“Yes you do, Elise. Just don’t forget the other clauses, that is all I will say.”
Shit, I never thought of that. Surely Uncle Harry wouldn’t be that desperate for the company. It’s just a company—a multi-million dollar company—but nevertheless, nothing to break the law over.
“Elise, dear. Are you still there?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Well thank you for calling, Aunt Sylvia. I’ll call you after my finals,” I say before bidding her farewell.
“Elise, if he threatens you again you go to the police, the board of directors, anybody who can deal with him. Do not take his crap. Okay?”
“Okay, Aunt Sylvie, I promise. I have to go now, we’re just heading out for dinner. I’ll call you again soon,” I say, bidding her farewell just as Brax walks up and wraps his arms around my waist.
“Definitely, dear. Take care. And tell that boyfriend of yours that I’m looking forward to meeting him next time I’m in New York,” she adds, the maternal concern in her voice warms my heart.
I melt into Brax as he brings his body closer to mine, tightening his embrace.
“Hey,” he murmurs as he puts his lips on my neck. I move my head sideways, allowing him to nuzzle his face into my neck.
“Hey yourself,” I whisper breathlessly. Just one touch and my heart is racing.
“You okay?” he asks as he drags his hand up my stomach to the underside of my breast.
“Better now,” I say, arching my back, pushing myself into his hand.
“We better move before we forget about dinner,” he says in my ear as he traces around my hardened nipple.
“What dinner?”
“Exactly,” he says, standing up straight and removing his hands and lips all at once, eliciting a whimper from me. “All in good time, baby.”
He spins me around and kisses me hard on the lips before pushing away from me and walking towards the door. I swear to god he has a swagger to his walk that would melt a nun’s habit. I can’t tear my eyes away from his butt as he walks away from me.
“Another long frustrating night then?” I mutter and he laughs at me again.
“A bit of revenge for locking me out of the bathroom,” he replies with a smart ass grin.
I growl at him as I take my coat from him. “Damn locks.”
We’ve just been seated at Portofino, a nice Italian restaurant a few blocks from our apartment. Elle has wanted to come for months so I’m glad I can finally bring her here. I needed something good to happen today. This week has been so stressful, with school work and investigating Brimstone’s business activities while also trying to find a link between Evans, Brimstone and maybe Gibbons. We haven’t been able to find anything as yet and it is frustrating the hell out of me.
A nice night out with my gorgeous girlfriend is exactly what I need.
We order an antipasto for a starter then I order lasagna while Elle orders a plate of carbonara. We’re halfway through a glass of wine when I see Elle look up above my head, looking confused but smiling. I turn around to see Evans standing beside me, looking down at Elle with his a greasy grin.
“You must be Elise,” he says with his unmistakable southern drawl.
“I am. And you are?” she asks, never breaking eye contact.
“I’m Michael Evans, Brax’s father,” he replies, not missing a single beat. Elle looks back down at me, her eyes wide open in shock.
“Brax,” she whispers. “You told me your parents were dead?”
“Ah, did he now,” the man beside me replies, not even giving me a chance to explain. “He would’ve been talking about his adoptive parents. His mother and I had to give him up when he was two years old, but he went to a lovely couple. Leah and Roger James, isn’t that right, Braxton?” I stand up and turn to face him, looking down into his cold blue eyes.
“I think it’s time you left, Evans,” I say through gritted teeth. “You’ve said more than enough for one night.”
“Aww, Braxton, always with the drama. Nice to meet you, Elise,” he says, holding out his hand to shake Elle’s. She obliges and he leans over to kiss her knuckles. He takes everything I have not to rip his filthy hand out of hers.
As he turns and leaves out the front door I take my seat, but Elle doesn’t look at me. She sits opposite me, staring at her plate of untouched pasta in front of her, not once raising her eyes to mine. Damn Evans! He knew exactly what the hell he was doing when he walked in here. So much for my nice night out.
“Elle,” I say, reaching over the table to hold her hand. “I’ve never thought of that man as my father, you have to believe me,” I implore, waiting for her to look at me.
When she does, I see them wet with tears. “Why couldn’t you tell me, Brax? I bared my soul to you months ago, and this whole time you had secrets?” She’s breaking my heart. The look on her face is soul destroying. We need to get back home so that I can give her a proper explanation. I stand again, holding my hand out to Elle.
“I think we need to go home so I can explain everything to you.”
“I think so too,” she says angrily.
I’ve never seen Elle angry. This is a first.
We walk the few blocks back to our apartment. I hold Elle’s hand the whole way home, refusing to let it go. She’s not going to pull back from me now, we’ve come too far.
We get inside and as soon as I’ve closed the door Elle is standing in front of me, hands on hips, waiting for my explanation.
“It’s not what you think, darlin.”
“Really, Brax? Cause right now it seems like you were adopted out at two years old and you may have lost your adoptive parents, but your biological father is well and truly alive and kicking,” she says, her voice laced with anger.
“Yes, that is true. My biological mother is alive too, but I have never met her. Evans sought me out when I was fifteen, which is the only reason I know him,” I say, hoping like hell she calms down and believes me.
“Okay. I understand that, but why didn’t you tell me? Why leave me to find out like this?” she says, her voice sounding more sad than angry now.
“Because I’ve never thought of that man as my father. My father was Roger James, retired mechanic from Atlanta, Georgia. The man who I left the army for at twenty-two so that I could look after him and his business while he was battling prostate cancer. He was my father, not that man you saw tonight.”