by Sam Crescent
“I’ve been thinking it would work for all of us, yes.”
“Easton’s not interested in a sexual relationship.”
“I don’t know. There’s a lot you don’t know about a man.”
“I think you’re wrong.”
“And if I was right and I invited Easton into our bedroom and into our life permanently, would you accept it?”
She opened her mouth and closed it. She didn’t have a clue what to say. Could she accept him?
“He hurt me,” she said, but she was starting to sound like a broken record and she knew that.
“How did it feel kissing him? Did you like it?”
She nodded her head. It felt too much like a betrayal to say the words aloud.
“Then how about we approach him?”
“You can’t trust him.”
“Scarlett, we can.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know he wants you more than anything else. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. How his gaze lingers and there’s a yearning in his eyes, and it’s all for you. Every single part of it is for you. He will do whatever it takes to have you, at least once.”
“No. You’re wrong.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“You know I do.”
“Then how about you show a little faith in me?” Liam stood up and walked toward her. “This is where our relationship is heading, Scarlett. I won’t lie to you. I won’t manipulate the facts. I will always give you the cold, hard truth.”
“Even when I don’t want to know the answer?” she asked.
“Even then. Now, let’s go out there and have a nice dinner. I know you want to.” He kissed her cheek. “Leave everything else to me.”
****
Later that night, after Junior had gone to bed and Scarlett had gone to have a relaxing bath, Liam invited Easton into his library to have a late-night drink. He knew of Easton’s addictions, so the drink of choice was hot chocolate.
He’d made the drink himself. It was a damn good hot chocolate. Not as good as Scarlett’s but a second best.
“I kissed her,” Easton said, taking a seat.
“Everyone seems content to tell me about a kiss I didn’t see.”
“Scarlett told you?” Eaton asked.
“No secrets.”
“Yes, of course. I should have known. No secrets between the two of you.”
“Did you enjoy the kiss?” Liam asked.
“Look, man, I don’t feel comfortable sharing those details with you. Scar and I, we’ve got a past, and I can’t deny that I blurred the lines today.”
“You did.” Liam smiled as Easton looked uncomfortable.
“Are you going to take my son away from me?”
“Last time I checked I wasn’t a monster, Easton. I believe Junior has a right to know his father, and regardless of what that means for me, I will never keep you from your son. Unless you hurt him or Scarlett in any way. I’m also not stupid. I know you and Scarlett have a past. A history I can’t rewrite and neither of you can change.”
“I won’t cross the line again.”
“Wherever temptation is, you will cross the line. It’s natural for you to. You still have feelings for her after all this time.”
“My feelings for Scar never changed. I couldn’t have her, and I didn’t have a choice in letting her go.”
Liam sighed. “I get it. Believe me, I do. She’s an amazing woman. From the moment I saw her, I knew she was a fighter. The kind of woman I wanted by my side.”
“Look, whatever you’re going to do to punish me, get on with it. I’m not good with waiting for something to hit me in the face.”
Liam laughed. “You think I want to take you outside and beat you up?”
“Why not? It’s what I’d do if Scar was my woman.”
“But you see, she’s not your woman, and I’m not the kind of man who’ll take people out into the street and beat them up. I happen to have a higher regard and respect than that.”
Easton looked around the room, and Liam watched him. He was so broken inside. Did anyone see that? How nervous he was all the time. The guilt was like a marker on his skin, dragging him down, and completely consuming him until there was nothing left. Liam saw it, and he recognized it. This guy, he needed someone to love and to care for him. He just didn’t know how to go about asking anyone for that kind of help. Liam knew he and Scarlett could give this man the kind of love he was looking for.
He hadn’t ever seen such pain and suffering. Even Scarlett when she came into his life wasn’t like this. She could still smile, barely.
“I was thinking we could make a deal of some kind,” Liam said.
“A deal? Seriously? You want me to grab my friends and have a business decision at a time like this.”
“I didn’t say a business arrangement. Let’s refer to it as a more personal one. Something between you, me, and Scarlett.” Liam took a sip of his hot chocolate and saw he had intrigued Easton with his offer.
“A personal arrangement?” Easton asked.
“Yes. One where you don’t need a lawyer, just common sense.”
Easton stood up. “Wait a minute. Are you seriously considering sharing Scar with me?”
“I’m thinking of us each sharing each other. You won’t be allowed to disclose of our private information with anyone. I demand utmost privacy and discretion. Scarlett and Junior are my priority.”
“Wait a fucking minute, are you for real right now? Does Scarlett even know what you’re proposing, or does it not matter to you?”
Liam smirked. “How about you take some time to think about it and you leave Scarlett to me? I’m not promising this will be an overnight success, but she has feelings for you.”
“She hates me.”
“No, she wants to hate you, but she has many other feelings besides hate, of that, I can assure you.”
He released a breath, not really sure what to think in that moment. “I can take some time. You mean share her completely. She’d belong to both of us?”
Liam nodded. “Yes.”
“I’m going to need some time.”
“Take all the time you need.”
Chapter Ten
Monday morning
Easton sat behind his desk, not really seeing any of the work in front of him. All he could think about was Scarlett and Liam’s offer. He’d kissed her, and she hadn’t pulled away. Liam knew the truth, and yet, he didn’t kill him.
He didn’t know what the hell was going on inside his own freaking head right now.
“You’re missing me,” Carla said, suddenly appearing.
“I don’t have time for you.”
“Of course you do. It hasn’t slipped your mind that the weekends you spend with your new precious family, you forget all about me. What Liam offered you, you want, only you’re too chicken shit to take it.” Carla sat across his desk.
He rubbed at his eyes, feeling the beginnings of a headache.
“I need to tell a doctor I’ve been seeing things.”
“Why? It’s not like I’m real. You know I’m not real, and we both know I’m just your subconscious helping you make decisions. Especially the ones you find a little too scary. Like watching a certain guy get naked to go for a swim.”
“He was wearing boxers,” Easton said.
“Pretty much naked and you can’t deny how aroused you get looking at Scarlett with Liam. There is something going on there, and your denying it is only going to make everything worse, just saying.”
“I didn’t ask you for advice.”
“Who are you asking for advice?” Romeo asked, entering his office.
Carla disappeared.
“Nothing. It’s nothing. Just got a lot on my mind.”
“How are things going over the weekend? Do you still love being a dad?”
“Yes.”
“Seriously? You’ve been doing this for nearly a month now and all I’m going to get from you is a ye
s?”
“What else do you want from me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a little excitement. Like, oh yay, I get to be all happy and thrilled and shit. You’ve got a son, and I don’t know, I expected more.”
Easton dropped his pen on the desk and rubbed his hand across his face. “I love being a father, okay? Love it. I wish I’d been there for everything. I don’t like not knowing all the little parts of my son.”
“But?”
“But, I—” He stopped. Liam didn’t want any of their personal or private life mentioned. How far did that go? He knew he could trust his boys, but did it really extend to something like this?
“But what?”
“I’m in love with Scarlett,” he said. He wasn’t going to tell anyone about Liam’s idea or plans. They weren’t going to work. There was no way Scarlett would let him share her with Liam. He’d seen the two of them together; it wouldn’t happen.
“Whoa, and this is a bad thing because?”
“She’s married to Liam.”
“You don’t want to win her back?”
“How can I win her back?” Easton asked. “When I ended it, I was brutal. I was mean. I was everything Karson was and is. That’s how bad I was.”
Romeo held his hands up. “And you can’t make amends?”
“I don’t know how.”
“You want this girl to like you? To love you?”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to start learning how to say you’re sorry. I’d love to meet this woman again. I don’t feel I got a good enough vibe from her at the restaurant. But you also need to realize she was in the wrong as well.”
“No, she wasn’t.”
“Easton, no matter what, she kept your son away from you. That has to hurt, and don’t you think it was wrong of her to do that?”
“I know why.”
“Doesn’t make it sting any less or make it right. This woman, you like her, love her, but you need to understand, she’s no saint either. So, when do I get to meet her again?”
“I want to enjoy this for myself. I’m not in the sharing mood.”
“Totally get it, but we’re your best friends. You know that, right? We’ll be here for you no matter what.”
“I get it.” He gripped the back of his neck, feeling the tension building within him. “I’ve got to get my shit together.”
“I can’t wait to meet the little guy.”
“He’s not so little. He’s eleven.”
“Wow, it still seems only yesterday we were eleven years old.”
“That was a lifetime ago.”
“Not so long ago. I’ll be seeing you.”
Romeo left his office, and Easton sat back in his chair.
He felt … drained.
All he wanted to do was to go and see Liam, to talk more, and he also wanted to talk to Scar.
Picking up his cell phone, he dialed her number. Liam had given him her number on the first weekend he spent with them. He didn’t know if Scar was even aware he had her number.
“Hello,” she said.
“Scar, it’s me.”
“Easton? What’s up?”
“I was wondering how you felt about meeting me?” he asked.
He cringed at the desperation in his voice.
“For lunch?”
He glanced at the clock. “Sure. I can do lunch. Erm, we can meet back at the vegan place if it makes you more comfortable.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in an hour.”
“Don’t bring Liam.”
“Easton?”
“I’m not going to try anything or make you uncomfortable. I’d like to have a conversation away from your home, and between the two of us.”
“I’ll come alone. Bye.”
She hung up the phone, and he put it back in the cradle.
Taking a deep breath, he stood up, only to pause as he saw Taylor in the doorway. She held her daughter in her arms.
“Hey,” she said. “I feel like we’ve not gotten a chance to talk since you came back home.”
“I’ve been really busy.”
“I can see. Do you mind if I come in?”
He didn’t have a reason for her to not come in, so he pointed at the chair in front of his desk.
She sat down, and the baby sounded so cute. Little Carla.
His gut twisted.
“Did you hear the conversation?”
“With your kid’s mother? Yes, I heard.”
Easton felt perspiration dot his brow. “I’m heading out to lunch soon.”
“I won’t keep you. I promise. I know we’ve had a lot of history, you and I. With Carla. I know you said you once missed her.”
“I never wanted her to die.”
“I know.”
“Erm, I don’t think you should hold yourself back anymore,” Taylor said.
“Hold myself back?”
“Carla’s in the past, and you need to start living in the present. You’ve got to find a woman to settle down with and get your happy ending.”
He sat back in his chair frowning. “You do surprise me. I figured with your whole revenge plot you’d hope I’d die and save you a whole lot of problems.”
“I made many mistakes in my life, Easton.” She smiled down at her daughter. “She isn’t one of them. There was a time before Axton and falling in love I’d have gladly seen you miserable. I’m changing, and I want you to be happy, just as much as my husband.”
“Thank you.”
“I also don’t want you to feel the need to keep it from me. I hope we can be friends, and I can prove to you, I’m one of the best.”
“I like that.”
“I better go. Axton wanted me to stop by, but I came to you first.” Taylor stood up. “Would you like to hold her?”
“No, I’m fine for the time being. I’m not ready to hold a baby.” He also didn’t wish to have the reminder of all he’d lost with Junior.
“Another time.”
He never planned to hold the baby.
Taylor left him alone, and he was able to deal with a few important contracts. He was heading out of the office when mail arrived. He placed the large bundle on his desk, only to pause when he caught sight of one letter, stating the prison where his father was being held.
He took the envelope, flipping it over, and glancing at it.
Nial Long was the only person who would bother to write to him. Rather than open the letter, he shoved it in his pocket and made his way to his car in the underground parking lot. Sitting in his car, the letter burned a hole in his pocket, but he ignored it and pulled out of the building. The fresh air didn’t feel good to him.
Why would his father get in touch with him now?
He’d not heard from him since the arrest. Nial had asked for him to post bail, and he’d refused. There was no way he was going to allow a monster on the streets.
He arrived at the vegan restaurant just as Scar did. She parked right beside him and offered him a smile as she climbed out of the car.
“This will rarely happen,” she said, laughing. “I’m usually late or way too early. Never on time.”
“Me neither. This is nice.” He offered her his arm. He noticed he hesitated for a second before taking his arm.
He didn’t speak about it as they entered the restaurant. The place was busy with the lunchtime rush. They stood in the line, ordered their food, and then took a seat in one of the only available two seat tables.
“I’m thinking we should have gone back to my office. We’d have more food and time.”
She chuckled. “This is more than fine.”
“Does my office scare you?”
“No.”
“Being alone with me?”
“Easton, you don’t scare me. I told Liam about the kiss, and he didn’t mind.”
“About that, I’m pleased you brought it up.” He leaned forward, wanting to be close to her. “How well do you know your husband?”
“Really well. I
know him better than I know anyone else. Why?”
“He offered me something the other day, with you, with him.” He saw her cheeks start to turn red. “I don’t think you know him as well as you think you do.”
Scarlett took a deep breath.
He waited as she composed herself. “You’re right. We should have done this in your office. I’m aware of what Liam has offered. He talked to me the night he offered what he did to you.”
Now it was Easton’s turn to be taken aback.
“And you’re still with him?” Easton asked. “He offered to share you.” He kept his voice down.
“I know. He believes you and I have … unfinished business. I don’t know if he’s right or not, but Liam, he knows me. He knows my limits, and even though I find his approach somewhat clinical and direct, I know he will only have my best interest at heart. Is this why you wanted to have lunch? To try and turn me against Liam?”
“I hoped you had all the facts before I made a decision.”
“Liam’s not a monster, Easton. He cares a great deal. There’s a lot you don’t know about him, and if you’re willing to give this a shot, then so am I. There, I’ve said it. You broke my heart, crushed it, and it took me a lot to get back up and pick up the pieces, but I did. I’m willing to take a chance and to either end this thing once and for all, or for us to find some way to get past it. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have ever kept you away from your son, and I apologize for that, I really do. There’s no way I can make up for all that I took from you. But what I don’t need is you trying to tell on my husband. I love Liam, and I will defend him at every single turn. I need to go.”
“Your food,” he said, trying to stop her from leaving.
“I’m not hungry.”
He watched her go, wishing he’d kept his fucking mouth shut. Sitting back, he saw no reason to rush back to the office. His best friends would only want to know what was going on, and he didn’t want to tell them how he’d fucked up with the only woman he loved, for the second time.
After ten minutes of eating, his cell phone went off.
Of course it was Liam.
“You want to tell me the deal is off?” Easton asked.
“No. I’m wondering when you’re going to realize we don’t have secrets. I don’t believe in prolonging what I want. You’re going to need to realize this if you decide to be part of us. I can make all of your wishes and desires come true, Easton, but only if you’re honest with yourself and truthful with me.”