Even I know that their shitty, humid flat is not good for his condition. Not to mention the endless noise that can be heard through the paper-thin walls.
Even the cat is constantly jolted awake by a sudden thud or scream in that hellhole.
The same cat that’s currently rubbing against my sweatpants and leaving hair galore. In the span of a week, she ruined exactly five of my suit jackets and dirtied double that amount of the rest of my clothes.
And yes, even the cat, Lolli, had to come along. Jay insisted not to leave her alone.
Lolli.
Jesus fucking Christ. Nicole couldn’t be more predictable than a criminal who’s been caught red-handed pleading not guilty.
The cat mewls, probably trying to get my attention, so I sigh and lower myself to pet her. She purrs, headbutting my leg, and then she jumps on my knee.
“Give you an inch and you’ll take a mile, huh?”
She just meows in response and it almost sounds like a whine.
What the fuck am I doing?
Jesus.
Not only have I opened my house to Nicole but also to her brother and cat.
And the worst part is that my flat feels…full. There’s no emptiness echoing from the walls or the biting edge of loneliness.
Though that dreadful atmosphere does return after I drive them home later. Which defies the whole purpose of my not going to their awful neighborhood that could turn into a crime scene at any second.
Still, I couldn’t let them take a taxi.
Not at night, when the psychos and predators come out to play.
It’s enough that she ran away from England. However, something tells me that wasn’t only because of Jayden.
Uncle Henry saw the bruises on her face, not the baby’s. She was the one who was hurt.
I didn’t ask, because she would’ve brushed me off. Which is her modus operandi for everything lately.
More specifically, ever since I casually mentioned that I would fuck her.
Well, not so casually, considering that I wanted to make it a condition to keep her job.
Harassment much? Probably.
I should be on the law circuit’s black list, not on the front of every single one of its magazines.
The job was hers anyway, but the fucking part was my way to make her feel like she means nothing.
She doesn’t.
Which is why I have to fuck her to prove a point. Ever since she barged into my life again, I’ve been constantly hard like a teenage boy with hormonal issues and abstaining like a fucking priest.
Now, I could’ve fucked a random brunette. Like those two girls I kicked out the day she came here and I touched her beauty mark.
I was positively hard at that moment, but not for them or their less than subtle advances. I was hard for her.
The woman who’s driving me bonkers and becoming a problem in my scheme to take over the world. Sorry, I mean, to regain control over my life.
And I had to come all over my hand like a caveman because Nicole wasn’t excited about my offer to fuck her out of my system.
She was disgusted by it.
I could see that emotion written all over her delicate features and could hear her say her famous line, “Eww, gross. Not in this lifetime, loser.”
And I might’ve become a colossal jerk as a response. It was either that or bend her over my desk and take her from behind like an animal in heat.
I need to take care of this business as soon as possible. The more she lurks in my fantasies, the harder it’ll be to chase her away.
And that should happen soon-ish. Today, if my dick has any say in it.
The trial for Jayden’s custody is a few months away, and after that, I’m going to refer her to another branch of W&S in some other state.
I can’t live with Nicole in the same city and also hope to be able to breathe properly.
That’s simply not going to happen.
“She likes you.” Jayden’s voice interrupts my bewildered musings as he stands in front of me, motioning at Lolli, who’s practically sleeping on my lap. “Even more than me, the traitor.”
I smirk. “I’m the likable type.”
“Not to Nikki.”
This little jerk needs to be less direct about his words or I’m going to strap some duct tape to his mouth.
“Your sister has terrible taste,” I say loud enough for her to hear me.
If she does, she doesn’t show it, because she’s still engrossed in the tablet. I doubt she’s even noticed that Jayden left her side.
“No, she doesn’t.” He still takes offense on her behalf, crossing his arms over his awfully juvenile Minions T-shirt. “Just because she doesn’t like you, doesn’t mean she doesn’t like others.”
I narrow my eyes, then continue to pet Lolli. “Others?”
“Yeah, Nikki has a lot of guys wanting her.”
A red-hot feeling forms a haze over my vision and it takes everything in me not to revert to the bitter cunt I was eleven years ago.
When a lot of fucking wankers wanted her, too. When they looked at her like they wanted their tiny dicks inside her every hole.
But I didn’t have to worry about it much, because she always, without exception, told them, “Eww, gross,” and looked at them as if they were dust on her pristine shoes.
All of them.
Every single one.
Except for the fucking cunt from that night.
Pretending I’m fascinated with Lolli’s black furry head, I ask, “She introduced them to you?”
“No, she says she doesn’t have time for them.” There’s a grim expression on his face. Guilt.
He feels sorry, probably figuring out he’s the reason why his sister doesn’t have time to live her life.
This kid is too sharp for his own good.
“She could have time for me,” I announce out of nowhere. “Considering we work together almost every day”
It’s Jayden’s turn to narrow his brown eyes on me. “You still haven’t proved yourself worthy, Dan.”
“I make triple digits from the attorney job alone. I work with mega international corporations and a sovereign family in Europe, not to mention I have more money than ten generations would be able to spend, even if they flew first class to Mars. Oh, and I have a model’s face and body that photographers won’t stop moaning about. I’m the best choice you have.”
His eyes widen, but then he clears his throat. “That’s only on paper.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re the perfect candidate except for one small detail. Nikki still doesn’t like you.”
“That is not true.”
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that she avoids you every chance she gets.”
I clench my fist, stopping myself from strangling Lolli and Jayden with her.
“That’s because she’s playing hard to get.” Or she’s actually disgusted with me, judging by her horrified expression.
“What does that mean?”
“Not so know-it-all now, huh?”
He lifts his small chin. “Either tell me or I won’t support you.”
“You’ll support me anyway, because you know I’m the one.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Dr. Evil.” He places a hand at his hip, like Nicole. “Now what does playing hard to get mean?”