“Allison, stop!” Gavin commands.
When she does, she turns around to face us and starts hysterically crying. I walk towards her to comfort her, but Gavin beats me to it as he swoops her up into his arms.
“What’s wrong?” he questions.
“I... I… Couldn’t pick two. If I picked two one would stay here,” she cries out.
“Are those the puppies you really want?” he asks.
She’s still crying too hard to answer. But she does shake her head yes.
“Ok, well I’ll make you a deal. If you give up the lipstick we can get all three.”
Again, I want to kill Gavin, but even I’m finding it hard not to let her get all three.
“Okay, I don’t want the lipstick. I want all three dogs.” Allison agreed.
“Ok! Well let’s go get your dogs.” Gavin says and puts Allison down.
What an incredible week. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, but today we start the rest of our lives. Me, Allison, Gavin and oh my god, three dogs.
Gavin
Nicola and I are filling out the paperwork for the three dogs and I’m trying to work out the logistics of it all. Obviously, we can’t stay at Noah’s penthouse for too long and we probably won’t find an apartment that will allow us to live there with three puppies. The only reasonable option is for us to buy a house. I never thought I would buy a house because I had three dogs. But that’s where I’m at and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Especially when I can hear Allison laughing and playing with them behind us.
“Just so you know Gavin. We won’t be having kids. With Allison and three dogs we have more than we can care for.” Nicola jokes. She might think she’s being funny, but I don’t see the humor in it.
“Oh honey! When I put that ring on your finger, we are making some babies. At least two more. That way each dog can have a playmate.” I inform her seriously. I realize how ridiculous that sounds. But it’s all I could come up with. I’m buying my family a big house. We might as well fill it with kids and animals.
“Maybe one more.” she responds.
“We will see.”
The lady comes back with our final paperwork and just when I think we are done, Nicola asks the lady a question. “Can I ask a question about their mom?”
“Sure, what do you want to know?” The lady responds.
“I know her time is almost up. Even though we can’t take her because she isn’t a good fit. I was wondering if there was a place you could transfer her to?”
“No, sadly there isn’t. All of the no kill shelters are bursting at the seams. Financially, every place around here is struggling with funds and room.”
“I know of a place in Kentucky. It’s a small farm and they work off donations. If I could get them to agree to take her and I be the one to transport her, could we take her there?”
“Sure, all of that would fall on you. The donations and transport, but sure we would love nothing more than to know she found a good place to spend the rest of her life.”
“Great, give me a couple days to make some calls.”
This is one of the many reasons I love this woman! Her heart is nothing but pure goodness. She’s not jaded or vindictive when she has every right to be. I’m honestly the luckiest man alive.
Chapter 31
Nicola
“What the hell were you thinking Gavin? Three dogs?” I scold him after another tiring day. I finally got Allison to sleep after hours of begging her to leave the dogs alone. Heck, I don’t even think the puppies were prepared for her capacity of play.
“I told her to decide what she wanted to do today. We talked about Santa and she mentioned she hadn’t gotten a gift. I told her to pick out three things she wanted and I would get them for her. Trust me if I knew what that list consisted of, I wouldn’t have offered. But they make her happy, so I’m not complaining.”
Even though I understand why he did it, it still bugs me. “You know I’ll be the one housebreaking them and feeding them. Well puppy pad training them anyway.”
“She is old enough to feed them and I’ll help with the puppy pad training. I didn’t agree to get the dogs without realizing I would be doing a lot of the work.”
This kind of attitude is so foreign to me, but a very welcome change. Gavin and I can be equal partners.
Unable to help myself, I smile so big that Gavin takes notice.
“What are you smiling about?” he wonders aloud.
“You. Have I told you how lucky I feel?” I answer truthfully.
“I feel the same. Just yesterday I wondered how long it would be before I saw you smile again. As happy as I am to see it, I just need to check to see if you’re ok.”
“No, I’m not ok. Not totally anyway. It’s been about two years since I left Jason, and part of me had moved on from all that. Then I found out about the videos, and I started to remember so much from those terrible years... I’m going to work through it, but in the meantime, I’m going to celebrate the good days. Today was a good day. So thank you for that.”
“Let’s try to have more good days,” he suggests seriously.
“Yes, let’s.” I respond and then think I haven’t even talked to Gavin about what’s going on with him. “You know, the last couple days have been about me. How are you doing? Are you still trying to work through being shot? Have you given any more thought to if you still want to be a cop?”
Gavin sighs heavily and then answers. “Well, I’m still working through all that. But I did decide while sitting in the tattoo chair that I’m not going back to the police department. I called my father and told him I’m officially done.”
“Really? I thought it was all you ever wanted to do.”
“It was or maybe it still is. What I figured out is I’ve had enough of the darkness. I can’t imagine going back... Maybe one day I will, but in the meantime, I’m going to take ownership of Hanson’s and work that. I’ll see where it takes me.”
Curious I have to ask. “What did your dad say?”
“He said he thought I was making the right decision. That too much was going on for me to be able to focus. My parents will be proud of me no matter what and they will support whatever decision I make.”
“Sounds like you got the good parents. Your family dynamics have me a little confused.” I admit.
“Why do they confuse you?”
“The way Harper spoke about her dad. The way Cade mentioned his mom would smack him if he didn’t open my door. It just feels like a lot of grown people are afraid of their parents.”
Gavin busts out laughing and agrees, “Yeah, we are still afraid of our parents. Not because they were abusive in any way. Though Cade did get his mouth smacked more than a few times. We are all afraid to disappoint our parents. There’s a long laundry list of shit that’s gone on in our family. But you have plenty of time to hear those stories.”
“So you really see me as a part of your family?” I bravely ask.
“Yes I do.”
Gavin
I would take her to city hall right now and marry her if I could.
“Do you want to be a part of my family?”
She giggles and replies, “I want to be with you. So yes, I guess the answer is yes.”
Just as I’m about to ask another question, my phone dings to alert me to a text. I take my phone out of my pocket and look down. It’s from Cade.
Cade- Pack your bags and meet me at O’Hare airport at 6:45 A.M.
Me- Ok, why?
Cade- I’ve been monitoring his personal computer. He’s looking for flights to Chicago. He hasn’t purchased any yet. There’s more but I’ll explain tomorrow on the flight.
Me- k. See you in the morning. Thanks man.
Dammit! It’s been such a good day and now I have to ruin it.
“Nicola, that was Cade. I’m going to New York with him tomorrow.”
“Why so quickly?”
“He said Jason has been looking for flights to Chicago. It�
�s a good thing really. We don’t want to keep living like this. Might as well get it over with.”
“Alright, I don’t like this, but I do want to get past all of this already. I don’t want to keep getting pulled back.”
“Ok, I’m going to head to bed if you don’t mind. I have to pack and leave early.”
Nicola
I’m a little disappointed. I had hoped this good day would lead to good sex, but once again, Jason ruins everything. But it does make me wonder if Gavin is even having these same desires. He definitely hasn’t been acting like it.
Finding the bravery from God knows where, I have to ask. Slowly I approach him and give him a hug first. “I don’t mind Gavin. But I do have a question I don’t know how to ask.”
“You can ask me anything Nicola.”
“I know you love me. I do believe that. I’m just wondering why you haven’t made a move on me? Is it something I did the first time we were together? Or are you so exhausted that sex isn’t really on your mind.”
Gavin groans with such sexual frustration it makes me smile.
“Nicola, I don’t know how often you look at my pants, but if you do, you would notice I get hard every time you walk into the room. I’m constantly, and I mean constantly, thinking about the next time we are together. But I have been thinking. The next time I put my dick inside you is going to be after you are divorced and when we are married. When you are mine and mine alone.”
My smile gets bigger and my heart bursts with excitement.
“Then you better hurry and get those divorce papers signed.” I laugh as I quickly rub my hands over the bulge in his pants and quickly walk away.
Fuck! I hear Gavin groan in sexual frustration behind me. The sound sends me into a deep belly laugh.
Chapter 32
Gavin
The flight to New York is smooth, but it’s not fast enough. I’m ready to send this fuck to prison. I’m ready to see his face when he realizes he will spend the rest of his life rotting away in a four by four cell while Nicola will be living her happily ever after. Mostly, I’m excited to kick him in the nuts so hard that they bust open.
“So what’s the plan man?” Cade questions from across the aisle. He bought four first class tickets so that neither of us would have to sit next to anyone. He said he did so for the both of us, but I know he did so because he didn’t want anyone next to him.
“I don’t know. I’ve been playing out different scenarios.” I answer honestly. I’m just planning to play it by ear. Jason will be shocked to see us, and I know he has a gun. But I can’t foresee a situation where he gets the upper hand on Cade and me. Especially since we both came with our own guns. As much as I might want to kill him, it isn’t either of our intention to do so.
“Ok, no plan! That makes it exciting.” Cade laughs out and then starts talking again. “Oh by the way, can you find a way to give this back to Nicola?” he says as he hands me a hundred dollar bill.
“Why would Nicola need your money?” I ask annoyed and a little jealous. “What’s that about?”
“She ravaged my office. Broke my monitor. She gave me the money as a payment to replace it.”
“Why would you take money from her?”
“I refused but she became so pissed I knew she wouldn’t leave until I took it. She did scare me enough that I won’t return it. So, good luck with that.” he smirks.
“Speaking of that night. Don’t ever lay down next to my girlfriend again. I don’t like it.” I remind him.
“Well tough shit! I didn’t like the way she was balled up on the floor crying. Despite what people might think of me, I’m not inhumane.”
“Then you should’ve called me. Your place is not on the floor with her. I’m warning you Cade!”
Cade chuckles and responds with the same thing all of us Stone boys have heard a million times. “You’re all the fucking same. None of you realize that a man can be friends with their women. Newsflash Gavin. She doesn’t need your permission and I don’t need it when I know I’m doing the right thing.”
This sets me off and I know we will be spending the rest of this flight in silence. Before I start my immature silent treatment, I have to say one more thing. “If I wouldn’t get kicked off this plane, I’d fucking knock you out, asshole.”
Cade just laughs harder probably to piss me off more. It works! Dickhead!
Nicola
Last night I didn’t want to show Gavin how nervous I was about him going to New York. I wanted to show him I had confidence in him. I do, too. It’s just things can go wrong. Very wrong. No! No! My mind will not go there. I’ve never been overly religious but I repeat the Bible verse on Gavin’s arm. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the lord plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.
I have to believe that God is giving me hope for a beautiful future. I will do my best to make today a good day and to have faith that everything with be alright.
In order to stick with my plan for normalcy I head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Allison. Gavin left me his car keys so I could get to work. When I get to the kitchen, I see a piece of paper on the counter. Knowing it’s from Gavin, I rush over to read it.
Good morning babe,
I wish I could’ve been there when you woke up. If everything works out, I’ll be back before you wake tomorrow.
You and Allison need to be ready before 8 A.M. My mom is taking you girls house shopping. I know you’re probably calling me every swear name in the book right now, but even you know it makes sense. Go pick out our forever home. The one we will raise Allison in and the football team we have yet to create.
I love you Nicola. See you soon.
P.S. my mom is bringing you a cell phone so we can text each other throughout the day. But please wait until I text first. Not sure what time we will meet with Jason.
P.S.S. Harper is coming over to take care of the puppies today.
That freaking asshole. I don’t know if I want to hug him or to smack him. Buy a damn house. What the hell is he thinking?
And football team? He does remember I’m thirty-six, right? If he wants a football team, he needs someone much younger than me. I could have one more, possibly two. But I’m kind of past the infant stage. I’m not looking forward to that at all. But having Gavin’s baby... And having Gavin as the dad who I know would be my partner in it all makes me want to try. Before Gavin, I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of having more kids. Now, I can see it.
Crap! It’s seven-thirty already. We need to hurry.
Gavin
So, this is it? I say looking at a beautiful brownstone. This row of houses speaks of wealth but this house in particular was filled with tragic secrets. Maybe all of them won’t be revealed but the truth about Jason will be. I contemplated having Nicola press charges, but decided against it because even though those tapes are public, they aren’t public to mainstream media and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure it remains that way. Fingers crossed Jason agrees to turn himself in for embezzlement.
“Show time.” Cade announces as he rings the doorbell.
Shit! Ok! I think to myself as I stare down the door waiting for the prick to answer it and praying he does.
It takes a couple minutes but I can hear footsteps approaching. I lower my head in case he tries to use the peephole. He must not because the door opens rather quickly. Here is the man who tormented Nicola standing right in front of me. Either his eyes are still too black to see properly or he doesn’t recognize me because he says, “Can I help you?”
Just as I’m about to say yes he can help us, Cade rushes the door putting his forearm to Jason’s chest and pushing him back into the house quickly. If Cade thinks he’s taking the lead on this, he’s wrong.
I grab the back of Jason’s neck and start pushing him up the stairs. “You don’t remember me do you? Did I do enough damage to cause amnesia?”
“I remember you alright. I’m just not afraid of you
,” he says as he tries to lunge forward and escape my hold. His pathetic attempt to be manly is almost laughable...
“Easy there kitten. We just came to talk.” I inform him and to make sure he understands through my words that I don’t take him seriously.
Through the videos, I know the layout of this house, so when we reach the top of the stairs, I make a right into his home office. Carefully I place him in a chair where I can see his hands at all times. There is a small table beside him, but it has no drawers or anything on it that can be used as a weapon. Being in this room makes me nearly violent when I see his desk. I remember too much from the videos. This is the desk he had Nicola on top of doing things to her that brought tears to her eyes. I’m in the house that Nicola nearly died in and with the man who brought her so much pain. My heart is telling me to inflict the pain on him that he did on her, but if I give way to this anger, mistakes can be made, and I want to make it home to my girls. As I stand here willing myself to be calm, Cade raises his gun and has it aimed right at his dick.
“Did you come to kill me? Is that what this is? I’ll have you know that this entire house is being recorded inside and out.”
Again, I go to speak, but Cade beats me to him. Seriously, I’m going to pull my gun out and shoot Cade in the knee if he doesn’t stop this shit. Though when I hear what Cade has to say, I agree this needed to be said. I didn’t even have this knowledge. “No, your cameras are not recording and not just your house. Any security cameras on this block are turned off... They’re on a timer and will be back online in forty-five minutes. Just so you know, your life will greatly change before then.”
“Ok, so what do you all want? Money? That fat whore? What?”
It’s like the fucker wants to die. Taking just a couple seconds to take a deep, almost relaxing breath, I finally say, “I’m going to give you one pass and one pass only. And you just used it you son of a bitch. So if I break your jaw or have my friend shoot your dick off, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Gavin (Made From Stone Book 2) Page 17