The Silk Tie (Erotic Threesome Romance)

by Lily Harlem

  “Our case is solid. I can’t see a judge giving her sympathy.”

  “Unfortunately, we’ve said that before and then come up with the only judge who sees it differently to everyone else.”

  “It’s Nigel Henderson overseeing today.”

  “Oh, well that’s a good start.” I took a sip of tea.

  “Yes. I’m feeling confident.” He stood and straightened his tie then brushed a few crumbs from his trousers. “I’ll see you later then, in court.”

  “Yes…Gabe…”

  “What?” He glanced at his watch and slipped his phone into his pocket.

  “I…”

  He looked at me. “What’s the matter?”

  The way he was standing suggested he was ready to bolt out of the door. His mind had already switched to work mode.

  It was hardly the best time to tell him I wanted another man to fuck me and ask him if he was in love with that man.

  “Nothing, it’s okay.”

  He frowned. “You sure?”

  “Yes, go, I’ll see you later.”

  He kissed me then strode from the room. I heard his footsteps on the hard hallway floor then the front door slammed shut.

  I wrapped my hands around my mug of tea and stared at several postcards held onto the fridge door by small round magnets. One of the Maldives caught my attention. My cousin had just been there and sent a postcard. We were tempted to break the Caribbean habit and try something different. Perhaps Brent would come with us.

  I tutted and shook my head. No, I was getting ahead of myself. That was fanciful thinking. One step at a time.

  Having him in our bed, as an equal to Gabe, was the next big thing. Maybe then, if Gabe agreed and it went well, we could think about the future and talk about love.

  But first, today, we had to rid Brent of his past and of the woman who’d lied and cheated and torn his life apart.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I made it to court at exactly three o’clock which wasn’t ideal. But at least I was in the public gallery so my opening and closing of the large polished wooden door didn’t cause any disturbance.

  The judge was yet to arrive, and there were a handful of other observers but it was incredibly quiet.

  Quickly, I plucked my iPhone from my handbag and flicked it to silent. I then took a seat and studied my surroundings.

  Gabe and Brent sat together with their backs to me. Their heads were close and a spread of files lay before them on the large desk. They were both in suits and their broad shoulders almost touched.

  They both suddenly turned. It was as if they’d felt my gaze.

  I gave a tiny smile and crossed my legs.

  Gabe winked and Brent caught my gaze, held it for a moment before returning my smile with a quick nod.

  He appeared anxious and uptight. I hated seeing him like that. I had an urge to go to him, hold him, make it better.

  But, of course, I couldn’t.

  I watched, though, as Gabe gently rested his fingers on Brent’s arm, over his suit jacket.

  It was the smallest of gestures and would have looked like nothing to a casual observer, but I knew it meant more. I knew it was an act of comfort, reassurance, and a promise that he wasn’t alone in this, not today.

  He had us.

  I glanced at the respondent’s table. Nadia, I presumed, sat with her solicitor, and older man with white hair and a sprinkle of dandruff on his suit jacket. I vaguely recognized him but couldn’t recall his name.

  Even from the back I could tell that she was also tense. Her shoulders were rigid, her hair swept up into a tight blonde bun, and she was wearing huge silver-hoop earrings and a blood-red jacket.

  The judge’s door opened, and Judge Nigel Henderson entered the courtroom.

  I took a deep breath. This was it.

  The judge sat and put on a pair of small round glasses. He peered over their rims at first Nadia then Brent.

  Nigel Henderson had a mean appearance. He had small eyes and a tight-lipped mouth but he wasn’t at all unkind. He was fair and intelligent and was passionate about justice. Brent could have done a lot worse.

  I sat back, folded my arms and prepared to watch the cases put forward.

  * * * *

  After an hour, the judge called recess while he deliberated the complex finances that needed to be separated.

  I remained seated as Nadia stood and stomped into the central aisle. It wasn’t going well for her. Brent had had a good financial advisor and a pre-nup when they’d married and many of his assets were protected from divorce.

  I glanced at Nadia’s face. Her mouth was pinched into a tight pout and her heavily made-up eyes were narrowed. I could see that she was an attractive woman, but she looked effected, as if she were trying too hard. It wasn’t a nice image, it was false and, to be honest, tarty.

  She shot a glare my way, probably wondering who I was.

  I held her gaze. I knew her husband better than she did. I cared for him much more than she did, and I also wanted him more than she did. She could wonder who the hell I was all she damn well liked.

  With a flick of her chin, as though she didn’t want to waste her time on me, she marched off, her heels banging like firecrackers on the hard floor.

  I went to the front of the gallery and rested my hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “Hey, are you both okay?”

  They turned. Brent looked pale and he had shadows beneath his eyes. This was taking its toll on him, having his financial affairs aired in public, plus I knew what else was worrying him. Nadia hadn’t accused him of having an affair with a man yet, but it was likely an ace card—or so she thought—that she and her solicitor were waiting to play if things didn’t pan out in the money stakes.

  “Yes, we’re fine,” Gabe said. “All going to plan so far.”

  “Good.”

  “Thanks for being here,” Brent said.

  “You wanted me to be, so of course I’m here.” I reached out and took his hand. “It will be okay, you’ll see.”

  He pulled in a breath. “So you both keep saying.” He shook his head. “God, I feel sick.”

  “Would you like some water?” I released his hand. “I could go and get you some?”

  “No, it’s fine.” He smiled weakly. “I just need this to be over.”

  “It will be soon enough,” Gabe said. “Just be strong for a little longer.”

  “It’s not strength I’m lacking.” He fiddled with his tie, as though wishing he could loosen it. “It’s being in the same room as her. Knowing what she did, how she made such a fool out of me for so long. The lies, the deceit, it’s hard to live with having been a blind idiot.”

  “You’re not a blind idiot,” Gabe said. “She’s a sneaky adulteress, that’s not your fault.”

  “No, it’s not,” I added firmly.

  He sighed. “I guess.” He glanced between us, a sudden urgency in his eyes. “I just don’t want to become one of those fucked-up blokes who can never trust again, who is always wondering if the people he loves are being true.”

  “That won’t happen,” I said. “You have a good and open heart, don’t change that.”

  “And we won’t let that happen,” Gabe said as he rested his hand on Brent’s shoulder. “I promise.”

  The clacking of Nadia’s heels warned me that she’d returned.

  Brent turned away as though he didn’t want to see her face.

  Gabe and I glanced at each other then I went back to my seat. As I settled, Judge Henderson returned.

  “I’ve come to a decision on the orders,” the judge said, poking at the center of his glasses and pushing them up the bridge of his nose. “As Mrs. Nadia Dawson hasn’t protested to Mr. Brent Dawson’s application for divorce, I declare that all property will remain in the name of Brent Dawson, all pensions will remain in the name of Brent Dawson. Brent Dawson Ltd. will remain intact and untouched. As there are no children to concern ourselves here with financial support, Mr. Brent Dawson will pay a one-off
sum of one hundred thousand pounds to Mrs. Nadia Dawson and then all financial ties and responsibilities will be severed.”

  “What?” Nadia shouted, jumping up. “That’s ridiculous, one hundred thousand pounds, that’s pennies to him.” She pointed at Brent. “That man is worth millions, how can you expect me to take that?”

  “Mrs. Dawson, I suggest you sit down and respect the court’s decision and the agreements you signed prior to your marriage.”

  “Respect the decision! How can I respect you when you’re making me poor? I’ll be on the streets. He’s made a fortune since we married, he’ll be living in luxury and I’ll be desolate.”

  “I hardly think so. Now, please, sit before I have you for contempt of court.”

  Nadia sat and crossed her arms. Her solicitor put his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off and glared across at Brent.

  The judge sighed and removed his glasses. “Mrs. Dawson, your husband has divorced you on grounds of adultery. You haven’t contested that, so did you really think you’d walk out of here today with half of his assets?”

  “He’s loaded, what does it matter to him if it’s split in half? Plus, I should be able to live in the manner that I have become accustomed to.”

  I rubbed my finger on my bottom lip and sat forward. This wasn’t how these family law sessions usually went, but Judge Henderson was an unusual character.

  “Loaded or not, you cheated on your husband, numerous times, I gather. And if you’d truly appreciated living with wealth and fortune, you wouldn’t have risked that by taking another lover.”

  “What choice did I have?” she said, the last word ending on a dramatic sob. “When I had to put on a brave face to cover up what he really is?”

  I saw Brent rub his hand over his face.

  Gabe leaned close and whispered something to him, reassurance I suspected.

  “What do you mean?” the judge asked. “Are there other mitigating factors that you’ve withheld?”

  I knew he was alluding to domestic abuse, which was, of course, ridiculous in Brent’s case, but it was a judge’s job.

  “Yes.” She pulled a tissue from her purse. “There are, and I didn’t want to bring them up, didn’t want to drag his name through the mud, but he’s left me no choice.”

  “Go on…” Judge Henderson said sternly.

  “He’s, he’s…” She turned to Brent and pointed with a shaky finger. “He’s gay, he’s been having an affair with a man for our entire marriage.”

  “Objection,” Gabe said, standing. “This is preposterous and the respondent has no evidence to substantiate this claim of Mr. Dawson being unfaithful.”

  “Overruled,” Judge Henderson said.

  Gabe sat down.

  Damn it, the judge was going to listen to her poison.

  “Go on, please tell me why you have made this adultry claim against Mr. Dawson.”

  Nadia sniffed and dabbed at her nose.

  I could have quite happily slapped her; she was such an actress, such a liar.

  “Well, before he met me he had a relationship with a man. He never told me but I know he did. I saw texts and emails from this person, Samuel someone or other. Then when we married he continued the relationship. Brent would say he was going on foreign business trips but he was really holidaying with this man. Sometimes, he’d be out all night and I knew they were at gay bars together—”

  “Objection, please, Your Honor,” Gabe said, standing and holding out his hands. “This is all fiction and Mrs. Dawson has no evidence to support her wild, slanderous claims because they’re grossly untrue.”

  The judge sighed. “Do you have evidence, Mrs. Dawson?”

  “Well no, but I’m a woman, I know these things.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “Well…” She tipped her head and appeared to be trying to look coy. “In the bedroom, you see, he just…” She held her index finger toward the ceiling then curled it downward. “Couldn’t get it up for me, he was always thinking of this man, Samuel. Of doing whatever men do to each other when they’re together.”

  Brent groaned.

  Gabe leaped up again. “Objection…seriously…Your Honor.”

  “Withheld.”

  The judge looked at Brent. “Mr. Dawson, is this true? Have you also committed adultery?”

  “No, absolutely not, Your Honor. I never would. I have been one hundred percent faithful.”

  “Bloody liar,” Nadia screeched. “I know you’ve cheated, you’re gay, Brent. Have you any idea what that’s like for a woman to be married to a gay man? It destroys her soul.” She tapped her large chest. “It’s heartbreaking, no wonder I went into the arms of another man.”

  “Whether or not your husband is gay, Mrs. Dawson, is irrelevant to this case as is his performance in the bedroom,” the judge said frowning.

  I squirmed on my seat and thought of Brent’s performance in the bedroom. There was absolutely nothing lacking there. Also, the way he’d looked at me in my office the other day assured me that his attraction for women was right on track. He wanted me with a passion that was almost frightening it was so intense.

  “The fact is,” the judge went on, “you were an adulteress, you haven’t denied that, and your husband is divorcing you for it. To make claims now about his fidelity is, quite frankly, too late.” He picked up his hammer and bashed it on the desk. “My decision about assets are final. Your solicitors can tie up the details.” He stood, retrieved his glasses and a pile of paperwork then walked from the courtroom.

  Nadia sprung to her feet, pushed past her lawyer and charged at Brent.

  He stood tall and stepped around Gabe.

  “You’ve done this on purpose,” she said, stabbing at his chest with her finger. “Left me with nothing.”

  “Too right I’ve done it on purpose,” Brent said. “I didn’t want you to have anything. That’s what happens when you cheat and lie, you get found out and you lose.”

  My heart swelled with pride. I knew how much this was hurting him but he looked so strong and in control. He was strong and in control.

  Gabe glanced my way, obviously wondering whether or not to intervene.

  I shook my head slightly. I had a feeling Brent needed to do this on his own.

  “I’m going to ruin you,” Nadia said, clenching her fists at her sides. “I’ll see that everyone knows you for what you are. That you’re a gayboy, that you do men. We’ll see how that works out for Brent Dawson bloody Limited then, shall we?”

  Nadia’s solicitor put his hand on her arm. “I really would advise that you don’t spread libel, it could go—”

  “Get the fuck off me,” she said, a drop of spittle landing on her chin. “It’s not libel, it’s true and I’ll tell the world.”

  “Go ahead,” Brent said. “Do your worst and see if it bothers me.”

  “I’ll more than bother you, I’ll make you wish you’d never been born,” she said.

  “No, you can’t hurt me any more, Nadia. You’ve done too much of that this last year. You’ve put me through hell, what can be worse than that?”

  “You wait, I’ll show you what’s worse than that. I’ll go to the papers, the news, and tell them that you’re gay and a cheat.”

  “You do realize that you have no evidence,” Gabe said.

  “I don’t need evidence when it’s the truth. I’ll find this man, this Samuel, and I’ll pin him down, put a gun to his head, whatever it takes to make him tell me the truth. I’ll get it out of him even if I have to hire some heavies.”

  “Gun to his head? Heavies? Mmm…” Gabe said, glancing around the room. “You have quite a lot of witnesses standing here listening to your threats. Thank you for that, it will be very useful when I see you in a criminal court.”

  “Oh, fuck off,” Nadia said. “What are you, his new bloody boyfriend or something?”

  I stood. This woman had pushed it too far. I snapped my suit jacket straight and walked up to the Brent and
linked my arm with his. “It’s time to go. This session is over,” I said and looked at Gabe. “Come on, we don’t need to stand and listen to his crazy woman any longer.”

  Nadia stared at me with hate pouring from her eyes. “And who the hell are you…?”

  “I really advise you to say nothing,” her solicitor said again and folded his arms. “Your now ex-husband is free to see whoever he wants and of either gender.” His face was stern. “And if you ever need a lawyer again…”

  “I won’t be picking you,” she said, wrinkling her nose and sneering.

  “Thank goodness for that,” he said and held out his hand. “Gabriel, see you around.”

  “Yes, take care, Harold, enjoy that new car of yours,” Gabe said, shaking the other lawyer’s hand.

  He grinned. “I will, don’t you worry.” He walked off.

  “Nadia, come on.”

  I turned. A man in dusty jeans, clumpy work boots and a dirty t-shirt stood at the doorway of the courtroom. He was chewing gum and had an unlit cigarette behind his ear.

  “Dave, I told you not to come here,” Nadia said, reaching for her purse. “Not in that state…”

  “Well, I have come in this bloody state so get your arse out here, woman. I’ve only got an hour and I have to be back on site. My boss is a right bastard if I’m late.”

  Silence rang around the courtroom.

  Nadia turned, threw one last Medusa-like glare at Brent then stalked off. Now I wasn’t sure if she was more furious that she’d lost everything or if she was mad that her new man, who wasn’t a speck on Brent, had shown up.

  “Well,” I said, when she’d gone. “From a legal point of view that couldn’t have gone better.”

  Brent rested his hand over mine. “Yes, thanks to you two, but…” He frowned and shut his eyes.

  “Hey, are you okay,” Gabe said, stepping closer to us and resting his hand on Brent’s shoulder.

  “I think…I think I’d like to be alone for a while. Maybe take a walk or something.”

  “Of course,” I said. “We understand.”

  “Yes, go, clear your head,” Gabe said. “I’ll sort out here.”

  I reached up and pressed a kiss to Brent’s cheek. “And well done, you did great.”