Chapter 25

"Listen to me," Grady tells me from his fancy chair behind his desk. This office gives me the creeps every time I'm in here but only because any time I'm in here it's to discuss a legal issue and those are never fun regardless of what they are. "It's my job to focus on Lori's parenting of Elsie or lack thereof. It's my job to focus on Lori's abandonment of your marriage and of her parental responsibilities. You pay me to do the dirty work, alright?"

I nod. "Yeah. I get it. So, what do I do?"

"You sit back and smother your kid with love and attention. You look like the model parent. Not that you aren't that already. I know you're nervous about this but I guarantee you there is zero need for any anxiety here. When we meet with Lori I'll set her straight. She'll either walk away with nothing or she'll spend years in jail."

"What about statute of limitations? Or proof? I don't have proof that she left Elsie in her crib that day. It's my word against hers."

"No." He shakes his head. "You filed a police report. That's enough. It's on record. I could call the police right now and turn her in except that I don't know where she is at this literal moment. So, this is the best play. Let her think you're giving in. Let her think she'll be on the next flight to dream town with a few million in her pocket. It'll get her in the door and then we'll give her the nasty truth."

"Grady I can't thank you enough for tackling all this."

A slow smile spreads across his face. "That's why you pay me the big bucks, Miller."

"As far as I'm concerned you're worth every penny."

___

"Are you ready for today?"

Ada circles her finger lazily over my bare chest as we lie in bed together. In order to make sure I had my wits about me to fight Lori, I asked my parents to take Elsie for the weekend so I don't have to worry about her. And then I spent the entirety of last night buried deep inside Ada fucking away all my stress and anxiety and reminding her over and over again, one orgasm after another, how very much I love her. Waking up and realizing she's still here with me, still in my arms…grateful doesn't do my feelings for her justice. She's been a lifeline through all my stress. She willingly unzipped all my baggage and helped me sort the clean from the dirty. She's been my biggest lifeline.

"Actually, yeah. I am." I inhale a deep calming breath and release it, covering her hand with mine. "I feel good. Grady seems to have everything prepared and with any luck, she'll play right into our hand."

"I have no doubt that's exactly what she'll do," she says. "She's got dollar signs in her eyes. She's not focused on anything else. Her lack of preparation will bite her in the ass for sure."

"I'm sorry you won't be with me today."

God, do I wish she could be sitting next to me in that office.

"You know I can't be there with you in person. It wouldn't be right. But I'll be with you." She taps my chest lightly right over my heart. "In here." Then she reaches up and kisses my temple. "And in here. And then when it's all over, I'll be celebrating with you and about fifty thousand other fans."

"You're coming to the game tonight?"

"I wouldn't miss it. I've got my bedazzled jersey ready just for the occasion."

I turn my body towards her so we're facing each other and wrap an arm around her soft naked body. "Will you let me eat you out after I pull off another shut-out wearing nothing but that jersey?"

A broad smile stretches across her face and she winks at me. "Maybe if you beg."

I roll us over again so I'm hovering above her this time, gazing down at her beautiful hazel eyes. "Sweetheart, I'll spend all night begging if it means I get to fall asleep tonight with the taste of you on my lips."

"Then I guess we have a deal, Mr. Miller." She spanks my bare ass, making me laugh.

She could do that again.

And again.

And again.

"Now get up and get showered. And put your best suit on. Your focus right now is on your freedom. Yours and Elsie's."

I kiss Ada's lips one last time and then reluctantly climb off the bed and head for the shower. She doesn't join me because she knows damn well if she did I would never leave because I'm a sucker for her naked body and a hot steamy shower. So instead, I spend my time under the water thinking about all the encouragement Ada has given me over the last several weeks in regard to my issues with Lori. She had every opportunity to hate me. To be pissed at me for not giving her the whole truth about my marriage to Lori. She could have left and I wouldn't have blamed her. And even just now when she kicked me out of bed, she told me my focus was to be on my freedom. Mine and Elsie's. She said nothing of herself. She didn't include herself.

A month ago, I may have freaked out about her not including herself in my future. I may have worried that she was going to leave me. Leave Elsie. It was my number one fear the day Lori showed up at my door after four years.

But things are different now.

Ada has a whole new confidence in who we are as a couple. She's so fucking strong. The best support system a man like me could ever ask for. I know her focus on me and Elsie isn't because she doesn't want to be a part of my little family. She's not leaving us. It's because in order for our story to have the happy ending she knows I have to fix myself before I can move forward with us. I have to slay the dragon before I save the princess. Or in my case, my queen and my princess.

And I can do this.

I want to do this.

And I can't wait to see Lori's face when she realizes she's the dragon.

And I'm the one with the sword.

___

I haven't seen her in four years but she looks exactly the same.

Straight blonde hair pulled tight in a high ponytail. She's dressed in a tight black pencil skirt and matching silk blouse with a large bow at the neck. Her blue eyes are vindictive as she smiles at me from across the conference room table, but there's something slightly off about her. Her eyes are bloodshot, and her face gaunt. She doesn't look as healthy as she did when we were together and since I've seen it thousands of times in athletes over the years, I know exactly what I'm looking at.

She's fucking high.

And if she's not high, she wants to get high.

I scoff to myself, shaking my head as her lawyer pulls a chair out for her. She sits down and brings her clasped hands to the table before she finally speaks.

"Hello, Zeke."

Fuck you, Lori.

Drugs? Really?

You're on drugs now?

Is that why you want my money?

To get your next fix?

You deserve nothing but a lifetime of pain and misery in the depths of hell.

Those are all the things I want to say to her in response.

But I don't.

Grady advised me to bite my tongue and say nothing unless absolutely necessary so that he and the mediator can do their jobs. As much as it pains me because I sure as fuck want to rain down the insults and fuck-yous until she begs for mercy, I will do what he suggests. Even if it kills me.

"Right. So, now that we're all here we can get started." Mr. Brookstone, our mediator, opens his folder and clicks his pen. "We're here to settle the terms of divorce between Ezekiel and Lori Miller. I have with me the terms each party has requested." He hands both lawyers a few stapled papers. "I'll give you a moment to go over these and then we'll proceed with any negotiations needed."

Grady doesn't even lift the paper from where it lands in front of him. "Mr. Brookstone there won't be any negotiations from my client this morning."

Lori and her lawyer glance up from the papers in front of them, surprised at Grady's comment.

"Ms. Miller won't be receiving a dime from Zeke."

"WHAT?" Lori's outburst is predictable and I have to bite my cheek not to laugh in her face.

Her lawyer clears his throat and shuffles in his seat. "Uh, I believe as my client has been married to Mr. Miller for seven years, she is indeed entitled to compensation in the form of a percentage of his salary."

"Fifteen million dollars?" Grady laughs. "You really think you're walking out of here an instant millionaire?"

He nods, lifting his chin with a confidence he clearly doesn't have but is trying his best to fake.

Who is this guy?

Is he even a lawyer?

"Fifteen million is half of Zeke's salary. That's common knowledge and should rightfully go to my client."

"Actually, Mr. Price," Mr. Brookstone intervenes. "Illinois is no longer a community property state. I trust you know this. A couple's property or finances are no longer divided equally. If a settlement is not agreed upon in this meeting, a judge can and will allocate funds as he or she sees fit based on particular circumstances."

"I understand that very well." Mr. Price nods, "but even still, my client feels fifteen million is more than fair to compensate for her pain and suffering…"

"Pain and suffering," I scoff with a laugh. Grady nudges my knee with his to stop me from saying something I'll regret. Mr. Price on the other hand, glares at me from across the table and continues.

"It will help her pay off any outstanding debts…"

To her drug supplier you mean.

"And will give her a fair nest egg to aid her in her future endeavors."

"Future endeavors in jail, maybe."

"Excuse me?" Mr. Brookstone asks, his face now pointed at me.

Oops. Did I say that out loud?

"What my client means, Mr. Brookstone," Grady says, covering for me, "is that perhaps Ms. Miller neglected to tell her lawyer that she has a warrant out for her arrest and has for several years for abandoning her one-year-old child the day she walked out on my client."

"That's absurd!" she cries. "I knew Zeke would be home soon. I knew she would be fine."

"You fucking left our baby asleep in her bed and drove the fuck away, Lori! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I…" Her jaw drops and she shakes her head. "It's your word against mine, Zeke. You have no proof. You're making shit up to try to shut me out."

"Oh no?" I shake my head. "So, you didn't know about the warrant then? You've just been traveling the country for four years, hopping from place to place for the hell of it?"

She folds her arms over her chest. "Yes. And there's nothing wrong with that. And besides, you cheated on me."

"I have done no such thing."

"No?" She smirks. "Then who's the little whore who answered the door the other day when I stopped by.

Grady leans forward. "Mrs. Miller, I'm going to assume you're referring to Ada Lewis."

"Yeah. Ada. That was her name."

"Right. She was hired several months ago to be Elsie's nanny as my client was going to need someone who could be around to make sure she could get safely to and from preschool. I assure you several people interviewed her before she was offered the job and she has done an excellent job with Elsie's care since she accepted."

Lori's eyes narrow as she stares me down but she has no recourse, so Grady takes the lull in conversation to continue. "Mrs. Miller we have the video of the day you left on my client's Ring Doorbell. Time stamped. We also have in that video the time my client returned home that day. Three hours later. To a screaming crying child, soiled and wet and laying in her crib."

"But…"

He pulls out a stack of papers from his folder and hands them to Lori's lawyer. "We also have the police report from that night and the note you wrote explaining to my client that you were leaving him."

"But I…"

"Let me tell you how this is going to go, Lori," I seethe. Grady tries to stop me but I'm pissed enough that I don't care anymore.

It's time to slay the fucking dragon and be done with it.

"You're either going to sign these divorce papers and you're going to sign away all of your parental rights to Elsie and walk away with absolutely nothing from either of us except the mercy of my not calling the police to tell them exactly where you are…"

Lori gasps, tears springing to her eyes.

"Or you're going straight to jail." I shake my head. "You will not pass Go. You will not collect two hundred dollars. Or two million dollars or even two cents. You will rot in jail for the rest of your God forsaken sorry ass life for abandoning your child."

"Zeke," she pleads.

"You will have nothing whatsoever to do with Elsie ever again. You will not come near her. You will not touch her. You will not talk to her. You will no longer be her mother. And if I so much as hear a whisper of your whereabouts and it's anywhere close to me or my child, I will make your life miserable. Do you understand me?"

She sits back in her chair, swallowing her words and then looking at her lawyer for guidance. He shrugs his shoulder and shakes his head silently and turns to the mediator.

"Okay, it seems the path is clear here, Mrs. Miller," Mr. Brookstone explains. "If you did in fact intentionally abandon your child for more than a twenty-four-hour period…"

"Try a four-year period," I scoff.

"That is felony in the state of Illinois and you could be looking at significant prison time if convicted. In my legal experience, a mother intentionally abandoning her child never sits well with a judge or jury. If you're looking for my professional opinion—"

"I'm not. I have a lawyer, thank you very much."

Yeah. He's a real winner, Lori.

She chews on the inside of her mouth no doubt pondering how she can get out the mess she's put herself in. Her eyes slide up to meet my cold hard stare and I refuse to look away as I slide the settlement across the table.

"Your choice, Lori. I'd sign the damn papers if I were you." I huff out a laugh. "Though you and I both know I would never be you."

She sits back in her seat and sighs. "You're not willing to give me anything?"

"Not. One. Fucking. Dime."

"Fine," she finally acquiesces. "I'll sign the damn papers."

Fucking right you will.

She grabs a pen from her lawyer and I watch with disdain as she adds her signature to the appropriate forms and slides them back to me. Grady points out exactly where I need to sign and I do so with fervor and then hand them to the mediator.

"It's done." He stands and shakes hands with Grady and Mr. Price. "I'll take care of the rest. Mr. and Mrs. Miller, your divorce will be finalized by the end of the day."

Without saying another word, Lori and her lawyer stand and exit the room and I breathe a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you, Mr. Brookstone," I say, shaking his hand.

"My pleasure, Mr. Miller." He tugs my hand so I lean in a little closer to him and whispers, "And good luck tonight. The Anaheim Stars are a strong team this year."

"Thank you, Sir. And you're right. They'll definitely give us a run for our money, but I'm confident we'll pull out a win."

"I'll definitely be watching."

Grady walks me out of the office building to my car explaining all the tiny details of having everything finalized and reassuring me that I am now a free man.

Free.

That word has never felt so good.

I climb into my car and pull out my phone, sending a text to the one person I've been thinking about all morning.