Page 21 of Soaring Free
“Theo! I asked where your sister is,” Savannah stage whispers at me.
“I know, but we are going to first remove you from the center stage in front of the courthouse, okay? I know what I’m doing, Kitten, trust me.”
“I’m not a damn cat.” She tries to move away from me as she hisses, but I just tuck her closer into my side. I didn’t mean to let that nickname slip, even though it fits her perfectly.
“But you have the razor-sharp claws of one.” I barely hold my bark of laughter in as I once again envision a kitten riding a dragon but can’t hold back the smirk on my face as I guide us down a corridor and into an empty small conference room. After shutting the door behind us, Savannah spins to likely read me the riot act, but I hold up my hand to hopefully stop her from usingher claws to verbally scratch me. Her eyebrows shoot up and her pillowy lips are pursed into an angry pout. Fuck, I want to know if her lips are as soft as they look.
“I’m sure you have choice words at the moment, but I need you to focus. Please? Take a deep breath.” I pause and raise a single eyebrow until she does just that, but her eyes are narrowed and her claws are still ready to attack. She’s adorable even when she’s pissed off—I know better than to tell her that—and I need her to focus. “Pippa is stuck in another court proceeding and if she can make it, she’ll meet us there, and if not, I’ve got this covered, okay? This is routine and there shouldn’t be any surprises up there in store for us. We are the ones launching the nukes today. You’re in good hands. But you also need to remember that your battle does not start when you enter that courtroom. The battle starts the moment he can set his eyes on you, especially after his recent tantrums.” She looks down at the ground, and I place my hand on her forearm with a gentle squeeze and wait for her to raise her eyes back to me. “I will not have you standing alone in front of the courthouse for him to accost you without any representation or protection.” My voice is commanding and I try to soften it a bit, but the idea of Shane even trying to upset her is really pissing me off right now.
She softens at that and exhales a deep breath. “Good. Do that again, Savannah. Take another deep breath. Remember who you are—you are the queen here. He is the fool. That’s right; nice, deep, cleansing breaths.” Her chest rises and falls with each deep breath, and I should win some type of award for controlling my basal instincts, instead of admiring her incredible chest. “Shane does not get to rile you up because he does not have the power here. He only gets to do that if you choose to give him the power to do that, and we’re not doing that today. Okay?”
“Okay.” Her meek whispered response isn’t going to work for me.
I shake my head. “No, Savannah, who has the power here?” My voice is deep and commanding, oh well, so much for softening it for her.
She blinks a few times and looks at me from under her long lashes. “I do.”
“And who is going to come out on top in all of this?”
“I will.” She rolls her shoulders back and stands a little taller.
“That’s right. You will not bow to a court jester. Even if you have to fake it a little, you will not show him any weakness, okay? You are not weak. You are a powerful queen. Say it.” I know I’m demanding right now, but I can’t have her walk into that courtroom and allow Shane the satisfaction of thinking he somehow got to her or made her question anything about herself. I have read enough research on the importance of affirmations in my pursuit of being the best father possible, and I know how powerful the right words can be to one’s psyche.
“I’m a powerful queen.” Her voice is a bit steadier, but I still need more.
I need to push her a little more. “Yes. Say it again.”
“I’m a fucking powerful queen.” Good girl, now she sounds like she means it.
“There she is, I knew you had it in there. You’ve got this and I’ve got your back, okay? Let me do the talking, you just keep your head held nice and high so your crown doesn’t slip a single inch, okay?” The smallest smile appears on her beautiful face and she nods once in agreement.
“Alright.” I check the time. “We’re going to make our way to the courtroom now. You defer to me, and if you must look at him, you slay him with the bitchiest, coldest ice queen glare you have in your repertoire. I’m sure you have some fierce ones in there.” That gets a bark of laughter from her before she squares her shoulders again. “Otherwise, eyes on the judge or eyes on me, got it?”
She nods. “I’ve got this. I’m good. He is not worth my concern.” She slightly lifts her chin and transforms into the frigid ice queen I knew she could pull off.
“Yes, you’re right. You do have this.” She’s a fucking warrior. I turn to open the door but stop when she puts her hand on my forearm.
“Theo?” Her voice is softer, and dare I say, even slightly vulnerable.
“Mmm?”
“Thank you.” She squeezes slightly and I have to take my own deep breaths to control my physical response to her.
I place my hand on her lower back and we walk into battle together. “My pleasure, Savannah. My absolute pleasure.”
Chapter fourteen
“What’s the end game here, Sav?” I didn’t even see Shane when I walked out of the ladies’ room, but he now has me boxed in the corner of the hallway. I look around him, but I can’t see Theo—I can’t see anyone but my ex looming over me. “Are you happy now? Do you feel like you’re winning? And what the hell were you thinking retaining Smith and Harrington as your attorneys? Did you really think I wasn’t going to connect the timing of this federal probe bullshit that came out of nowhere a few days ago and you pushing back on our divorce? Like that isn’t somehow a parting gift from one of your brothers?”
Shane is seething, and honestly, I understand his anger, but I have no idea what federal probe issue he’s taking about, or how it would involve my brothers. He thought he had full control of how this divorce was going to unfold when he fired the first shots, but he overlooked my access to The Cavalry and having my family’s bank accounts at my disposal. Honestly, he underestimated me, and I’m starting to see that he has been doing that for a while now.
The hearing went entirely in my favor and he was fuming by the time we walked out of the courtroom. His previous injunction that froze our assets was thrown out, although now any significant purchase needs to be approved by both of us until everything is settled, which is fine because I wasn’t the one buying real estate without my spouse’s knowledge. Thankfully, the required approval does not include regular monthly and household expenses. I still have Jack’s credit card, but it’s nice to know Shane isn’t controlling my literal purse strings anymore orpreventing me from buying bread or toothpaste for our children. Before I can respond to him, Shane’s livid face turns an unnatural shade of red and a vein in his neck begins throbbing with each beat of his racing heart. My chest tightens and breath quickens as a foreign feeling crashes over me—I have never been afraid of this man, until this moment. He takes a step just a little too close for my comfort as he towers over me, but it is brief as his shoulder is quickly yanked backwards away from me.
“Get the fuck away from her, immediately,” Theo growls—literally growls like a bear. His eyes are burning with fury and Shane’s legal team is quickly stepping between the two of them. Shane chose to have one of his firm’s junior partners represent him, which tells me he’s still representing himself and stuck attorney Kyle Clark on it for appearances only. Helping Kyle pull Shane away are Shane’s senior paralegal, Jimmy, and another junior associate attorney that I don’t know as well, but I’ve spoken to Cooper a few times, and at least once at my own house when we hosted the staff Christmas party last year.
“Shane, man, come on, step back. Don’t do this. You’re better than this.” Kyle tries to talk him down.
“I’m sorry, Savannah. Are you alright?” Shane’s paralegal asks me and I nod to Jimmy. I’ve known him for close to a decade, and the remorse on his face for this confrontation is clear but misplaced. Jimmy didn’t do anything wrong; his asshole boss is the one that just cornered me—quite literally. I don’t know why Shane thought he would be able to keep the penthouse out of the divorce proceedings. He bought the five-million-dollar condo while still married to me, and prior to any separation papers were filed, so when Theo filed Pippa’s motion to have it included in the divorce proceedings and settlement, Shane was blindsided.
