BROCK STOOD by the door with his briefcase and his car keys. “Baby, come on. Josie’s going to be fine with Lacy, and we’re going to be late for our appointment.”
They were going to see the lawyer today, see where they stood. He needed to know what Tim was being charged with, needed to see if Eric’s mother was going to be charged with anything. Hell, he needed to see where Max and Gordon stood. Everything.
He was ready for this to not be hanging over their heads anymore. So ready.
Eric looked as pale as a ghost, but he nodded, eyes back toward Josie’s room. “Jeff’s out there, right?”
“We’ll pass him on our way out. You can tell him to take extra care of them.”
“I will.” Eric smiled for him. “You’ll take me for coffee after, yeah? I called my dad, he’s doing okay.”
“I’ll take you for whatever you like after.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
It felt damned good to have Eric chuckle, nod, smile. He took his lover’s hand and they went out. Jeff nodded at them and he smiled, nudged Eric.
“Take care of them, yeah?”
Jeff nodded. “No one will hurt them, sir.”
“If they go to the park, make sure you stay close.”
Jeff nodded again and Brock smiled, going into the elevator and bringing Eric with him.
“It’s hard, leaving her. Tell me that he’s in custody, and she’ll be fine.”
“He’s in custody, and she’s going to be just fine.” He squeezed Eric’s hand. Much as it would have eased both their minds, they couldn’t be with her every moment of the day.
“Okay.” Eric nodded, squeezing his fingers as the elevator headed down.
“Remember. Stay calm. It’s better for you.” Once out of the elevator, they made their way to his car.
“I’m trying to, huh? I just can’t believe we’re having to see a lawyer.”
“We need to know where we stand on everything. And the best way to do that is to hire the best damn people money can buy.”
“I know. It’s just not easy.”
“I know. I can’t imagine how you felt when your mother sued you for custody. I’m glad you’re not going through this alone.” He stopped next to the car. “I’m glad you called me.”
“I had to. I needed you.” Eric’s face was so serious. “And now I can’t imagine raising Jo alone.”
“I can’t imagine letting either of you go. You’re my family.” He bent and kissed Eric’s mouth, taking it hard.
Eric opened to him, tongue sliding against his, bold and brash.
“You perverts! You don’t deserve a child!”
Eric went stiff, then spun around, hands clenched into fists. “What are you doing here, Mother?”
Brock held back his own snarls and put his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Don’t give her the satisfaction,” he murmured quietly. “We’ll tell the lawyer. It’ll count against her.” If he did what he wanted to do, he was sure it would hurt their case against her. He wasn’t going to let that happen; she needed to be in jail, away from them.
“I came to rescue my granddaughter from your filth, you pervert!”
He tightened his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Leave or we’ll call the police.”
“Call them, Brock. Now. Our daughter is up there.” Eric’s voice was hard as diamonds.
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911.
“Nine one one. What is your emergency, sir?”
“This is Brock Vencenza. There’s a woman here threatening to kidnap my daughter, Josie Wilson. She’s already done it once. I need a patrol car sent over right away to take her away.”
“Yes, sir. If you’ll stay on the line.”
“I will. There should be a case file open for Josie Wilson.” He aimed a steady glare at Eric’s mother, his hand still on Eric’s shoulder.
“I want you to leave her alone, you vindictive, crazy bitch.” Eric was revving himself up, snarling viciously.
“The police are on their way.” He raised his voice to make sure she could hear him. “It’s going in the file.”
“You can’t continue living this life, Eric! You’ll burn in hell!”
“The only one going to hell is you.” God, she was an evil bitch.
“Just go away. She doesn’t need you; I don’t need you.”
Brock could hear sirens. “That’s the cops.”
“I’m going to have you killed. I’m your mother. I will protect that little girl from your filth.”
Eric went gray. “You’re not anything to me, and if you come near my daughter….”
“That was a threat on his life, lady. You just made a big mistake.” She was building the case for them; he kept reminding himself of that.
The sirens were louder, filling the underground parking garage with noise.
“You bought and paid for him with your filthy money.” She nearly spat the words at him, barely making any sense. Then she pulled something out of her purse—a tiny handgun. Eric stepped in front of him, arms held wide, almost before his mind could focus.
“Christ. Eric!” Brock didn’t want to set her off, but by God, she was not going to kill Eric. He pushed Eric to the side, trying to get his body in front of his lover.
“No!” Eric stepped forward, face set in lines of pure rage. “You leave my family alone!” Eric’s voice rang through the garage.
Then another voice sounded. “Ma’am. This is the police. Drop the weapon.”
Brock made another grab for Eric, pulling Eric to the side, away from that gun. The cops moved quickly, one moving in, one pulling them around another car.
Brock’s heart was racing like crazy. He was relieved, angry, pissed off at Eric’s mother and at Eric for putting himself in harm’s way like that. “Don’t you ever do that again,” he demanded.
“What? Protect my family?”
“Step out in front of a gun! She could have killed you!” His heart was still pounding and all he could see was Eric stepping in between him and that damned bitch with her gun. It replayed over and over again in his head.
“Yes. She was attacking my family.”
“You should have stayed behind me.”
“She’s my problem.” Eric looked at him. “You’re my soul.”
“Baby.” What could he say when Eric said things like that to him? He kissed Eric. Hard.
Eric groaned, lips opening up, and the world went away. He could have lost Eric again. For good this time. Groaning, he pulled Eric in closer. Eric’s arms wrapped around his waist, held on tight.
He kissed Eric until he was breathless and then he rested their foreheads together, ignoring the craziness going on around them.
“I want this to be over. We need to make things normal for our family again.” Eric sounded tired.
“We need to find out what normal is for us.”
“God, yes. After we take a vacation.”
“The boat?” They could sail away. Josie was already sold on the idea. It sounded amazing.
“Yes, please. Now works for me.”
The police were swarming, the noise insane, but they were together, focused on each other.
“Stephanie’s going to kill me, but that’s what I pay her the big bucks for, right?”
“It is. You have an iPhone. Let’s go.”
“I have an iPhone. Hell, the yacht has a computer and wireless.” He could call and have the boat ready in two days if he threw a lot of money around. It would take them that long to get flights, get packed, get down to where it was docked.
“I have… a beautiful daughter, a clear calendar, and an endless amount of sunscreen.”
“How much staff are we bringing? Someone to run the boat, someone to help with Josie. A cook-cum-first mate?” He wasn’t going out there without help this time, not with Josie as young as she was, not with him wanting to hide away with Eric and not have to worry about anything.
“Gordon and Max.”
“Yes.” His lover was brilliant.
“Excellent.” Eric reached up, cupped his jaw.
He would have kissed Eric again, but his phone started ringing at the same time as an officer came up to them.
“You’re going to need to come downtown with us, sirs.”
Eric gave him a look. “You need to call your lawyer.”
“Yeah, I do. We’ll have him meet us at the station instead of at his office.” He turned to the cop. “We’ll take my car. But first, tell me you arrested that bitch.”
“Yes, sir. Are either of you injured?”
“No, I’m good. Eric?” He was pretty sure Eric was physically fine, but it didn’t hurt to check.
“I’m angry, not hurt.”
“Of course you’re angry.” He himself was livid. Eric’s mother had been arrested, though, and he was hoping, between the kidnapping and her coming here today with the gun and making threats, that she’d do jail time.
“Let me call Devon.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” Eric nodded, but stayed right there.
He dug his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. He had Devon on speed dial. He wasn’t sure what that said about him.
“Ms. Watson.” Devon’s secretary had been and always would be Ms. Watson. She was a scary old bat who guarded Devon’s door like a bulldog and knew her shit; she was almost as good a lawyer as Devon, she knew that much.
“It’s Brock Vencenza. We were supposed to be meeting with Devon there this morning. I’m going to need him to meet us at the precinct downtown instead.”
“Oh, dear me. I’ll let him know, right away.”
“Thanks.” He ended the call and nodded at Eric. “Okay, we’re good to go. Let’s go give our statements and get this thing behind us.”
“Please. Please, Brock. Let’s.”
“Whatever you want, baby.” He’d move the earth and moon if it’s what Eric wanted.
He guided his lover back over to their car. It was time for this to be over.