Stanton Bliss(45)

Adrian puts his hand over his heart. “Oh, I just want to squeeze my girl.”

“She’s my girl and you don’t f*cking know yet,” I mutter into my coffee cup.

“Oh, right.” He flops down onto the lounge. “We should go get drunk or something.”

I smile and I look to Cameron who is smiling like an idiot. “We really should,” he replies.

I shake my head. “No, we’re going to the doctors later.”

“Tonight?” he asks.

“No.” I frown. “I’m not leaving her alone for one minute. I had to drag myself to work today.”

Adrian lies back on the lounge and holds his heart. “My Cinderella is having a baby. This is the best news ever.”

My attention returns to Cameron. “What about sex?”

“Sex is fine.”

My eyes hold his in question.

He tilts his head to the side already knowing my question. “You mean rough sex?”

I nod subtly.

“How rough is rough?”

I lift my chin defiantly.

“Rough, rough. Like rough?” he questions.

I give him a lopsided smile and tilt my head to the side, not really answering him.

“I don’t know much about the female anatomy, but I do know that you can’t do that. Put a f*cking cork in it, you sex maniac!” Adrian snaps as he runs his hands through his hair in disgust.

I roll my eyes.

Cameron thinks for a moment and shrugs. “I think its ok, but maybe just tone it down a bit.”

“Oh.” I frown. Shit, I gave it to her hard on Saturday morning. What if I have already done damage?

“You already did it, didn’t you?”

“Perhaps,” I murmur.

“And she’s ok?”

I shrug. “She seems ok.”

“Then it’s ok.”

I turn to Adrian and he shrugs. The office door opens and Jarvis wanders in. “Oh, hello.” He smiles.

“Hi, mate.”

“Hey,” Cameron calls. “How are your arms?” Cameron smirks.

“Ripped off the f*cking bone.” He sighs as he starts to file things away in Adrian’s drawers.

I smile broadly and throw the boys a wink. Cameron and Murph have taken Jarvis under their wing. They take him everywhere, even dragging him to their early morning gym sessions. He’s acting like he hates it, but I know he loves the time they spend with him. Even Tash and Didge are enamoured with our young friend. I smile. I can’t say I blame them. I’m quite taken with him myself.

“Ok, losers. I got to go to work.” Cameron sighs as he stands. “Are you cooking me dinner, Murphy?” he asks.

Murph’s eyes flick to Jarvis. “You want to come for dinner?”

“Sure,” Jarvis replies casually.

Adrian’s looks at me. “You guys want to come over for dinner, too?”

I shake my head. “No, thanks. I’m taking Tash out.”

Adrian smiles a we have a secret smile and I shake my head. “I will be in my office if you need me.”

I walk out down the hall and Tiffany calls me. “Mr. Stanton?”

“Yes?”

“Your appointment is in your office.”

“Who is it?” I frown. “I haven’t opened my diary yet.”

“He made the appointment weeks ago. He’s from the Australian Medical board.”

“Why is he here?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s weird, actually. The appointment was made in one name and then when he turned up today he had a different name.”

“What is his name?”

She walks back over to her desk and picks up her diary. “James Brennan.”

I feel the floor move from beneath me and, as if working on autopilot, I storm toward my office, pulling the door open in a rush.

He stands with his back to me, staring out the window, wearing a dark grey suit and cream shirt. He slowly turns toward me.

“Hello, son.”

I glare at him as shock starts to trickle into my bloodstream.

I feel like it’s the first time I have ever seen his face. We look alike. We f*cking look alike. He stands at my height, six feet four inches tall. His hair is greying at the temples and his skin is olive. But it’s the eyes that are the mirrors. I drop my head and swallow the lump in my throat. How can I look like him?

“Get out before I f*cking kill you,” I whisper.

He stays still, his eyes hold mine.

‘That’s no way to talk to your father.”

“You are not my father.”

“Ah.” He smiles sarcastically. “We both know that’s not true now, don’t we?”

I step toward him as I feel the adrenaline start to pump through me.

He raises his chin in defiance.

“So help me God,” I whisper. “I will tear you apart, limb by limb.”

He glares at me.

“Get out!”

“No. You will listen to what I have to say.”

“The hell I will.”

“I’m not here for myself. You are too Stanton to ever be my son.”

‘Thank f*ck for that.” I growl.

“I’m here for your mother.”