by Erin R Flynn
“It’s registered. I have a concealed carry permit for New York, but I haven’t gotten one here yet.” I nodded when his eyes flashed shock. New York was notoriously hard to get a permit in with all the violence there. “I went through all the classes and passed the right qualifications. There was a reason I needed one, which was part of why I moved.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had a problem here, when it sounds like you’ve had too many already,” he said gently.
I wanted to say that Donovan was just an annoyance, not really a problem, but that would sort of downplay that whole having him arrested thing. The officer gave my gun back, since I hadn’t fired it. I let them out through the front door, promising to fill out a full report in the morning.
I texted Tasha and told her what had happened. And as much as I hated to be pushy, I was freaking out I was too secluded to be missing walls and still staying in the house. But I didn’t want to just go to a hotel either, as then someone could rob the place. Fuck.
Sleep was hard to find again, but after a bit of tossing and turning, I managed.
I went the next morning and filed the official report, not caring that the charges would probably be dropped, or at worst, he’d get a slap on the wrist. I just wanted it all on the record and clear that there was no business between us, so he got his head on straight and left me alone.
Ash was livid though, and not happy I didn’t call him right away. What could he have done? He still lived at his dad’s house, and wasn’t on his own yet.
I think that depressed us both—especially when he couldn’t get a chance to come sleep over until a week later when there wasn’t a football game so his Friday and weekend were all mine.
And I planned on making the most of it. He did too, because he kicked me out of the bedroom for a surprise. I heard someone pull in the drive, assuming it was the Greek food I’d ordered, and went to the door.
Instead, Gavin was there, smiling brightly at me.
“Hey, coming out to greet me, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “I thought you were dinner.”
He shrugged. “You can eat me.”
“Uh-huh. What can I do for you, Gavin?”
He smiled. “I just thought I’d stop in and check on how you’re doing. I left my number, but you didn’t call, so I thought I’d just say hi when I saw your SUV was here.”
I raised an eyebrow at the balls on him. “So I don’t call, and your answer is to drop by on a Friday night?”
He shrugged again. “Gotta love a bold guy, right?”
His ego was beyond confident, and it annoyed me so I stepped aside to let him in, his face lighting up like he’d won something.
He followed me to the kitchen and I gestured to the kitchen stool he could sit on if he wanted as I pulled out drinks and stuff for dinner. He didn’t, leaning against the wall and watching me like he was plotting his next move.
“Baby, I need you in the kitchen,” I called out, noting how Gavin’s face slowly fell.
“Woman, I’m trying to romance you,” Ash threw back as he stomped out of the master suite. “I’m seducing you tonight, no matter if kinky kitchen sex is on the table or you’re naked on the counter.”
“Yeah, you poor thing,” I cooed him as he came into view. “I didn’t actually mean that need.”
His eyes filled with heat, and he was on me a moment later, kissing me desperately. “I love having you for an appetizer before dinner.”
He lifted me onto the counter before I could answer and yanked my shorts off, spreading me out and diving right in faster than I would have thought he could seriously move.
“Ash, Ash—”
“Mm, scream my name for me,” he growled.
“Seriously?” Gavin bitched.
Ash froze and slowly lifted his head, blinking at his cousin.
“I was trying to tell you we weren’t alone,” I defended. “He showed up to be bold.”
No, bold was Ash lowering his face down and giving my pussy a long lick as he stared down his cousin. “Sorry, she’s mine. Thanks for stopping by, but we’ve got plans.”
“Your dad is going to freak,” Gavin warned.
“You going to tell him?” I seethed, giving him a look that would be stupid. “He’s eighteen. So what?”
“His dad’s an asshole, that’s what. And no, I’m not going to tell.” He huffed. “Cut it out, Ash. I get it, she’s taken.”
“I don’t mind,” I chirped. “He could drill me right in front of you and show I was his, and I’d call that a fun Friday night.”
“You spoil me,” Ash moaned, but pulled me to sit up and to the edge of the counter. “Another night. I’m seducing you tonight.”
“You seduce me every night, baby,” I promised him, tasting myself on him as I kissed him. There was a knock, on the door and I chuckled. “That’s dinner.”
I slid off the counter and picked up my shorts, quickly throwing them back on as I headed for the door to leave the cousins to handle whatever.
“How did this come about?” Gavin demanded.
“What does it matter? It did. It was going on when you showed up to move her in,” he threw back as I thanked the driver and signed for the food.
“Seriously? I mean, seriously?”
“Yes, seriously,” Ash drawled. “I love her.”
It amused me until I took the food and kicked the door closed. Then Gavin went over the line.
“Come on, man, you can’t be in love with a chick in her thirties. You play with one that age until you are that age. You don’t get involved for real with them. She won’t be serious about you either.”
“Well clearly I chose the right Perry then,” I snarked as I came back in the kitchen. “And I’d ask you not to speak for me like you know me, especially while standing in my house.”
“Fair enough,” Gavin agreed, holding his hands up in surrender. “You got to admit it’s weird, and people will frown on it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, whatever. Don’t be so sexist. There are tons of guys in their thirties dating younger woman. He should be a college freshman, but he missed the cut off by a week. Like really, yeah, I’m robbing the cradle.”
“And I pursued you,” Ash threw in. “I kept begging to kiss you.”
“Yes, you do beg nicely,” I praised, focusing back on Gavin as I opened containers. “Just because you wouldn’t have something real or don’t get how this could work, don’t go putting your shit on us.
“You’re not us. We fit well together and I could see if I was getting in the way of Ash’s future, but I’m supportive of what he wants. We’re not getting married. We’re dating.”
“For almost two months,” Ash added with a shrug. “I’ve never been happier. That’s where we’re at.”
Gavin’s expression changed. I saw his annoyance melt away, and instead seeing his cousin, rather than just competition. “Just be careful, and I don’t mean because you’re young. Your dad won’t just let this go.”
“I’m not worried about his father,” I said before Ash could interject. “I have more than enough weight to throw around if he tries to start trouble for either of us.” I shook my head when Ash opened his mouth to worry. “Baby, trust me, okay? He’s partner at a prestigious Denver firm, but it’s only here. My attorneys are partners at international firms with all kinds of bite to their bark.”
Ash’s jaw dropped open. “You’ve checked into my dad?”
I snickered. “Of course I did. The second you alluded to your home situation, I had my people check into him. He tries to act like a parent and start shit about who you choose to date while in high school, and I’ve got all the ammunition I need of how little he comes home or calls you, while having evidence that Abby does not speak with you in a motherly sense.”
“Damn, you ain’t playing with him,” Gavin muttered, giving me a shocked look.
I smirked at him. “I protect what’s mine, and Ash is mine.”
“I love you too,” he whispered,
kissing my shoulder before helping me get all the food out. “Shit, Meave, my mind is spinning out.”
“Trust me—”
“No, not that,” he cut in. “I’m seriously hard thinking of eating my gyro off of you and how tzatziki sauce might taste on you. I wonder it with everything, now that I ate that chocolate cake off of you.”
“Be a good boy and I’ll get some naughty syrups, so you try every flavor you want.”
“And on that note, I’m out,” Gavin chuckled as I stared at Ash, and he looked back at me like we were both going to burst into flames. “Got it, you’re off the market.”
“Have a good night,” I muttered, waving him towards the door.
We didn’t even wait until he was out to the house, Ash bending me over the counter and fucking me deeply.
Food would reheat. He was worth that and so much more.
11
Ashton
The thing with Donovan hadn’t blown over into nothing, like Meave had thought. She wouldn’t drop the charges and admit on the record it was all a mistake, so the asshole lashed back.
I was shaking with rage when she told me that he’d filed a defamation and breach of contracts suits against her. She assured me it was a bullying tactic to get her to back down, and she wasn’t worried.
I was. Especially when I saw his attorney was my dad.
Fuck.
I called my dad and told him we needed to talk about it. I left several messages, and finally, he called me back, completely annoyed that I was distracting him from what was important.
And yes, he said it like that. Asshole.
I told him there was something he needed to know about the case, but he brushed me off, laughing at me that there was nothing I could tell him, and to stay out of his business. Not to act like a stupid kid who wanted to play adult.
Did that fucker forget my age again? Fine, I wasn’t a real adult, but to be so dismissive and demeaning to your eighteen-year-old son was just… I so missed Mom.
I was shocked when Meave told me the court date was set for middle of November, but she explained that there were always a lot of delays, because the other side had to get their defense together.
They were ready, and Donovan’s offer of extensions and whatnot to be “generous” was to drive up legal costs and put pressure on Meave. He was hoping to influence her business.
But she just laughed and assured me he didn’t even know her secret or could touch her.
I believed in her, I did, but I was freaking the fuck out. It took all I had to focus on school and midterms. I knew football back and forth, so I went through the motions, and in some ways, that took the stress off of me.
Meave was amazing though. Every time I got stressed out, she worked her magic on me—and not the witch kind—and helped me. Or we talked more about college applications.
I was applying to state schools in Colorado Springs and Denver, my dad assuming I would just apply to where he wanted, and not even giving a shit enough to check on it.
What kind of dad doesn’t even ask about college? He declared twice at a few dinners years ago that I would play for the best Division 1 school I could get into… And that was it?
Part of me wondered if he was just going to cut me off once I graduated. He’d probably get rid of Abby then too. Completely cut his life from before and anything that reminded him of Mom, and rot in his selfish hole.
Meave seemed to agree when I told her that. It took away any guilt I’d felt about going behind my dad’s back and focusing on the future I wanted. I’d gotten interest from scouts, but I’d said clearly I didn’t want to play in college.
People were shocked, and my coach at school was furious, but it was my life, not his. He could be pissed all he wanted that he spent so much time on me, but I thought Meave was going to smack him.
“You’re here to educate them and coach them for the season, not look at each kid as an investment in your future so you can get a better coaching job on their coattails, you fucker,” she’d yelled at him when she walked up on him tearing me down after a game. “I’d be more worried about keep your current job after I talk to the school board about this.”
She didn’t, but the coach shut up, and fast. I loved how she wouldn’t put up with shit and fought against bullies. Always.
Unfortunately, today was the day she was going up against the biggest bully I’d ever met. It was awesome I could say that about my dad. Really.
I was a ball of nerves as we walked into court. The only reason I could was he had an early release day because of a teacher education day, which seemed code for “everyone had turned in papers and projects and the teachers now had to deal with them.”
Meave had told me I didn’t have to come several times, but I had to. If I could be there, I wanted to be there and support her.
Even if it meant going against my dad.
“Your Honor, we’re asking for an immediate dismissal of this case,” Meave’s attorney, Jerry, started the moment court the case was read. “Mr. Donovan was caught illegally entering my client’s premises, not only trespassing, but unlawful entry, in the middle of the night, and when she wouldn’t drop the charges, this lawsuit was filed.
“She told the police the truth, and at no time has made any public statements that could remotely constitute defamation. This is clearly a bullying tactic, especially when you take into account that there was no contract to breach.”
“A verbal contract is binding in Colorado,” Dad interrupted. “I understand you might not know that, since you’re not from here—”
“Yes, thank you, but I’m still licensed to practice here and can read,” he shot right back. “More than that, I can submit proof my client had no intention of doing any business with Mr. Donovan, and your client has nothing but his ego.” He went on before Dad could reply. “Your Honor, with your permission, I’d like to play a voicemail my client left me moments after her meeting with Mr. Donovan.”
“I’ll allow it,” the judge agreed.
“Jerry, hey, it’s Meave. I met with one of the contractors you listed for me to try that did good work. I’d suggest not recommending him again. He never even asked me what I wanted, but strolled in here like he owned the place and me, talking about how I needed this and that for all the babies I’ll have, like a good woman should. It was disgusting, and maybe the most unprofessional meeting I’ve ever had.
“I told him I’d call him if I was interested—which clearly I’m not, so I won’t—but the dude is off his rocker. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt sexually harassed, preached to, and looked down on as stupid in such a short amount of time, since he barely let me speak. The only thing I’d recommend him for is a creepy character in a TV show where they find bodies in his basement.
“I think I’ve found the right person by accident. We’re on the same wavelength, she’s got a lot less ego, and if her proposal is half as good as the vision she was giving me, she’s twenty times better than Donovan. She doesn’t do outside Colorado yet, but maybe she’ll do designs for others to use. Just an idea because I know Jamison was thinking of new offices.
“I’ve got two more meetings just to keep my options open, but my gut is telling me it’s her. Oh and Donovan has a tiny, tiny prick like his tiny, tiny brain, but I’ll spare you what else my gut says about him. I’m sure you can guess what my answers would be. You’ve worked with me long enough to know, after all. I’ll email you any contracts to review. Miss you.”
“So clearly, my client wasn’t entering into verbal contracts, as she states that he didn’t give her much of a chance to speak or ask her what she wanted. Both parties have to contribute and discuss parameters for a verbal contract to be considered viable, and to enforce it requires witnesses.
“Neither are factors here. The fact we can prove that Mr. Donovan did not even contact my client in the weeks following that one meeting shows no intent of acting upon this mythical verbal contract. And telling her attorney that the man is unprofessi
onal and some other colorful insults is not remotely defamation.”
The judge held his hand up to my dad and focused on Meave. “Ms. Washington, were there any specifics discussed during this meeting?”
She stood and shook her head. “No, Your Honor. He rambled about importing tiles and countertops, and I might have bobbed my head along that I was listening.
“But I had a list of very specific requirements I gave the other contractors I met with, including plans for the greenhouse that I added to my property. He not once asked what I wanted.”
“Did you try to correct him at any time?” he checked.
“I did. I told him I didn’t want children, and he told me that was ridiculous, every woman worth anything wants tons of kids, and then went back to what he was saying with a dismissive wave, as if upset I interrupted him.
“I decided the path of least resistance and headache was to let him lecture and politely show him the door. That was the only contact—until he showed up in my house in the middle of the night, threatening me that I would regret it for calling the police.”
“We have sworn affidavits from both responding officers that Mr. Donovan clearly and loudly said it for them to hear before they even entered the premises,” Jerry told him, holding up some papers. “Along with affidavits of Mr. Donovan bragging at the clubhouse of the golf course he’s a member of that he was going to sell Ms. Washington everything he wanted before he made sure she was on call to join him for events whenever he wanted someone pretty to escort him.”
My blood boiled that the asshole had made Meave sound like nothing more than dumb arm candy. I hadn’t known that part.
“This is all hearsay and fluff around the root of the problem, Your Honor,” Dad argued.
“Oh, as opposed to the ‘he said, she said’ depth of this lawsuit for a verbal contract enforcement in my client’s home?” Jerry threw right back. “And we asked for your proof of this defamation and slander you were going to submit as proof, and never got any.”
“Enough,” the judge cut in. “I’ve heard enough. I’m dismissing the case, and filing a ruling that Mr. Donovan cover all of Ms. Washington’s court costs.”