Page 68 of Adrift Without You
Once we hand him over to the E.R. doctors and I complete the paperwork, I make my way to the waiting room to see how Bren is faring. He’s sitting motionless in the corner chair, staring blankly ahead, clearly in shock. Without a word, I grab his hand and lead him down the hall, searching for a place where we can have some semblance of privacy. When I spot a recessed doorway under some stairs, I tug him into the shadows and pull his body to mine.
I hold him so tightly that it must hurt, but he doesn’t complain or pull away. His arms slide around my waist, then fist at the fabric of my shirt. Swaying gently to calm us both, I bury my face in the curve of his neck, allowing my tears to fall. Immediately, his scent calms me, the warmth of his arms giving me the comfort I need.
“Bren, I thought it was you. I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life.”
“It’s okay. I’m okay.” Bren strokes my back, and I allow my weight to sink further into his arms. “Ky, I’m here and we’re both okay. You saved Jeff’s life.”
“I thought I was gonna lose you.” I relinquish my hold, cupping his face with my hands, then press our lips together in a firm kiss. Bren kisses me right back, drowning me in hope.
“Davies!” Kelly’s urgent voice echoes off the walls from down the hall. “Davies, where you at? We got another call, we gotta go.”
Reluctantly, I pull away. Bren looks confused and torn, and likely still shaken from the accident. “I have to go,” I say. “I love you.” With a quick squeeze of his hand, I turn and jog down the hall after Kelly.
I place a hand on my knee, forcing my leg to stop its incessant bouncing. I’ve been sitting in the reception room waiting for Charlotte to call me into her office for the last ten minutes. She requested this meeting, claiming she has good news, but I’m still nervous.
My phone buzzes with a notification and my heart swells when I see Bren’s name on the screen.
Bren:Are you free for dinner tomorrow night? I want to say thanks.
Well, this is a surprise! I’ve been jittery and restless since Jeff’s accident two days ago. There’s really nothing like the threat of losing someone to suddenly and unequivocally put life in perspective. I’m about to reply when the receptionist appears.
“Mr. Johnson, Ms. Hunt will see you now.”
Standing, I thank the receptionist and walk to Charlotte’s office, knocking softly on the open door.
“Kyle, come in and take a seat. How are you?” Charlotte motions to the chair in front of her desk.
“All things considered, great. Even James has backed off—no more pointless phone calls trying to bait me into an argument over Lu.”
“Well, I’m not surprised to hear that. I’m just waiting for his signature on the division of assets, which he has already agreed to, and the parenting agreement has been finalised.”
“What? Seriously? How? Why?”
Charlotte clasps her hands together on the desk. “How shall I put this delicately… James has carefully considered the ramifications of a certain video landing in the wrong hands.”
“But you know I don’t actually have a video. Only those photos.”
“Come now, Kyle. You know how these things work.” She winks at me with a mischievous grin. “What’s important is thathebelievesyou have it. Although God knows how he thinks you obtained this video.”
I chuckle. “Oh, that’s easy. I told him I’d been suspicious he was cheating, and, at his work party a few months ago, when he thought I was in the men’s room, I was actually setting up a micro surveillance camera in his office.”
“My my, Kyle, I wouldn’t want to get on your bad side. You’d make a great lawyer though. Anyway, now to the good news. You’re getting full custody and Lucinda is free to choose when and how often she spends time with her father. And,” Charlotte holds up her index finger to let me know there’s more, “a fifty-fifty asset split because James knows if it gets out that he’s been fornicating in his office with his paralegal, taking him on business trips with company funds, and abusing his position of power, his career will be over. He’s leaving his firm wide open to a sexual harassment suit, and it’s not a good look for a married man of fifty-four to be railing a twenty-four-year-old on the side—especiallywhen you’re gay.”
My eyebrows shoot up at that last part, not to mention the idea of James railing anyone. Although her assumption is understandable, since James is dominant in general and only submissive in bed.
Charlotte raises her palms in defence. “Hey, I don’t make the rules, but peopledoget rather judgemental when it comes to gay men.”
“True,” I concede. “And just for the record, James is the one getting railed.”
Charlotte smiles, raising one perfectly groomed eyebrow. “I see. I guess he’s a bossy bottom then.”
I laugh as she stands and walks around her desk, taking a seat on the edge in front of me.
“Kyle,” she says, serious once again. “He cares more about his career and his status than anything else. He wants this overand done with so he can get some distance from it. From what our investigator has learned, he’s already found a new position in another firm for his plaything. I suspect he’ll keep it hush-hush for six months or so and then he’ll announce he’s in a new relationship.”
Charlotte pauses, gently placing a hand on my elbow. “There’s no easy way to say this, but they’ve been together for almost two years. I’m sorry if that’s hard to hear.”
“No, it’s fine,” I say, and I mean it. “This is the best I could’ve hoped for. Honestly, thank you, Charlotte.”
