Mr V (Mrs R & Mr V Book 2)

by Jessie Courts

  “Well – any news?” Jess jumped up to greet her mother as Rachel and Joe emerged back into the lobby where everyone was waiting. They updated their friends and family on Luc’s progress and told everyone to go home and unpack, relax and then reconvene at Rachel’s house at suppertime.

  Ryan was just about to pay his bill when he could feel George and Leo hovering behind him and he was reminded of their earlier request to keep the room. He wondered if they would still be up for some playtime especially as they seemed rather skittish due to Luc’s unfortunate predicament. They clearly adored the young man who Ryan was becoming increasingly impressed by.

  “Boys.” He twisted around to face them looking serious. He needed to be absolutely sure they wanted the same thing as he did. “Am I staying or going?”

  George looked to Leo who looked at Ryan then back to George and he nodded at his boyfriend once. George kissed Leo on the cheek and turned back to Ryan.

  “Staying.”

  Ryan smiled then took each of their hands and pulled the boys gently towards the lifts. “I’m glad; it’s been a tough morning and I think we could all do with something sweet to take our minds off it yeah?”

  “Sweet indeed.” Leo squeezed Ryan’s hand and licked up the side of his neck.

  “Indeed.” Agreed George who mimicked the action on Ryan’s other side.

  “Jesus you’re killing me.” Ryan sighed as he dragged them into the lift then threw his head back offering up his throat for more.

  “Come on Ethan. You can hang out with us until supper time.”

  Lucy and Jess took one arm each and tugged the bewildered looking teen out to their car. They’d collected their cases from their room and had returned to the lobby to find Ethan standing there looking lost. “Stop scowling Little Joe, we can be a lot of fun.”

  Ethan’s expression perked up and Lucy hit him hard on the shoulder. “Euww not like that. What is it with boys and their ‘twin’ fantasies?”

  Jess howled with laughter. “After the text I got from Lizzie this morning, I gather there’s nothing ‘little’ about this Mini-Mason.”

  Ethan blushed red but chuckled all the same. “For your information it’s Montgomery not Mason although you’re right I do take after my Dad.” Ethan folded himself into the back of Jess’s Mini.

  “Oh my God – tmi about our mother’s husband for heaven’s sake!” Lucy looked mortified and Ethan laughed again.

  “Which effectively makes us siblings sweetheart – so let’s move this subject along.”

  “Hey we finally have a brother!” The twins high fived and Ethan rolled his eyes but they chattered happily all the way back to London taking a huge detour to look at the sights and do some shopping. They finally returned to Joe’s old flat where Jess and Lucy now lived and collapsed exhausted on the couch where the three of them watched telly and chatted and dozed and ate crap until it was time to get ready to go out again. Olivia had kept them up to date with how Luc was doing; he’d been asleep for most of the day; and told them she was looking forward to seeing them all later.

  “Shit – what’s going to happen when Olivia and Dad meet up again?” Ethan groaned and the three of them spent a good while discussing all the possible outcomes until Jess ended the conversation with a rueful “Let’s just wait and see…”

  CHAPTER 12

  Rachel and Joe had spent the best part of the day on the telephone reassuring their wedding guests that everything was fine now and apologised for any distress caused. Joe’s parents dropped in on their way to the airport dripping with disapproval at their son’s behaviour and managing to mention several times how Joe’s brother Charles had never given them a day’s grief unlike Joe. Rachel had chewed so hard on the inside of her mouth that it now throbbed horribly but at least she hadn’t said anything to make things worse between them. Once this crisis was over, Rachel was determined to get Joe back to New York where she would help him confront his father and brother, but one thing at a time, and right now she was worried at how quiet he was. They still had a couple of hours until the others returned and she was getting fidgety just sitting on the couch reading.

  “Baby – do you fancy getting that huge throbbing thing of yours between my thighs and taking me for a ride?” Joe normally loved it when Rachel made sexual innuendoes especially concerning his beloved Harley, but today all that earned her was a sad semi-smile. “Come on Joe. The ride will do you good. Clear your head.” The big man shook his head and went back to staring into space. Rachel sighed and tried a different tact. “Take me to bed?”

  “Not in the mood sweetheart. Sorry.” Rachel gasped; Joe was never ‘not in the mood’ and now she was really concerned. She got out of her armchair and climbed on to his lap and wrapped his arms around her back snuggling into him. “I’m worried Rachel. Really worried that I may have fucked up my relationship with Olivia over this. I deserve it I know I do, but she didn’t give me a minute to explain myself this morning.”

  “And what would you have told her?”

  “That I wanted time alone with Luc away from everyone’s influence to really have a heart to heart with him. I want to ask him things in private and I want his honesty and we need to be on our own for that. I would have told her that it was too soon for me to give my blessing to them but that I wanted to work towards it and to be able to get over the misplaced animosity I have towards Luc. But she just jumped right in and yelled at me and said something so horrible it floored me.” Joe’s eyes grew dark and shiny with shame.

  “Remind you of anyone?” Rachel tugged Joe’s beard. “You can also be snappy love. When we first met you were a complete bastard to me with your words. Who do you think she gets it from?” Joe hugged Rachel tightly and spoke into her neck.

  “I was such a fool. Thank you for letting me in baby. I’m lost without you.” Joe shuddered and Rachel’s chest grew tight.

  “Joe – tell me honestly - would you have preferred to go on the way you were with no highs and no lows but a calm and peaceful life? I feel like I’ve wrecked your carefully constructed existence.”

  Joe snorted. “I was numb. Numb to joy; numb to love and just going through the motions of life. I knew coming to London was a gamble but there was nothing left for me in New York and I needed to breathe. I was suffocating in mediocrity and tedium – and that changed the minute a sweaty, crazy lady knocked me off my treadmill. So no, Rachel, I don’t regret one minute of my life since I met you; only my appalling actions towards Luc.” Rachel smiled and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Umm Rach?”

  “Yeah.” She knew that tone.

  “Is the ‘fuck me’ offer still open?”

  “Oh yeah…”

  “Oh good.” Joe stood up with Rachel in his arms and carried her upstairs to their bed where he proceeded to demonstrate that he was indeed now in the mood for sex; a lot of it.

  In the event, Olivia didn’t actually return home until really late that evening. She’d fallen asleep in the chair by the side of Luc’s bed and only woken when the nurse had come in to take his vitals. Having been reassured that she could leave him and that they would call her if there were any change in his condition, she called a cab and wearily made her way back to Rachel’s house where she was staying. It was hard to believe that she’d only been in England for a few days. The wedding was only yesterday yet felt like weeks ago with all that had happened and she still had to have a conversation with her Dad. Livvy was mortified at how rude she’d been to Rachel and was desperate to apologise to her. Rachel was a wonderful person who Livvy already loved dearly and the thought that she’d been so insulting when she didn’t deserve it make Livvy feel sick. She closed her eyes and only opened them again when the cabbie announced their arrival at the address she’d given him.

  “I just need to go get your fare and I’ll be right back.” The taxi sat on the driveway with its engine running while Olivia rang the doorbell. She’d jumped in the ambulance without her handbag and regretted having to disturb Rachel a
nd Joe at this late hour. The front door swung open and there stood her father. Mighty indeed. Olivia chewed her lip and looked at her feet and felt about twelve years old. “I need money for the cab and I don’t have a key.” Joe disappeared into the kitchen and came back with his wallet.

  “Go inside and let Rachel feed you. You look exhausted.” Joe jogged out to the taxi and paid the driver while Olivia dragged herself through to the back of the house where Rachel was sat at the table with her iPad.

  “Oh you’re back at last! Come sit; let me get you something to eat. What do you want to drink darling?” Rachel enveloped Olivia into a warm embrace and the girl sagged against her gratefully. “Is Luc ok?” Olivia nodded and sniffed and sank onto a kitchen chair while Rachel fussed about. Being Mum to two daughters meant she knew exactly what to do and what to say. No recriminations just plenty of Mummy love. “Here start with this.” Rachel placed a huge glass of cold white wine in her step-daughter’s hands and Olivia looked up at her with such a look of gratitude it made her heart sing.

  “Oh God Rachel, I’m so sorry for what I said. I was a complete bitch.” Livvy gulped down some wine. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  Rachel waved her hands at Livvy. “It’s forgotten already. I survived Jess and Lucy’s teenage years – double trouble I called them. A few snarky comments from you in the heat of the moment are like water off a duck’s back honestly.” Rachel hugged Olivia again just to reassure her. “Don’t worry about me love! But Joe…well, I think your Dad is still smarting Livvy.” And on cue Joe walked into the kitchen taking up a lot of air space. Rachel gestured to him to sit down at the table so as not to appear too intimidating towering above Olivia and he slid into the booth placing his hands on the table. Olivia looked at him from under her lashes and placed her hands on top of his.

  “I love you Daddy.” Joe’s huge shoulders sagged with relief at her words. “But I’m so angry with you. Why can’t you be like a normal Dad and talk about things? Why the need to overpower people all the time? Poor Luc…” Joe went to speak but couldn’t find his words straight away. He curled his hands over his daughter’s and cleared his throat.

  “I’m trying to change baby girl. Rachel is making sure of that but Luc pushes all my buttons and when I saw him kiss you all I could think was that somehow he was doing it to get back at me. To hurt me for marrying Rachel. I know that’s ridiculous but the rage took hold and the overpowering compulsion was to protect you. I know now obviously that I was wrong to assume that it wasn’t a consensual thing. Is it too late?” Joe literally held his breath. His apology was flimsy at best and he knew it but that’s all he could manage at this stage.

  “I need you in my life Dad. I want you to be a part of it but you have to accept it will include Luc. How that boy holds no malice towards you is beyond me but that’s the kind of man he is. He understands where you were coming from and because he loves me he’s willing to work on a relationship with you. Can you say the same?”

  Joe hung his head and was silent for a long time. Then he slowly raised his gaze to meet his daughter’s and a whispered ‘Yes’ left his lips and Olivia sighed. She took a long drink of her wine just as Rachel placed the home phone on the table in front of her. Livvy cocked her head quizzically so Rachel picked up the handset and pressed it into Olivia’s palm.

  “I’m sure you want to call your Mum, Olivia. I know my girls always need to talk to me when they’re feeling emotional. Sometimes a good chat with your mother makes everything seem ok again.” Rachel looked so serious. Joe made a strange sound and bit into his hand and Olivia promptly spat out her wine all over him. Then they both erupted into fits of absolute hysterics until tears ran down their faces. Rachel gaped at them her head whipping from father to daughter and back again. “What the hell?” Joe was roaring clutching his stomach as Olivia tried to mop up the spilled wine between snorting and giggling. “Joe? What did I say?” Rachel plonked herself on a chair watching them. It was quite comical and had definitely broken the tension but she was clueless as to why they were laughing so much.

  “Say it again Rachel – the bit about chatting with your mother.” Joe dissolved into fits of laughter again and Olivia begged him to stop as she wiped at her eyes. Rachel huffed and Livvy felt bad for her so she attempted to explain.

  “Leighton has never ‘chatted’ with anyone in her life. Let alone me. Mummy dearest isn’t exactly up for girly stuff and certainly doesn’t do emotion and that’s not just because of the Botox it’s because she’s a cold hearted bitter bitch.” Rachel gasped at Olivia’s description of her own mother. “Oh don’t get me wrong. I love her and she loves Ethan and me in her own way – just not in a demonstrative one. At all. Ever. Messes with the make up and puts creases in her clothes. If it wasn’t for Daddy and his regular doses of papa bear love I may have turned out the same, but as you know Joe gives the best hugs and was always up for a heart to heart even if he usually only grunted then passed us over to Ryan for the ‘chatty’ bit.”

  Rachel’s heart swelled to hear that Joe had been such an attentive father. When the man loved – he went all out; she was testament to that having been on the receiving end of Joe Mason’s affections for some time now.

  “Come here baby girl.” Joe wriggled out of the booth and Olivia sank into him for a hug. Rachel retreated to the kitchen to make up a plate for Livvy and was gratified to hear them chatting to each other normally. Placing a plate of leftovers from the get-together earlier in front of her step-daughter, Rachel asked for more details as to Luc’s well being.

  “He’s just really sore. They think the breathing thing was a combination of pressure, intense bruising and stress – there’s nothing wrong with his actual lungs thank God. Just a fluke thing but still could have been fatal if Dad hadn’t tried to resuscitate him.” Olivia shuddered and Joe squeezed her tight. “It’s all incredibly ironic isn’t it?” Livvy looked sad. If Joe hadn’t have hit Luc in the first place none of this would have happened and then Joe was the one who saved Luc’s life. It was crazy and fucked up and the only redeeming factor would be if Joe put all his prejudices behind him and let them all move forward. “Do you think that’s the end of it now Dad?” Olivia looked at her father with such hope and pleading that Joe’s heart tightened in his chest and this throat thickened.

  “I promise it is Livvy. I’ll speak to Luc.” Joe’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. He was so ashamed of himself and it weighed heavy on his soul knowing this would always be in their history. Moving forward was going to be difficult for them all because of his stupid, selfish reactions. Rachel placed her hands on his shoulders and rubbed her palms in warm comforting circles. Olivia ate her food and they sat together in silence contemplating what tomorrow would bring.

  After a surprisingly good sleep, Olivia borrowed Rachel’s BMW and drove back to the hospital to visit Luc. When she got there he was already up and dressed and waiting for her to bring him home.

  “Hey baby.” He sounded bright as she entered his room and Olivia was relieved to see his colour was back to normal and although he needed a shower and shave, Luc still managed to look hot as hell and totally sexy.

  “Hey yourself. How do you feel?” Olivia placed a gentle kiss to Luc’s lips and he hummed at her touch.

  “All the better for seeing you. I discharged myself already so can you take me home now please. I hate hospitals.” Luc screwed his face up adoringly and Livvy chuckled. She had something to tell him which he wasn’t going to like very much.

  “I’m under strict instructions to bring you back to Rachel and Joe’s. Rachel says your Mum and Dad aren’t local and you need looking after – she was pretty adamant.”

  Luc nodded. “I can only imagine. But that’s weird Livvy. It will only make you and Joe uncomfortable for me and Rachel to be in that house together.”

  “Personally, I think it makes a lot of sense and it will give you and Dad a chance to talk. They’ll be off on their honeymoon in a couple of days anyway.”

/>   Olivia helped Luc stand and he took a few tentative steps huffing loudly with the strain but once he’d moved a bit more it became easier. Folding himself into Rachel’s little BMW was challenging and the bumpy London roads were so torturous that Luc ended up grinding his teeth so much his jaw ached by the time they reached Rachel’s house. However, he never said a word or made a sound, as he didn’t want to let on how much his chest ached for fear of Olivia taking him straight back to the hospital. She was mad at him for disregarding the doctor’s recommendation that he stay in for another day but knew that if she didn’t help him, Luc would leave under his own steam anyway.

  “We’re here – you can open your eyes now and relax before you get lockjaw.” Apparently, he hadn’t fooled his observant girlfriend at all. “Stay there I’ll come and help you.”

  Olivia jumped out the car and ran around to the passenger side opening the door for Luc to get out but when he went to move he found he couldn’t get his legs to obey. The strain of lifting them out the car was shockingly impossible without inflicting the worst kind of agony in his chest.

  “Wait! Wait!” Luc held out his hand to Olivia palm up halting her assistance as he panted to catch his breath. “Just gonna sit here a sec.” Luc closed his eyes and rested his head against the cool leather seat for a moment before his second attempt to get out of the car resulted in him nearly passing out. “Shit – this is pathetic. Wait! Olivia, don’t leave me here!” Luc cried out to Olivia who was headed towards the house. He had a very bad feeling in his stomach that he knew why she left unannounced and who she was going to fetch to help. Well there was no Goddamned way he was going to allow Joe Mason to put his hands on him again for whatever reason.