The Dom’s Submission: Complete Series by Ellis O. Day
CHAPTER 20: Terry
Terry sat in his office staring out the window. The last two weeks had been terrible. He didn’t want to do anything. Everything was routine and unappealing. He woke, took care of Beast and went to work, where he sat. Nothing sparked his interest or motivated him.
After work, he’d go home. He didn’t even go to the Club anymore. There was no point. He didn’t want any of those women. He wanted Maggie. Ethan and the others had called him numerous times, trying to get him to come by for poker or something, but he’d declined every time, making up excuse after excuse. He’d have to go there soon; they were threatening to bring the game to his house and then he’d never get rid of them. At least at the Club, he could stay for an hour and leave—go home to his empty house and sleep. If it weren’t for Beast, he might never get up again, but the dog needed him. At least, someone in his life did.
The intercom buzzed.
“Yes?”
“There’s a Sarah Daly to see you, sir.”
She was probably here to bitch at him. Even though he hadn’t been to the Club, he’d been calling Nick and hounding him about the prenup. He had to get his friend to sign one. Nick was innocent in the ways of the world. He’d never been really hurt and Terry had to protect him from as much of it as was possible. He’d start by dealing with the bitch Nick was going to marry. “Send her in.” Finally, there was something that interested him—saving his friend.
He put the papers that he’d been pretending to study aside. Sarah walked in. He stood. He didn’t want to but it was an ingrained reaction when a woman entered the room. “Sarah.”
“Terry.” She strolled across the office, her long, lean legs making short work of the space. She was an attractive woman but he didn’t like her. She was going to end up crushing his friend and that made her his enemy.
“Please, have a seat.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk.
“Thank you.” She sat.
“Would you like something to drink?” He could use a stiff shot, but it was too early for that unless she wanted one.
“No, thank you.” She pulled two large, manila envelopes from her purse.
Damn. The woman couldn’t even be accommodating about that. He sat. “So, what brings you here”—he glanced at the door—“without Nick?” He wanted to make it clear, if it wasn’t already, that he was Nick’s friend.
“I’d like you to look over the prenup my lawyer prepared for me.” She handed him one of the envelopes.
“You have a prenup?” This was just perfect. She was protecting her assets but Nick’s were hanging free and unprotected like a naked man in a knife factory.
“Yes.” She crossed her legs and studied him. “I know you don’t like me and you blame me for Nick’s refusal to sign a prenup—”
“Obviously, he’s not refusing to sign yours, is he?” He pulled the papers from the envelope.
“He’s agreed to sign whatever I give him.”
“Stupid bastard.”
“Exactly.”
“If you want me to tell him to sign this”—he waved the documents in the air—“you’re in for a surprise. I’m not fucking-over my friend.”
“Are you done?” There was a hint of amusement in her green eyes.
“No, I’m not done.” He tossed the papers on his desk. “This is ridiculous. It proves that you only want his money and that—”
“Stop throwing a fit and look at it before you condemn me.”
He stared at her, disliking her more than his ex-wife right now and that was saying a lot.
“Please.” She pushed the papers across his desk.
He grabbed them and starting reading. He glanced up at her. “Your lawyer wrote this? A lawyer you paid?”
“Yes. She wasn’t very happy about it either.”
“Hmm.” This didn’t make sense. He finished the document. He should keep his big mouth shut, but…“Do you understand what this says? What will happen if you and Nick get divorced.”
“Yes.” A bit of doubt crept into her eyes.
“You could lose everything. Everything you have now and everything you make in the future.” There was no way she understood that. No way.
“I know.”
“Why?” None of this made any sense. She was after Nick’s money. She had to be. It was what women did. They promised to love a man and then they changed their minds, taking half of what he made, what he’d worked forever for, along with things that couldn’t be replaced, like kids and a home and companionship.
“Nick refuses to let you write a prenup. I know you think it’s me who doesn’t want one, but you’re wrong.” Her lips twisted into a half smile. “Nick is a bit naïve about life.”
His eyebrows shot up. He thought that too, but he’d had no idea she did. Nick and naïve were not two words that normally came out of a woman’s mouth.
“I don’t know how much you know about my past.”
“Not much.”
“So, you weren’t privy to my background check?”
“No. I’m Ethan’s lawyer not his private investigator.”
“It’s nice to know that not everyone at the Club is told everything.”
“Ethan is very serious about his business.”
“Believe me, I know that.” She smiled and Terry almost smiled back. There was something charming about her. Her smiled faded. “I lost someone a long time ago. He…he fell out of love with me. It happens and it’s no one’s fault.”
He didn’t agree with that. If a person made a commitment, they stuck with it. Worked at it. They didn’t leave and take the kids, take his family.
“I didn’t understand that at the time. I don’t think any of us do if we’re the one left behind. It causes us—well me, anyway—to make bad decisions. Decisions based on anger and hurt. Decisions that we aren’t proud of later but have to live with.”
“If you did something illegal, don’t tell me. I’m not your lawyer.”
She smiled sadly. “I wish it were something like that but it was worse.” Her eyes were filled with a sorrow that he couldn’t even comprehend. “I was pregnant and when he left me, I hated him and our baby.”
“A lot of women have abortions.”
“I thought about it, but then Adam died. That baby was all that was left of him in this entire world, but it was too late.” She looked down at her hands. “I lost it.”
“I’m so sorry.” He’d had no idea about any of this.
“They say it was the stress but I can’t help feeling that if I’d wanted that baby, loved it, it would’ve lived.”
“I’m sure that’s not the case.”
She wiped her eyes and looked at him. “Probably not, but it’s how I feel and that’s why I want to make sure that Nick is protected.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “If he leaves me or cheats on me five years, ten years down the road, I’ll be so hurt and angry that I may do something I’ll regret like take him for every penny I can. This will protect him and me.”
“This”—he tapped the papers—“is not protecting you.” He was still on Nick’s side, but he didn’t want to see her do anything stupid either.
“But it is. It’s protecting me from a lifetime of regrets.”
“Oh, I think you’ll regret signing this if you and Nick separate.”
She laughed a little. “Probably, but not as much as doing something that will cause me to hate myself years later.” She handed him the other envelope. “I’m hoping that when Nick sees the prenup I gave you first, you can convince him to sign this one instead.”
Here it came. The prenup that’d ruin Nick’s life. She was good. Her sob story had gotten to him, but he’d heard a lot of sad stories in his career. He’d never let them affect his judgement. He took the papers from the envelope and skimmed over them. “These protect what you have now but anything you make in the future will belong to both of you. If these are signed, you can still take half of everything Nick has now and later.”
“I want you to draw up a prenup for Nick, protecting his current assets.”
“Already done.” He pulled some papers from his desk. “The dumbass won’t sign them.”
She took the papers from him and read them. “May I have a pen?”
“Sure.” He handed one to her. “You may want your lawyer to look these over before…”
She signed and handed them back to him. “I’m quite familiar with contracts and unfortunately, now prenups.”
He stared at the papers. She was for real. She didn’t want Nick’s money; she just wanted Nick.
She stood. “Please, get Nick to sign the second prenup.”
“I could give him the first and screw you over big time.”
Her eyes gleamed with amusement. “Nick wouldn’t do that to me. Plus, I haven’t signed them yet.”
He glanced at the last page and smiled. “Smart girl.”
“At least, not stupid.” She grinned.
“Sarah, I can honestly say that it’s been a pleasure.” He stood and held out his hand.
“Same here.” She shook it.
He sat down but she didn’t leave. “Is there something else?”
“Starting over, letting someone else get close after losing everything is hard, but it’s worth it.”
“I’m glad you’re better.” He didn’t think she was just talking about herself.
“It took work, but staying home alone with my dog, although I do love Tank, wasn’t enough for me.” Her gaze drifted over his face. “Or for anyone. Take a chance. Sometimes people surprise us.” She turned and stopped at the door. “Oh, we’ll be at the Club tonight. Can you bring the papers by then?”
“I wasn’t planning on going to the Club tonight.”
She frowned. “Please. I’d like to get this prenup stuff behind us and”—she flushed a little—“Nick is going to feel the need to punish me after this and we’ll be in the perfect place.”
He laughed. “I’ll be there.” Nick was a lucky man. He felt the need to punish a certain woman, but she wanted nothing to do with him any longer.
