Fair Play (15 page)

“I have a long way to go to learn how to be a father. Don’t give up on me. I missed so much with you and would love a second chance.”

“I need to learn how to accept a father in my life. So, I’d like a second chance also.”

Jace cleared his throat. “Mr. Stanley, Mrs. Stanley, I’d like to apologize. I sprang a situation on you that you may not be comfortable hearing. If I may, I’d like to offer a solution to the problem. Dani can stay here with you, and I’ll stay in a hotel. This way we won’t be cohabitating in your house.” He gazed at Dani’s father.

Dani flew off the couch. “No way, Jace. I’m going where you’re going. If you’re staying in a hotel, then so am I.”

Maureen interjected. “No one needs to go to a hotel. We have plenty of room. Jace, don’t worry so much. Chuck and I want our daughter to be happy. If that means she’s living with you, then we trust her judgment.”

She nudged her husband with her elbow, and he grunted. “Right.”

“Good. Dani and I will be sleeping in the master bedroom. Chuck, you and Jace can each take a spare room.” She glanced at Charles, then Jace, whose mouth had dropped open. “Then it’s settled.” She clasped Dani’s arm. “If you men need anything, we’ll be in the kitchen.”

Charles peered at Jace. “Want a beer? Since we’re going to be at war with the female inhabitants of this house, we might as well bond.”

“Thank you. I’d love a beer. I still can’t figure out what happened. She’s very good at that, isn’t she?”

“Unfortunately, yes, she is.”

The smell of her mother’s cooking tantalized Dani’s taste buds. “It reminds me of when I was young.”

While stirring the pot, her mother opened her free arm wide, and Dani sidled into her embrace. “I’m so happy you’re okay. My heart was empty all these years without you. And here you are, all grown up, and with such a handsome man. What exactly is going on between you two? Do you love him?”

Content, Dani sighed. “I’m not really sure. I know I care a great deal for him, and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

“How do you know you want to spend the rest of your life with him?”

“We had a misunderstanding and we weren’t together for a little while. During that time I felt like half of me was missing. I was sad, lost my appetite, couldn’t sleep, and knew I’d never be happy without him. When we settled our differences, it felt like the sun came back into my world.”

“Sweetheart you just described what being in love is.”

Dani’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. You’re right. I love him.”

“I know he loves you, too. So why is he just your lover? Why haven’t you made a commitment to each other?”

“I wasn’t able to make any commitments before now, because I thought there was a warrant out for my arrest, and I didn’t want to bring Jace down with me. Now that I’m free of that weight, I don’t know. He’s never mentioned marriage. The closest we’ve come to a commitment is living together.”

“Right now, he’s secure with your relationship, just the way it is. He knows he loves you, and that you’re happy with him. I assume you have a great sex life?”

Maureen glanced at her for confirmation, and Dani nodded. “Feeling secure, he knows you’re not going anywhere, so he doesn’t need to marry you to make you his, you’re already his. A piece of paper, to his way of thinking, won’t make a difference.”

Confused, Dani tilted her head. “So what are you saying? If a piece of paper doesn’t make a difference, then why get married? Things are the same either way.”

“For some reason, probably testosterone poisoning, a man’s afraid of marriage. It’s so final to them. What they don’t realize until after they’re married, is that marriage doesn’t hurt a relationship, it makes it grow stronger. When two people pledge themselves to each other, they’re telling the world, I love this person, they’re mine, and no one will ever take their place in my heart. With that kind of vow, your love has room to grow and blossom, because you’re secure in each other’s love.”

“So what am I suppose to do? How do I help him realize he wants marriage?”

She chuckled. “You don’t have to do anything. Your father already started that ball rolling by asking what type of relationship you have. Separation makes the heart grow fonder, so that’s why for the next couple of days, you’re bunking with me.”

Dani’s eyebrows arched, then she laughed. “Oh, Mom, you didn’t? You’re so devious. I love you.”

“I love you, too, my darling. Stick with me, and things will change.”

After dinner, Dani enjoyed visiting with her parents. It wasn’t long, though, before she was yawning. When her parents went upstairs to change, she cuddled up to Jace. “I’m sorry we’re not rooming together.”

“So am I.” He drew her body to his and gave her a kiss.

“We’ll live, but it won’t be easy,” she said, kissing him lightly on the mouth.

The next day, Dani suggested they stop by her father’s business before sightseeing. They pulled up to a sprawling building that rose several stories high. Relieved to see it was thriving with a large number of employees, she knew her mother would be well taken care of. They took the elevator to the fifth floor, where Charles introduced her and Jace to a few of his brokers.

During the introductions, Dani noticed her father introduced her as his beautiful,
single
daughter, emphasizing her availability to his equally unattached broker, Dave.

“Where have you been hiding this beautiful creature?” Dave replied. “If I knew you had a daughter, I’d have been camped on your doorstep.” Then turning and speaking directly to Dani, he said, “Where have you been all my life?”

Dani laughed nervously, keeping Jace in her peripheral vision to make sure he didn’t do anything brash. But he seemed deep in conversation with a few brokers standing several yards away.

Not daunted by Dani’s lack of answer, Dave continued. “Where do you work?”

“The Diamond Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. I’m a casino host there.”

“What does a casino host do exactly?”

“I take care of the high roller gamblers, who come to visit our casino. It’s my job to make sure they’re comfortable, and have everything they need during their stay with us.”

“So if I went to your casino, and I played in the high roller area, you’d be my personal host the whole time I was there?”

“Yes. That’s how it works. Are you intending to visit Vegas soon?”

“I will now, if you can guarantee that you’ll be my host.”

Several minutes later, Jace strode over, his expression dark and brooding. He bent and whispered one word in her ear. “Mine.” Deliberately and intimately, he put his arm around her waist, then pulled her close to assert possession. Dave peered at Jace’s arm, then raised his eyes to his face. Jace fixed his gaze on him and lifted his eyebrow pointedly. When Dave walked away, Jace growled at her, “Damn it, Dani, he was standing too close to you.”

“Jealous much?” Dani lifted her head and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “You have nothing to worry about, Jace.”

After a brief hesitation, Jace returned her kiss, delving his tongue into her dark recesses, proving claim to the word he’d spoken so possessively in her ear.

Although tired after sightseeing for three hours, Dani didn’t have the heart to refuse her mother when she suggested they go shopping. She figured to do some window-shopping, until she caught her first glimpse of the Magnificent Mile, a tree-lined boulevard with hundreds of shops and restaurants. The spectacular gardens decorating the grounds took her breath away, but when she saw the stores housing some of the world’s fashion giants, she squealed in delight.

“Oh my God, Mom, this place is fantastic. Do you come here often?”

“I do now, sweetheart. Your father spoils me rotten.”

Dani smiled when she observed her father placing his arm around her mother with affection. “I love spoiling her.”

Jace glanced at Dani. “I wish your daughter agreed with you.”

Charles remarked in a cool manner. “Only a husband should spoil a woman with expensive gifts, not her lover. He cheapens her by doing so.”

Maureen put her hand out to her husband. “That’s enough, Chuck. Now fork over the card. The one with no limit. I want to spoil Dani and buy her some clothes.”

“No,” Dani protested. “I don’t need anything. I have plenty of clothes.”

Maureen put her arm around Dani’s shoulder. “You’re not going to deny me the joy of spoiling you, are you? I couldn’t do it when you were a child. At least indulge me a little now that I can. Besides, I have seven years of presents to make up.”

Dani relented. “Okay, but only one or two things, that’s all.”

Her mother clasped her hand, then faced the men. “There’s a nice little coffee place across the street that has outside tables. Why don’t you grab some coffee while we shop?”

Before they had a chance to respond, her mother giggled and pulled Dani toward the stores. “Come on, I can’t wait to buy you some new clothes.”

Dani spotted a boutique that carried cute dresses perfect for work and headed her mother in that direction. A colorful dress with a handkerchief hem caught her eye. Holding it up against her body, she faced her mother. “What do you think? Does the color look good on me?”

“Perfect. It brings the out green in your eyes.”

She was debating whether she wanted to try it on when she got the eerie feeling someone was watching her. She scanned the store, but she and her mother were the only two patrons. Strange, she’d swear someone had been staring at her. Maybe Jace? But no, he wouldn’t leave her father. Shrugging, she took the dress to the fitting room to try it on, but still couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling.

Outside the store, he watched her. It was sheer luck that he’d caught a glimpse of them walking down the street. He’d have never recognized Debra, but he’d have known his cheating wife anywhere. Because of her, he had lived seven years in hell and had vowed to make her pay for what he’d endured at her hands.

Day after day, Debra had paraded herself in front of him, teasing him, begging for it. She knew, with her wicked woman’s sense, that he wanted her. He could see it in her eyes, how she lusted after him. She sashayed her butt and flaunted her goods like he was a eunuch. She liked playing her sexual look-but-don’t-touch game. When he had given her what she wanted, she yelled rape so her mother wouldn’t see what a filthy, lying whore she really was.

Maureen had to pay for what he’d suffered. She was his wife, and instead of backing him up like she should have, she believed the lies her daughter spewed. To top it off, she went into court and made them believe all those lies.

They would both pay and pay dearly. He could hardly wait to torture them and watch them die slowly. Every day in his cell, he had planned exactly how he would take his revenge. He had gone over every detail until he knew it like the back of his hand. The time for payback was near. For now he would watch and keep track of their whereabouts, and when the time was right, he would strike. He whistled as he walked down the street, a smile on his face, because he knew the time for revenge was near.

“Since we’re alone, without the ladies present, and we weren’t able to finish our conversation yesterday, I thought this would be an ideal time.” Charles took a sip of his beer before continuing. They’d decided to hit the bar across the street instead of the coffee house. “If you know where I’m coming from, it’ll be easier for you to understand why I’m interfering.”

Jace placed his bottle back on the table, then looked at Charles. “I understand perfectly why you’re interfering. I’ll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability, but in return, I expect you to hear me out if we disagree.”

“That’s reasonable. I missed my daughter’s early years, but now that I’ve been fortunate enough to be given a second chance, I intend to be a father to her in every sense of the word. I will be around when she needs me, whether she thinks she needs me or not.”

Charles picked up his bottle. “I’m not trying to rush you into anything you’re not ready for, but at the same time, I’m not going to idly sit by while you play games with my daughter either. So I hope you’ll be truthful when you answer my question. What are your intentions toward Dani?”

Jace lifted his beer and took a sip, then gazed at Charles over the rim. “I love your daughter. I intend to do everything I can to insure her happiness. So to answer your question, my intentions are to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Charles rubbed his chin. “You don’t know how happy that makes me, happier than you can imagine. I see that you’re a considerate man, and have taken all facets of your relationship with my daughter into consideration, including, I assume, if children come along. Have you set a date yet?”

“For what?”

“Well, your marriage of course. Have you finalized any plans yet?”

Jace choked on the beer he was sipping. When he was able to speak, he asked, “Whatever gave you that idea? We haven’t even talked about marriage.”

“If you’ve made no plans for marriage, as far as I’m concerned, she’s a free agent. Because I like you, I’m going to give you fair warning. I intend to try talking my daughter out of living with you. I also intend to expose her to as many successful bachelors as I can. From the look on your face, I can see you’re not happy with what I’m saying. I have nothing against you. In fact, I think you’re a really nice guy, just not the right one for my girl. Dani needs a man who’s ready to settle down and have children. A man who respects her, and wants marriage.”

Livid, Jace clenched his jaw. “Contrary to what you believe, I respect your daughter. Dani and I are very happy with things as they are. Eventually, I want to marry her and have a family. I just don’t think either of us is ready for it yet. Not to be disagreeable, but I know I’m the right person for her, and I intend to do everything in my power to insure she stays with me.”

“All I hear is you telling me you want to marry her someday. It seems to me that’s an excuse. Unfortunately, your reassurance is not enough for me. I don’t think you intend to marry her at all, and that your commitment is all words and nothing else.”

Jace’s hands balled into fists. He’d be damned if he was going to let him get away with that. If Charles thought he was going to stand still while he tried to convince Dani to leave him, he had another thing coming. He knew a snow job when he heard it. Would Dani listen to her father? No she cared for him. She wouldn’t move out just because her father said to, would she?

Before he could comment, the women joined them.

“Let’s go get something to eat. There’s a great restaurant a couple of blocks down the street. We could go dancing afterward,” Maureen suggested.

“Sounds great to me. I’m starving after all that shopping.” She gave Jace a quick kiss before grabbing his hand so they could leave.

He drew her close, and kissed her long. When he was finished, he smirked at Charles, before taking Dani’s hand and escorting her from the bar. No one, including Dani’s father, was going to tell him what to do.

Dani was delighted when she entered the restaurant. Decorated in Art Deco style, it had candlelit tables, two-tiered seating, and a huge dance floor on the ground level she hoped to get Jace on.

Dinner stopped being served at nine when a DJ on a platform started spinning music she loved. She danced with Jace twice, then switched partners with her mother. Her father, to her surprise, turned out to be a great dancer.