Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

DALLAS

They got to the small law office fifteen minutes early, which allowed Dallas to have his mini freak-out in the car. Kylen said nothing, just offering his hand, which Dallas took and let himself be comforted by the heat and softness of his palm.

After ten minutes, he was able to breathe again.

"Hey, babe?"

Dallas looked over and saw Kylen's serious face. His stomach sank. "What's wrong?"

"So…my friend got fired from his job. He's a construction worker."

"Oh shit," Dallas said, confused but ready to be as sympathetic as Kylen needed.

Kylen nodded morosely. "Yeah. I had a hard time believing it, but I went over to his house, and…all the signs were there."

Dallas blinked. And then it hit him. "Are you fucking serious?"

Kylen burst into laughter. "Come on. That's a good one. "

"It's the worst one yet!" But Dallas was grinning now, and he was soft all over as Kylen pulled him close and pressed a very soft, chaste kiss to his lips. "Thank you," Dallas murmured.

Kylen nodded as he backed away. "I've got you, sweetheart. You're not alone."

That warmed Dallas from head to toe, and he felt a little less like a ball of chaos as he grabbed his folder and climbed out of the car. He was halfway to the door when he saw Kylen freeze midstep and turned to see him pull out his phone.

"It's the school."

"Take it," Dallas said. It wasn't going to look good for his case if he lost his damn job because Kylen's sister was behaving like a snake. "I'll let them know you'll be inside in a minute."

Kylen nodded, then answered and hurried out of earshot. Dallas squared his shoulders, then walked in past the mirrored doors and into a very small, very cozy lobby. It reminded him of his therapist's office, which he liked.

There was a big oak desk in the center and a young man sitting behind a computer. He smiled as Dallas walked up. "Mr. Reed?"

He tried not to be startled by the man knowing his name. "Uh. Am I that obvious?"

"Relax," the guy said with a wink. "Your case isn't the worst one we have. You're just our only appointment this afternoon."

Dallas chuckled. He hadn't realized he had been worried about that. "Sorry. I've never really done this before."

"That's probably a good thing. Grab a seat. I'll let Monty know you're here. "

He wasn't expecting the office assistant to call his boss by his first name, but if that's how things ran there, Dallas felt even better. He didn't really subscribe to the whole stoic, three-piece suit, head up their ass ego kind of law practice. For some people, it might have brought them comfort, but he didn't want to feel talked down to.

He wanted to feel like he had some control. That his wants and his needs were important. Especially when it came to his child.

"Go on in." The guy's voice started Dallas, who jumped up and almost dropped his folder.

"Sorry," he said, flushing. He didn't look up at the man's face as he was ushered past a large door, and he froze in the doorway, glancing back. "My friend is here with me, but he had to take a call. Can you let him in when he's finished?"

"No problem," the guy said.

Dallas nodded, then turned and walked in, freezing at the sight of the man who must be Monty. He looked much younger than Dallas expected, with very dark hair, olive skin, very neatly trimmed facial hair, and he was wearing a long-sleeve polo and jeans.

He was leaning against his desk, but he pushed away and offered his hand when Dallas got closer. "It's very nice to meet you." He also had a faint accent. His dark eyes scanned Dallas, a slow up-and-down look that might have made him feel flattered. It certainly didn't feel predatory. It was like a scientist assessing a specimen. "I can tell you're nervous."

Dallas laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I never thought I'd have to do this. I mean, I also never thought I'd be divorcing my wife before she gave birth, so I guess I should stop being surprised by these things."

Monty offered him a look of sympathy. "I understand. If it helps, you're not the first case I've taken with similar circumstances. And we're almost always able to resolve the issues in mediation."

"Almost always."

"There are stubborn people in the world. It can't be helped." Monty gestured at the chair in front of his desk before walking toward his own and sitting. "But we live in a fair and decent county, and I've been in front of most of the judges here. A mother arguing her case against a father simply for being a man isn't something that wins custody anymore."

That was…something. "I don't want full custody. That was in my file, right? I just…I just want what's fair. I want to see my daughter, and I want her to stop being able to take her on my days whenever she feels like it."

"You have documentation of that, right?"

"Texts," Dallas said. He set the folder on the table. "I got my phone company to print them."

Monty pulled them close and flipped through the first couple of pages. "That'll help. She's already violating the custody order."

"That's…bad, right?" Dallas asked.

"It's not good," Monty replied with a small grin. He sat forward and rested his arms on his desk. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything."

Monty's smile widened. "Take a very deep breath. Feel your inhale all the way to your toes, hold it, then exhale."

Dallas knew what Monty was doing. And he knew why. He was slightly humiliated, but he did as the man asked, and after the long exhale, his heart calmed a bit. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I understand how hard this is. I've been doing this a long time, and I've seen the toll it takes on people. "

Dallas pressed his hands over his face and took another breath. His left hand smelled like Kylen's cologne, and that was strangely calming. "I know it's tricky when there's a baby involved," Dallas said when he looked back up at his attorney. "My daughter's still young, and I don't want her to grow up feeling unstable. But I'm tired of my ex making me feel like the bad guy because I couldn't be the husband she wanted. I'm tired of her using Audra to punish me."

"Your daughter may grow up to resent her for it, but it's better to save her decades of pain and end this now," Monty told him.

"That's all I want. She's not a weapon. She's a person—a tiny one with only a few teeth, and she sleeps like shit, but you know," Dallas told him.

Monty fell back into his chair with the force of his laughter. As it died, he looked at Dallas with shining eyes. "I like you."

Dallas flushed. He wasn't used to being appreciated or complimented outside of his little circle. "Thank you. I know I'm an anxious mess, but?—"

"I'm here!"

Dallas would have turned at the sound of Kylen's voice, but Monty's eyes went wide behind his glasses, and his cheeks pinked.

"Kylen. My pilot?"

My pilot? What the fuck? Dallas's ears began to ring as he turned and saw a similar look on Kylen's face. They knew each other. And from the tension, it was probably well. Oh Christ.

Dallas hadn't thought to ask if Kylen was seeing someone else casually. He knew he wasn't committed, but he hadn't thought that Kylen might be having fun with other people. He felt the sudden urge to run, but he couldn't make himself move.

There was another beat of silence, and then Kylen walked up and set his hand on Dallas's shoulder. "Well. This is unexpected."

Monty let out a soft laugh. "It is. I was meaning to call you, but I don't have another flight scheduled."

Flight scheduled? Was that some kind of euphemism?

"It's okay. I had to take time off. My gran got out of the hospital, and I just had her transferred to a care home. It's been a shitshow." Kylen sank down to the chair beside Dallas and took his hand.

What was happening?

Monty's gaze followed the movement, and then his lips stretched. "Ah. The secret boyfriend."

Dallas swallowed heavily. "Someone fill me in, please?"

Kylen glanced over at him carefully. "Montez is one of my private clients."

"For flying," Dallas said, not quite a question.

"No, for my escort service," Kylen said flatly, then rolled his eyes and squeezed his hand. " Yes , for flying. I do private jobs so I can pay my mortgage in between my commercial flights. Especially lately."

Dallas felt like an ass, but only a little. There was obvious tension between them, and it made his stomach hurt because Monty was incredibly attractive. He was also charismatic, funny, and sweet. He was definitely a better match, and it was clear he liked Kylen because of course he did. Why wouldn't he?

"It's even nicer to meet you now, Mr. Reed," Monty said.

Dallas strained to hear challenge or resentment in his tone, but there was none. This was way outside of his social skill set. Fuck, why couldn't Adele have been free for this ?

"Tell you what I'm going to do," Monty said, jolting Dallas out of his spiral. "I'm going to have a look at your file and your court records. We'll make another appointment for next week, and I should have a plan of how to go forward."

Dallas wasn't sure if he was being politely asked to leave or if this was standard procedure. "Uh…how much of my retainer is that going to take up?"

"None," Monty said.

Dallas started at him. "But you'll be doing work."

"And I've been compensated for my time already. For the entire case," Monty said.

It felt like something had sucked all the air from Dallas's lungs. "I don't want pity?—"

"This isn't about pity. I take cases pro bono or for a severely reduced fee because I can. Because I'm not going to lose my house or my ability to pay my bills, and I want clients who deserve to have their day in court to not face those risks either."

"But I haven't paid anything."

"Someone else has. They asked to remain anonymous."

Dallas rubbed the back of his neck. "Fucking Adele."

Monty laughed, and his smile confirmed it, even though he didn't with words. "Not everyone has a support system the way you do. I understand it can be difficult to accept help, even when you need it most. But I don't think the donation was made out of pity either, Mr. Reed. I think it was made out of love."

Monty was right. And once again, Dallas couldn't help but think that the wonderful, lovely man beside him would be so much better off with someone who could give him everything he needed. And Monty seemed more than well equipped .

"Call me Dallas, if you don't mind."

Monty's smile softened. "Dallas. I think my pilot made a very good choice in partners."

My pilot . There it was again. He was starting to wonder if maybe it was just a language thing because Kylen didn't seem bothered or defensive. He didn't seem flirty or distant. He was just himself.

Dallas was overreacting, even if he stood by his belief that Kylen deserved better.

"It was so nice to see you again," Kylen said as the pair of them stood. He offered his hand, but Monty waved him off and walked around the desk, pulling him first into a hug, then offering his arms to Dallas.

It was the last thing he expected from an attorney, but he needed one, so he accepted it. Monty was shorter than him but strong and very warm. "It's going to be okay," Monty murmured softly. "I promise."

Out of the corner of his eye, Dallas saw Kylen react for the first time. His face darkened, and he looked away. It only lasted a moment, but Dallas needed to know. Was Kylen jealous of Monty or of him?

The embrace ended, and then Dallas made an appointment for the following Saturday before heading out the door. The assistant wasn't at the desk, so they slipped out of the building, and Dallas could feel tension between them so thick he could have cut it with a knife.

He wanted to say something, he just didn't know what.

"So," Kylen said as he started the car.

Dallas let out a tired laugh. "Yeah. So."

"Monty."

"Nice guy," Dallas murmured.

Kylen had put the car in reverse, but he quickly threw it back into park and turned toward Dallas. "We're not doing this."

Dallas blinked at him. "I don't know what you?—"

"Yeah, you do. You know what I mean. You had ideas because Monty's hot and sweet and he knew me. I have ideas in my head because Monty's hot and sweet and he very clearly likes you ."

"He…he's my attorney. He just met me today."

"And he asked me out on a date fifteen minutes after we were in the air," Kylen countered. When Dallas said nothing, Kylen rolled his eyes. "Obviously, I said no."

"Why is that obvious?"

"Because I like you . Which should be pretty fucking clear." Kylen actually sounded offended, which made Dallas feel awful. He wasn't trying to be obtuse. He was trying to be logical.

"That was a terrible idea."

Kylen's jaw ticked with tension. "Why?"

"Because he's hot and sweet and he very clearly likes you," Dallas parroted. "And," he added, his voice softer this time, "he can give you things I can't."

"You need to cite specific examples because I can't think of a single thing."

Dallas's chest warmed with something like affection, though he wasn't sure that was it. But it did have him fighting the urge to tug Kylen close and kiss him. "Sex more than twice a year."

"You have no idea how often you'll want sex, so you can't use that. And frankly, I'm okay with twice a year. I'm okay with none a year. I don't want you for sex. Next ."

Dallas was struck silent with shock for a brief second. Then, he cleared his throat. "He's probably rich."

"I own my house and pay my own bills, and since I'll be getting back to full-time work, I'm financially comfortable. I don't care about money. Next ."

Dallas dropped his head back and groaned. "He's not messy like me."

"Well I'm a freak who enjoys things messy the way you are. Next ."

"Work with me here!" Dallas said, throwing his hands up.

"On what? Trying to pawn me off on some other guy? Because that sounds like the worst idea ever."

Dallas's eyes got a little hot, and he glanced away before humiliating himself by crying. Not that he thought Kylen would judge him, considering how he'd been the last twenty-four hours, but still. He was trying to be strong and selfless, goddamn it.

"You're being selfish," Kylen snapped, and Dallas realized he'd said that last bit out loud. "You're afraid of the work."

"I'm afraid of getting hurt . I want to trust you, but history has told me that eventually, people get tired of me."

"People who want more than I do might," Kylen said. "But I like you. Sex and I are ambivalent friends, Dallas. If I get horny, I'm happy to hop in the bathroom and rub one out so I can get back to wrapping you in my arms and watching shitty TV. I don't need sex to feel connected to you. That has never been me. Not in past relationships and not now."

Dallas bowed his head. His defenses were full of spiderweb cracks, and Kylen's words were a mallet. He only had a few strikes left in him before he shattered. He just didn't know why he was fighting it so much.

"I'm sorry for implying he was a better fit for you than I am."

Kylen stared, then barked a laugh. "I wasn't expecting an apology. I thought you were going to keep arguing."

Dallas tried for a chuckle, but it came out closer to a sob, and he didn't fight when Kylen reached for him and pulled him close. "I'm tired of arguing. I'm tired of ignoring the things I want to make other people more comfortable."

"I've been saying this whole time?—"

"I know," Dallas interrupted. He turned his face and nuzzled his nose against Kylen's stubbled cheek. "I know. Just…be patient a little while longer? Please. I can accept that you want me, and you know I want you, but I need time."

"You have it. I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me that this thing between us is absolutely not for you, okay?"

Dallas nodded. He couldn't conceive of a reason why he wouldn't want this. He didn't really know what was holding him back. Maybe when he could think about the future and not immediately see it burning to ash, then he could relax a little.

"How was the school thing?"

"Oh." Kylen pulled back, though he took Dallas's hand and started to play with his fingers. "The guy I talked to…Craig something or other?"

"Mm," Dallas said with a frown.

"Yeah. That's the vibe I got from him too. Not a fan. Anyway, he kind of gave me the third degree. He kept trying to get me to admit I was covering for you."

Dallas was both surprised and unsurprised. He and Craig had never been friends.

"I obviously didn't because all of that is bullshit. I told him that I want it on my record my sister is not to have any contact with the school, and she's removed from all lists on Flora's account. She's no longer allowed to pick her up or sign forms or anything."

"I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

Kylen shook his head, but it was obvious he was holding something back.

"What is it?" Dallas pressed.

Kylen rubbed his fingers around his mouth, then said, "I told him I did want the evaluation though. That I wanted…that I wanted an autism evaluation. He said they'd get something on the books."

Dallas pulled Kylen's fingers to his lips and kissed the soft pads, then his palm. "You're doing the right thing. She either is or she isn't, but however it comes out, she's still perfect. She may hate my guts from now on, but she's perfect ."

Kylen raised a brow at him. "Is this about the yellow card?"

Dallas groaned and threw both hands over his face. "I had to. She knocked over another kid's paint water on his posterboard. She knew better."

Kylen stared until Dallas squirmed, and then he burst into laughter. "Don't worry, baby. I know. And knowing you'll do the right thing, even when it means she might put you on her shit list, makes me lo—uh, like you even more." Kylen was red in the cheeks suddenly and looked somewhat terrified.

Dallas's head spun. He heard the slip. He just decided that the only thing that could save them was to pretend like he'd missed it. So he tugged Kylen close, closed his eyes, then kissed him for exactly how much he was worth.

And that was everything.