Stanton Bliss(26)

I shake my head and he stays, just watching me.

“You’re scaring me,” he whispers.

I stare at him through blurry eyes, unable to answer. I’m scaring myself.

He gets in with me and wraps his arms around me and as we stand underneath the hot water for an extended time.

Eventually in the safe haven of my love’s arms, I feel my stress begin to disappear.

Joshua

“Hello, can I speak to Nelson, please?” I ask Tiffany.

“Hello, Joshua,” he answers. Nelson is my Human Resource Manager and I need him to follow something up for me.

“Hello, Nelson. I just wanted to thank you for your support over the last few months.”

“That’s ok, sir. I’m so happy that things turned out the way that they did.”

I smile. “Me, too.”

“Listen, I need you to do something for me,” I tell him.

“Of course.”

“I was in prison with a young man. I don’t know his surname, but his first name was Jarvis.”

He hesitates.

“He was in the cell opposite me and has been playing on my mind lately. He’s very young, only just eighteen years old, I’d guess.”

He hesitates again and I find myself smiling. This is one random phone call.

“I was wondering if you could ring the prison and find out more about him. Maybe see what his offenses are.”

“Um, Mr. Stant–”

I cut him off. “If you can’t get any details, ask the security team to do it for me.”

“Ok. Why do you want these details, if I may ask?”

I shrug. “I’m not even sure yet. Let’s see what he has done to get himself in prison first.”

“Ok, sir. I will keep you posted.”

“Thank you.”

I hang up and blow out a long breath as my concentration is quickly stolen with thoughts of Natasha. How do I help her when I’m struggling myself? I have no idea how to navigate through this mess and work is the last thing on my mind.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Brock walks into my office and takes a seat. “Hey,” he says in his best carefree voice.

I sit back on my chair. “You know why I wanted to see you?”

“I do.” He pauses.

I raise my eyebrows in frustration. “Well?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

I roll my eyes. “Just f*cking spit it out.”

“I don’t like the thought of working for you.”

“You won’t be working for me. The company would be yours.”

“But I would know that it’s really yours.”

I shake my head. “Look if you don’t want it then I will offer the deal to someone else. I don’t give a f*ck who does it. I want him caught and I thought with you know what you are doing, you would jump at the chance.” I shrug my shoulders. “But obviously not.” Fuck he pisses me off.

Brock holds up his hands in defence. “I’m not saying I don’t want it, I’m saying I would like a loan for two years and then I’ll pay you back.”

My eyes hold his. “You want to pay me for the business?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not taking hand outs from you.”

I think for a moment. “Sounds fair.”

“And I have one specification.”

“What’s that?”

“I want Jesten Miller to work for me.”

“Fuck off. No. I won’t stand for it.”

“He would be good.”

I glare at him. “He wouldn’t f*cking survive because I would kill the prick.”

“Why, because he wants Natasha?”

“Just f*cking shut up. I hated him even before he wanted my wife!”

He smirks. “You like saying that, don’t you?”

“What?”

“My wife.”

I smile. He’s got me. I do say it a lot. “It has a certain ring to it, I have to admit.”

He holds out his hand to shake. “So, it’s agreed? I will pay you back in two years?”

I nod. “Deal.”

“And Miller comes to work for me.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“You said it was my business.”

“I’m not giving him one f*cking cent.”

“He knows Allender and he knows the case. He wants his accomplice caught as much as you do.”

I think for a moment.

“You won’t even f*cking see him.”

My eyes hold his. Fuck, I don’t want that * anywhere near my family.

“He helped us when you were in prison, you know.”

I roll my eyes. Cameron and Ben have already told me this.

“I didn’t ask him to.” I snarl.

“He did it for Natasha, not you.” I narrow my eyes. “Just like he will find Allender’s dodgy mate.”

“Fucking hell,” I snap. “I really don’t want him around.”

“Natasha is living in L.A. – he won’t see her at all. Stop being a f*cking baby.”

I scrub my hands up and down my face in frustration.