it isn’t a legal issue, I’m on the case. This didn’t happen. I know it didn’t happen. So then I just need to find the evidence that it didn’t happen. Ana has a solid case so far. It does seem like the type of thing he would do. But he denied it so fervently that I believe him. We could put him on camera and have him deny it just as passionately to the world, but then it’s still her word against his. No. We need hard evidence.
I need to prove Riker’s innocence.
32
Riker
This whole situation is such a fucking mess, and I don’t even know what to do about it, which is why I’m sitting here at the bar with Mark, trying to figure out my next move. My ex showing up in the news and claiming that I got her pregnant was inconvenient at best, and catastrophic to my relationship with Jane at worst.
Currently, this situation is definitely on the ‘worst’ end of that scenario.
“So you’re sure you didn’t sleep with her, Riker?”
I look over at him with a scowl, scoffing as I lean forward and narrow my eyes. Does he really think that I’m the kind of man to just sleep with someone and forget?
“Are you fucking kidding me, Mark?” I snap, shaking my head. “Of course I’m sure. I think I’d remember sleeping with her.”
He shrugs his shoulders with an apologetic grin and sighs, clearly trying to tread lightly.
“I’m sorry Riker but look, it wouldn’t be the first time that you slept with a girl and didn’t remember, right? I mean come on, it literally happened last month.”
Okay so maybe he had a pint, but that’s not me anymore. And I do know with one hundred percent certainty that I most definitely did not sleep with my ex.
“Look man I get it, okay? But that’s not who I am anymore, and even if it was, those girls were random. We’re talking about an ex whose name I know and remember, not some groupie that I picked up at a club for a bit of fun. I didn’t fuck my ex and I didn’t get her pregnant. if she’s pregnant, it isn’t mine.”
“Okay, fair enough,” he concedes, shaking his head with a sigh. “I believe you mean I really do, but how the hell are you going to prove that? Right now it’s your word against hers and given your reputation with women… well, you know.”
As much as I hate to admit that he’s right, he is, and right now, the odds are stacked against me in getting the media and—more importantly—Jane to believe me.
Mark sits forward again and furrows his brow with a deep breath, sighing and rapping his knuckles on the table.
“Okay well, we need to figure out a way to prove that not only is the baby not yours, but that you didn’t even sleep with her.”
“Right.”
“Okay, so when was the last time you actually saw her then? Let’s focus on that and then work from there to find a timeline.”
I think for a moment and then it comes to me. I nod.
“The first time I saw her in two years was when Terry caught us, honestly. Having said that,” I added with raised brows and an annoyed laugh, “it isn’t as though she isn’t trying. She’s been hounding me and trying to get me back in bed for ages.”
“And you haven’t agreed?”
I shake my head vehemently and chuckle, knowing full well that I’d never stick my dick in that kind of crazy again.
“Not even once? Like, not even maybe a BJ that turned into something else?”
“Fuck no, I turned her down every time. She was fun and all, but she’s a bit crazy for my liking-- the false pregnancy proving my point.”
Mark nods absentmindedly and drags his hand down over his face, clearly trying to work out an angle for me. I really do appreciate him being here for me. He’s one of my best friends and he’s helped me through some pretty precarious situations with the ladies before.
“Look, I know that this really doesn’t seem like that big of a deal and all, but it is. I really like Jane. I want to be with her and no one else. I know that it must sound ridiculous coming from me given my history with women, but it’s true. There’s just no one else who compares to her and when I’m with her I just… Fuck, man, I don’t know.”
I don’t want to get all sappy and emotional in front of Mark—I don’t even like getting sappy and emotional by myself—and I can feel it coming on, so I finish my drink and wave down the waitress.
W
e order another round from our waitress as we continue to brainstorm, determined to come up with a solution despite the fact that our efforts have come up with nothing so far.
“And you’re sure that Jane is worth all of this?”
I give him a glare that says just how serious I am, and I lean forward.
“Watch it, Mark.”
“Hey, hey, I don’t mean it that way I’m sure she’s a great girl. All I’m saying is that right now this whole situation is causing you way more trouble than the court case ever did, and it’s only gotten worse. I just want to make sure that you’re serious and that the risks and hits you’re taking are worth it. You’re my friend,” He adds with a shrug, “And I care. That’s all.”
“I appreciate it, Mark, but yes, I’m very serious. No one has ever made me feel the way that Jane makes me feel and honestly, the thought of losing her for good makes me feel fucking sick.”
Not to mention Nia. That little girl stole my heart just as much as her mother did, and I don’t even want to think about what all of this is doing to her. She’s just a kid and she doesn’t deserve to be caught up in this bullshit. I never once thought that being a father figure to a kid—let alone someone else’s kid—would be something that I wanted, but one thing I know for sure is that I want to be a part of her life.
I down the rest of my drink, starting to feel a little tipsy and wonder if I shouldn’t stop. Mark ordered us a bottle of aged whiskey at the beginning of the night, and while he certainly drank more than I have, I’d still like to slow down. Trying to problem-solve while sober is hard enough most days, so I don’t need to add a bottle of whiskey to dull my senses on top of that.
I’m no stranger to being drunk, obviously, but the last time I drank too much of the same whiskey that’s in my cup right now, I was stranded on a tarmac for hours on end.
And that’s when it hits me.
“Fuck, I’ve got to go,” I say with a grin, standing up from my seat, “Here, drinks are on me, thanks for helping me figure this out.”
Mark looks at me like I’ve got seven heads and asks me what the hell I’m talking about and where I’m going, but I just wave him off and jog out of the bar, knowing exactly how I’m going to fix this.
I’m not letting Jane go, not this easy.
33
Jane
“My fenders don’t really whip me into a verbal frenzy.”
I giggle as I watch one of my favorite romantic comedies: Ten Things I Hate About You.
I could list more than ten things I hated about Riker right now. One—my eyes drop to the pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream I’m holding—was the weight I was putting on for eating this tub. Two: the number of hours it would take for me to sweat off those pounds. Three: how Riker reduced a mildly successful litigator with years of schooling under her belt into the typical romcom heroine who cries into her ice cream in front of a romcom on TV because of a breakup.
Who am I?
I plunge the spoon back into the pint, my eyes catching the shine of my engagement ring.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips and I angle my hand so the pint hides the gorgeous rock. I still couldn’t prove Riker wasn’t the father of Ana’s baby. That’s why I’m vegging out. I need to clear my head so I can focus.
A pint of ice cream and a good movie always does the trick.
Ana isn’t submitting to any sort of DNA test—yet. Because Riker’s not the father. And if he weren’t, it still won’t stop Ana from using every last second of her pregnancy to stay in the headlines about what type of father Riker would be. If he missed one doctor’s visit or failed to provide for her financially, all the work he and I did over the last few weeks would be completely unraveled.
As though it wasn’t hanging by a thread in the first place.
But I can’t stay engaged to him. People would question why I would be in a relationship with a deadbeat. Wouldn’t be any different than the scores of women who stayed every day.
And I know he’d make a great dad. The way he speaks to my daughter, how he spoils her.
“Mom!” Nia leaps over the small ottoman and crashes onto the floor.
“Nia! What are you doing?”
She makes a grunting sound as she inhales deeply. “Change…change the channel,” she states between gasps of air. With both hands, she shoves the hair out of her face and frantically sucks in air.
“I’m watching a movie, honey. Why—”
Her hands clench into fists by her sides. “Just do it!”
“Which channel?”
“Any news one.”
“What?” I point the remote to the television. Riker’s staring back.
“Jane? Can you please come down?”
My head snaps to the door expecting him to be right there, but it’s closed. Confused, my eyes dart back to the TV. I recognize the building Riker is standing in front of. It’s mine. I set Ben and Jerry down and lean toward the TV. “He’s here?”
“Duh,” Nia states with a roll of her eyes. “That’s why I wanted you to change the channel!”
My ears perk at the distant sound of a helicopter. “Is that a—”
“Yup!” Nia grins. “It has a big number on the side. I saw it fly over. That’s when I checked my iPad. Thought they were chasing a bad guy.”
“Please, Jane. I know I should’ve called.” Riker grins sheepishly while his cheeks redden. Off-screen there’s laughter.
My vision takes in the microphones attached to the podium Riker is standing behind. All the major networks are outside my building, waiting to hear Riker’s announcement.
“Okay, look baby,” Riker begins, “I know I messed up. But I wanted to set the record straight in front of the whole world because you deserve it. You deserve the best of everything. Including me.”
I wet my lips tasting ice cream.
“I was in a relationship with Ana. It ended months ago. She’s saying we were together a couple of months ago in California. Truth is, I was supposed to be in LA then—for a business meeting.” His lips spaz while he attempts to smile. “I never made it there. I was…” His Adam’s apple bobs and he dips his head for a second. After clearing his throat, he looks into the camera. “I was in New York on the runway. Drunk.”
My jaw drops with the heavy sound of his voice. It’s tough for him to admit.
“I was going to fly out there, but I got hammered earlier that day and couldn’t fly. I was on a commercial flight—”
More chuckles.
“I know, I know. My private jet was in the shop, okay?”
Nia laughs and I sputter a bit.
“I owned the airline and forced them to give me a seat. But the pilots did the right thing and didn’t take off.” He smiles. “Always hire good people.” His eyes grow intense, and mine are locked to the screen. “I wasn’t good that night, and I’m not proud of it. What the papers said about me was true. I was a real jerk. There were people on that flight trying to get to honeymoons, new jobs, their military assignments. I sincerely apologize for my actions and…lack of decorum.”
Riker blinks as cameras flash. I see a faint shade of red around the rims of his eyes.
“But it proves I wasn’t in LA when she claims. A lot of pissed off people can vouch for me.”
Nia claps her hands. “This is good, right mommy?”
My cheeks hurt I’m grinning so big.
“I never left New York, Jane.”
He never left. He wasn’t with Ana.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, Nia,” I finally answer. “This is very good.”
My gaze flitters to her. “Wait, what do you know about…?”
She shrugs. “Just what the gossip sites say. That Riker’s got a baby momma, and you two aren’t getting married.” Her eyes circle and het brows shoot up. “It’s not true, right? That’s what he’s saying?”
“Yeah, baby. That’s what he’s saying.”
Riker adjusts his tie. His chin lifts an inch. “
That was the old me, Jane. The old Riker spent more time in VIP rooms than his own home. I used to get drunk, miss concerts, get thrown in jail.” His smile is just for me and I return it, even though he can’t see me.
“Jane Gordon, I am in love with you.”
I hear both Nia and myself gasp, followed by Nia’s giggles. I consider rewinding the live TV, but I don’t want to get behind.
“I’m a better man because of you. I want to be a better man for you. Please tell me I haven’t messed this whole thing up. Please tell me I haven’t lost you.”
Nia puts a hand on her forehead and dips back, sighing dramatically. “That was so romantic, mommy!”
It was. He literally sacrificed himself on the global altar of dignity.
And evened the score.
“Jane, you’re the only woman I want to be with. The only woman I want to have children with. I love your daughter Nia, and I love you. I want to marry you.”
“He loves you, mommy!”
I can hear, but I could no longer see as moisture blurs my vision. I blink rapidly, warm tears flowing down my cheeks. “He loves you too, Nia.”
“Of course he does.” She lifts her chin proudly, hands on hips. “What’s not to love?”
I reach for her and drag her onto my lap. She squeals in delight. I hold her to me and listen as Riker continues.
“Jane—love of my life—will you please come down?”
Nia shifts, her gaze searching my face. “Mommy? Are you going down?”
Cameras continue to flash at Riker. His brows angle up and he sports a nervous smile. The entire world is watching him right now. Waiting to see if I’ll forgive him and go down.
“You love Riker. Don’t you, mommy?”
My heart soars. “I do love him.”
“So, are you going down or what?”
The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée Page 13