Egotistically Yours by Hayley Faiman

Chapter Forty-Eight

LAURENT

The last thingthat I want to do is leave Bethie’s side. I said I never wanted to take my eyes off of her again, and I meant it. But this is some bullshit, because I need to finalize shit with Cody and I am not bringing him here. I don’t want him to ever lay eyes on Bethie again. One fucking crazy prick is enough.

Standing at the edge of the bed, I look down and give her a smile. She’s curled up in a little ball, her hands tucked beneath her cheek. Then as if she senses me, I watch as she opens her eyes and looks up to me.

“Your meeting?” she asks.

Nodding my head, I continue to watch her in silence for a few more moments. “I don’t want to leave,” I admit.

She smiles as she pushes up to a sitting position. “You’ll be home soon?” she asks.

“As soon as humanly possible,” I say.

She rises to her knees and crawls toward me. I try to tell myself to control my body but seeing her on her knees crawling toward me makes my cock stand at attention. She lifts her arms, wrapping them around my shoulders before she touches her lips to mine.

“Hurry home, Laurent,” she whispers against my lips.

“Bethie?” I ask.

She hums, sliding her tongue along my bottom lip, then touches it to my top lip before she pulls away slightly and looks up into my eyes. “I just need to feel you,” she whispers.

“Baby, I don’t want you to use sex to work through what happened,” I say even though I know I’m a liar, I would totally work through everything with sex if it was possible.

She shakes her head. “It’s not that. I’m still nervous about what happened and on edge, but the sex is just because you’re insanely beautiful and I’ve missed you. The stress and pressure is done and I just want to feel you again.”

Fuck.

How can a man say no to that?

“I’ll order in a nice dinner, we’ll enjoy some time with your parents, break the news about our move. Then later tonight we can enjoy dessert?”

Her eyes widen and her lips curve up into a smile. “I like the sound of that,” she says on a whisper.

Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek and slide my thumb along her bottom lip. “Fuck me, how did I get so lucky?” I ask.

“It’s not you, Laurent. It’s me, I’m the lucky one.”

I snort. “Baby. I have no job. I’m fucked in the industry for years and my monthly income right now is dependent on my trust fund. I am not a catch.”

She shakes her head a couple of times, her eyes watering right in front of me. “That’s simply not true, Laurent. You’re a loving and caring partner, you’re an amazing father. You protect us and care for us, you’re beyond a catch. I almost need to pinch myself daily to believe that this is my life.”

I wish that I could believe her words, but I just can’t. Instead of arguing with her, I just smile and touch my mouth to hers in a quick kiss. “I’ll be home when I can. Call me if you even think there’s a problem. Keep your phone on your person,” I demand.

She smiles and touches her lips to mine. “I’ll keep it in my bra if I have to,” she rasps.

“Fuck me, I’ll have to text you all day, keep it on vibrate.”

Taking a step back, I lift my hand and give her a small wave before I leave the room. The last thing that I want to do is walk out of this house, but it’s also what I need to do. Making my way downstairs, I’m not surprised to see Rob sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

I tried to talk Rob and Lidia into staying at the hotel nearby, but they refused. They each slept on a sofa. One in my office and the other in the living room. I feel guilty as fuck for that, especially after walking in to see the way that Rob is stretching his back.

“Hotel tonight, and I’ll pay for a masseuse,” I grunt.

Rob lifts his gaze to meet mine, his lips curving up into a grin. “I’m not as young as I used to be, no matter what I think. Back is killing me, but I couldn’t be away from her, from them.”

“It’s killing me to go to this meeting. I understand. You have them?” I ask.

Entrusting anyone to Bethie and Tucker right now sends a wave of panic throughout my entire being, but they are safer with Rob than anyone else. I feel that in my bones. After telling him goodbye, and lifting my hand in a wave, I leave and head to my meeting.

I expect to feel a sinking feeling as I drive away from her, away from the penthouse, but I don’t. I feel at peace, a bit free, and I know once I sign the papers that feeling will only increase.

Being free of my mother’s restrictions and contracts is fucking important for my peace of mind, if nothing else.

I want to be free of Susan Astor once and for all.

I should probably feel bad that I want to be free of my own mother, but Susan Astor isn’t a real fucking mother. I have no desire to have her in my life or in my children’s lives. She can rot right where she is. Maybe Zara can be her fucking cellmate.

Driving toward Sebastian’s office, I let out a sigh as I shift the car into park. Looking up at his building, I smile. I need to get my smile out of my system because I don’t want Cody to think that he’s doing something that I want.

I need him to think that he’s fucking me over.

Climbing out of my car, I walk toward the front doors and through the lobby to the back where the bank of elevators are. I don’t bother checking in at the front desk, though I’m sure it’s frowned upon not to.

The elevator doors open and I slip inside. It climbs pretty quickly. They open again and I’m on Sebastian’s floor. His secretary sees me coming and gives me a smile.

“He’s waiting for you, go ahead inside,” she offers without even skipping a beat.

Walking into the office, I’m not surprised to see Cody and his attorney already sitting across from Bash. Cody’s sitting on the edge of his seat and practically vibrating with excitement. I extend an arm and shake his hand in a greeting, then we get started.

I try not to smile, the entire time that Bash goes over the paperwork, I’m trying to keep my own excitement under control. When Cody signs on the dotted line, I inwardly cheer. When he stands to leave, he levels me with a look.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Laurent,” he says cockily.

“Enjoy Astor Investments, I hope you get everything you deserve, Cody,” I say.

He leaves, but I can’t help but notice the look of confusion that crosses his face. Once the door is closed, I sit back in my chair and look across the desk to Bash.

“We did it,” I state. “I feel bad.”

He chuckles. “We did. It was a fair trade. There is nothing to feel bad or guilty about. This is what he wanted. He was trying to blackmail you. Whatever happens, he deserves it all.”

“He does,” I say, remembering the time he cornered Bethie in her office, how he tried to force the situation. Whatever happens to him with my mother, he fully deserves.

“How is she?” Bash asks.

Lifting my eyes, I focus on him and push Cody out of my mind. “She’s okay. I don’t know how she’s going to really process this yet, but she seems to be okay so far.”

“I think she will be. She has a good head on her shoulders. She seemed okay last night, a little dazed, but okay.”

Nodding, I clear my throat. “Yeah, her parents are at the house today. I feel pretty good that she’s not alone. I don’t know how that’s going to go, the first time I have to leave her alone.”

“For you or her?” he asks.

“Both,” I admit.

He clears his throat before he speaks. “Just be patient. That’s all you can do.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “Thank you for everything.”

He nods his head, his eyes finding mine. “When you’re ready to talk career stuff, you let me know. I’ll get working on an angle.”

I thank him and leave, in a hurry to head back home to Bethie. I’ve been away for a whole hour and that’s quite long enough. I think about Bash’s words, about working on an angle, and I hate it. I don’t want there to be an angle. I feel like I’m cheating something and it makes me feel sleazy.

There has to be something else, something that isn’t an angle.

BETHANIE

My motherand father stare at me. They don’t say anything and I’ve just told them that I’m moving to Colorado. My mother narrows her eyes at me, then her entire face relaxes and she nods her head once.

“Good,” she states.

“Good?”

I’m totally and completely confused by her word. I thought that she would be angry. I am taking her grandson away from her. She won’t be able to drive here to see him. I won’t be able to just make the trip to her. So I’m surprised that she seems completely fine with it.

She clears her throat, then starts to speak. “Good,” she confirms with a nod of her head. “This whole thing, I never want it to happen again. You need to be somewhere else. Start fresh as a couple and then build your lives together.”

“But this whole thing is over,” I say.

She shakes her head. “It will never be over, Bethie. This was Laurent’s mother. She is not going to stop. I don’t think she cares if it gets her more jail time or not. Getting as far away from that woman as possible could save your relationship and your life.”

Licking my lips, I let my mother’s words sink in. I can’t believe them, I can’t believe that Susan would continue, but I know that she will. My mom is so right. Susan didn’t stop with Landry, Tennessee, or Lucinda. She moved to Laurent. The only person she hasn’t attempted to sabotage is Lawrence. And honestly, that’s probably just a matter of time.

“Will you come and visit?” I ask, tears welling up in my eyes.

My dad grunts. “Visit?” he asks. “You’re our only child, Bethie.”

I nod my head, agreeing with him because I am just that. He smirks. “We’ll move there too,” he announces.

“But not too close, we wouldn’t want to impose. We’ve always talked about getting a little place up in the mountains, I think this could be our perfect opportunity.”

My entire heart bursts. I don’t know whether to cheer or cry. I don’t know what I want to do, so I let out this weird hiccup coughing cry and my mom laughs at the same time my dad reaches for Tucker and takes him from my hands.

“Alright, woman,” he grumbles.

Standing, I throw myself at my mom and wrap my arms around her. “I’m so proud of you, Bethie,” she whispers. “And I am so relieved that you are safe.”

I don’t know what my mom is proud of. I haven’t done anything lately to merit any kind of pride. I work, I fell in love and had a baby out of wedlock. I’ll never get married, and I know that she’s not happy about that. Then, I was almost hurt, almost killed, because Laurent’s mom is a nutcase.

The front door opens and before I can ask her what there is to be proud of, Laurent walks through. He looks around for me, his face etched in worry until his eyes land on mine. He visibly relaxes and I give him my bravest smile.

I’m still a ball of nerves, though having my parents here has helped tremendously.

“Mom and Dad are going to move to Colorado too,” I blurt out.

Laurent blinks slowly, then his eyes widen. I don’t know if he’s pissed off or happy. I can’t read his expression at all. Then as if there is a switch inside of him, his lips curve up into a grin and he lets out a loud laugh.

“Thank fuck,” he states.

My lips curve up and I can’t help but bounce on my toes with excitement. “You’re happy?” I ask.

He chuckles. “I am. I felt so bad moving us away from everyone. I’m glad that you’ll be able to be close,” he says, turning to my parents.

My dad grunts, still holding Tucker in his arms. “Someone has to keep an eye on you two, especially if you’re going to give me a small hockey team number of grandkids.”

Laurent laughs and I notice that there is a little sparkle in his eye. He wants those kids and the fact that my parents know that and they seem to be okay with it all, he’s excited. I love that, love that they seem to be getting along and that this bodes well for the future.

We enjoy dinner together, the four of us, and Tucker sleeps through it all. Then my parents reluctantly go to their hotel room for the evening. Laurent and I head to bed, but I check on Tucker one more time before I can walk into the bedroom.

Laurent doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t tell me I’m being overprotective or anything because he does the same. Once we satisfy our need to check on our sleeping baby, we make our way into our own bedroom.

“You seem to be okay with my parents moving to Colorado at the same time we do,” I announce as I crawl between the sheets.

Laurent is stripping out of his clothes and he stops to lift his head and shift his eyes to meet mine. He grins before he quickly takes off the rest of his clothes. I watch as he crawls toward me silently until he’s right in front of me, his body hovering just inches from mine.

“I’m more than okay, Bethie,” he murmurs, his lips almost touching mine. “Your parents love you and I know you were struggling with moving because you didn’t want to be that far from them. If we can’t have my entire family move with us, then I’m glad your parents will be.”

Lifting my hand, I slide my fingers through his hair, stopping at the back of his head. “I don’t know what I did in this life to deserve a man like you, but I’m really glad for it.”

His mouth slides across mine, his tongue slipping inside and tasting me before he breaks the kiss. “You’re the angel that I don’t deserve, Bethie. Thank you for giving me a chance and showing me that I’m worthy of being loved.”

My eyes tear up and I hate that he even says those beautiful words to me. Laurent isn’t perfect, and neither am I, but he is definitely worthy of being loved. Everyone is worthy of being loved and my heart hurts that he has ever thought that he wasn’t.

“I love you more than you could ever know, Laurent.”

His lips touch mine again and no more words are spoken. He shows me just how he feels about me. He quenches the thirst that I had before he left for work and if it’s because I’m working through what happened to me, or just because I love him, I’m not sure. But it’s amazing, as always, just like he is.