“It appears so.”
She looked from Jonas to Dan. “Does this have to do with the money she said she needed for the new car?”
Dan was clearly angry and replied, “I don’t think there ever was a car.”
“Her accounts are frozen as well,” Jonas explained. “And an attorney doesn’t come cheap.”
“She kept all of this from me,” Dan fumed. “I had to hear it from the kids.”
In the past few weeks, Bella had learned the hard way that honesty was crucial in a relationship, and her dom was a stickler about it. Was Allison the reason behind it? If so, discovering Bella’s web of lies had to be a real kick in the teeth for Dan. Despite everything, he had stuck by her, which said something about the depth of his feelings. Bella was grateful for his patience and understanding. She had promised to be open and truthful in the future, and she was more determined now than ever to keep that promise.
The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her, like a lead blanket draped over her shoulders. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to process everything that had occurred.
“What happens now? Will she go to prison, do you think?”
Dan leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily as he raked his hair back then dragged his hands down his face. “It’s still uncertain, but the DA in Austin has a reputation. He doesn’t bring charges without a really strong case, so it doesn’t look good. Allison is in a vulnerable position, and, by extension, so are my kids.”
“How are they taking all of this?”
“They’re struggling,” Dan replied, his tone even, but she could see the worry etched on his face, the furrowed brow and tense postures. “They knew something was going on with their mother—the sudden mood swings, the restless pacing, the tears that seemed to come out of nowhere.”
Bella laid her hand on his forearm, a paltry offer of comfort, but she was at a loss over what else she could do. “I’m not one to kick someone when they’re down, but now might be the time to ease her stranglehold on you and renegotiate custody.”
Jonas barked with laughter, making her jump. “Damn, Dan. Your girl is ruthless. I like her.”
“I do, too,” he told his friend, although his gaze remained fixated on her. “You’re right, baby. It’s time to put an end to this bullshit. What I do in my free time is completely legal, but what Allison does apparently is not. The kids don’t like Evan, although he may not be in the picture for much longer. The same could be said about their mom. I’m not waiting to find out. I’m calling my lawyer and going for full custody. This decision will impact both you and me, Bella.”
“That shouldn’t even be a consideration,” she said emphatically.
Dan nodded, gratitude shining in his eyes. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“But we can’t expose them to my problems. It’s too dangerous, as yesterday proved.” She looked down at their joined hands, hating what she was going to suggest. “Maybe I should accept Robinson’s offer.”
“No,” was his resolute response. “That is not up for discussion. A change in custody doesn’t happen overnight; we’ll fix your little problem then tackle mine.”
Despite the seriousness of their discussion, she couldn’t help but giggle.
“Something funny, baby?”
“Yeah,” she replied, “I’d love to see the expression on Lorenzo’s face hearing anything he’s involved with described as little. His overinflated ego and head would explode.”
The alarm system sounded an alert.
“That’s the guys.” Jonas rose and strode for the door to let them in.
When he left, Dan pulled her into his arms. “We’re going to make it through the shitstorm swirling around us, Bella. Then we’ll have calm, boring seas ahead, I swear.”
“Calm and boring sounds great. As long as we can squeeze in a few LBD Wednesdays and dungeon time at the club. Is that possible in our boring future?”
“Hell, yeah. I’m not giving up playtime with you. I’ll call in reinforcements to make it happen.”
“Like who? Everyone we know goes to the club, too.”
“Not everyone I know,” he corrected. “Marjorie Ogilvie will jump at the chance to spend time with Em and Caden.”
“Marjorie?”
“My mother, also known as Grandma. The kids adore her, and you will, too.”