Lucas: The Hunter Brothers Series (38 page)

CHAPTER 30

“He
offered to pay for Dexter to go to Eton or Harrow?”

Chas
stared at me in unadulterated shock. “And you turned him down, why? Do you have
any idea of the kind of education he’ll get? His future is set if he goes there
and Dexter will thrive. He’s incredibly intelligent. Christ, he could wind up
as Prime Minister,” she gushed excitedly as I rolled my eyes, but she stood
there, hands on hips and absolutely adamant.

“You
always say you want the best for your son and the education that Lucas Hunter
is offering is
the best
; probably the
best in the world. Don’t stare at me as though I’m insane. You are looking a
seriously large gift horse in the mouth here because you’re being so damn
stubborn. You really need to think about this one,” she said, putting the pasta
bake in the oven, shaking her head.

“I
fucking love Lucas Hunter,” she laughed, turning to face me and noticing the
sudden wave of anxiety that flickered across my face, as realisation spread
across hers in the shape of a giant all-knowing grin. “And so do you,” she said
as I stared at her hard.

“Have
you told him?” she asked as I shook my head. “Good. Don’t. Let’s see if we can
get him to agree to send my future offspring to Eton first, before you make
that announcement and he runs for the hills,” she laughed as I stared at her
aghast.

“Do
you think he will?” I gasped.

“Probably,
they usually do,” she shrugged as I blew out hard, rising to answer the knock
on the door.

“That’ll
be Lucas. Dex invited him for tea,” I laughed as Chas stared at me horrified.

“You
could have told me, Jess. Its pasta bloody bake,” she said as I shrugged. “I
would have done something nice if I’d known
he
was coming,” she said as I shook my head.

 
“Pasta bake is all you know,” I laughed,
moving down the hallway and I could hear her cursing and pacing around the
kitchen, calling me every name under the sun. I don’t know why she was so
concerned, he was
my
boyfriend I
thought, suddenly realising he wasn’t and trying to remind myself why. It was
getting harder and harder.

“Hey, Lucas.
I’m off
to work, Jess. Don’t wait up! It’s a club opening in the city.
 
It’s called ‘Sparks’ and its incredible,” she
smiled as I nodded.

 
“Charlie’s going to that,” Lucas said as Chas
flashed her eyebrows at him.

“I
know” she winked, grabbing her coat and bag. Dexter emerged from his bedroom,
running at Lucas who lifted him up and threw him in the air as he giggled
uncontrollably.

“How
have you been?” he asked as I smiled.

“I’m
better than I was at breakfast. Thank you, Lucas. I’m sorry for giving you a
hard time. Just no more going behind my back, okay,” I said as he nodded,
following me through to the kitchen as I heard Dexter whisper to him.

“Mummy’s
cross about the phone, isn’t she? Does that mean I have to give it back?” He
asked.

“We
have to ask permission first, Dex,” he said as I smiled to myself. Maybe he was
learning after all.

“Why
do you have to ask permission? I thought you were the boss of everyone,” he
said and I couldn’t help but laugh.

 
“Nearly everyone.
Only your mummy has more power than I do,” he said, winking at me and filling
me with a surge of warmth.

Dexter
didn’t look convinced. Maybe he was altogether more intuitive than I realised.
I pulled out a chilled bottle of white wine and some juice and they took their
seats at the table. They were chatting away as I prepared the salad, laying out
the cutlery and waiting for the oven to ping.

“What
are we having?” Lucas smiled as Dexter pulled a funny face.

“Pasta
bake, Lucas. We always have pasta bake,” he said as Lucas laughed and I turned
a chastising frown on Dexter.

“No
we don’t,” I said as he started laughing.

“Yes
we do, Mummy. Aunty Chas makes it every night,” he said as my cheeks flared and
I looked at Lucas who seemed to find the whole thing amusing.

“Every
night?” he smiled, looking at Dex who nodded vehemently. His “Yep” was
accompanied by a funny little grimace. I giggled, arranging the tomatoes on the
plates as the oven signalled the readiness of our meal and I pulled it out. It
was hardly nouveau cuisine, but Lucas didn’t seem unduly phased.

“I
have Lego, Lucas. Will you help me make a castle after tea?” Dex asked as Lucas
glanced at me and I smiled and nodded. He was definitely learning. “Do you like
Lego, Lucas?”

 
I knew the questions would be interminable all
night and it was all I could do not to laugh, wondering just how long Lucas’s
patience would last. He was normally so stern and serious it was almost comical
to watch; comical and utterly endearing.

“I
love Lego, Dex, but I like Scalextric more,” he said as Dexter stared at him
wide eyed and mesmerised, listening intently to the inner workings of the
racing track game and hanging on Lucas’s every word. The boy was besotted and
my heart clenched.

“I’ll
buy you one if you like,” Lucas smiled at Dex before his gaze shot quickly to
mine and from the look on his face he already knew he’d screwed up.

“Can
I have one? Can I have one, Mummy, please?” Dex jumped up and down excitedly in
his seat as I shook my head.

“No,
Dex, we don’t have the space,” I sighed deeply as tears sprung to his eyes.

“Please,
Mummy, Lucas said he’ll pay for it so you don’t have to.”

I
closed my eyes feeling like an absolute bitch before opening them and glowering
at Lucas who was smiling apologetically. My stomach erupted at the tender look
on his glorious, beautiful face as I took another deep breath.

“It’s
not the money, Dex. I told you, we don’t have the space for Scalextric, the
track is too big and there is nowhere for it to go,” I said firmly, picking up
the empty plates and unable to look at either of them.

“Go
and get the Lego ready in the lounge. I’ll be out in a second,” Lucas said as Dex
ran off excitedly. He came to stand behind me at the sink, wrapping strong firm
arms around my waist and nuzzling my neck, kissing that sweet spot that sent
shudders erupting over my skin, no doubt in an effort to distract me that very
nearly worked.

I
turned to face him, wriggling out of his grip and trying not to drown in the
eyes that were looking longingly into mine. “When I say ask me, I mean do it
first before you agree to anything or offer any grand gestures and DON’T ask in
front of Dex. I feel like the wicked witch of the west now, and you can see how
small the apartment is. Please, Lucas, I know this is hard for you, but it is
really important to me,” I said as he moved his lips to mine, a small smile
playing around his mouth.

 
“I’m sorry, Mummy,” he whispered against my
mouth and I couldn’t help but giggle as his lips found mine, caressing them
slowly and pulling me tight as I moaned against him, lost in that delicious
feeling, the unique taste and it was impossible to stay angry.

“I
mean it,” I said breathily, pulling away as Dex shouted Lucas from the lounge.

 
“I know” he said, stroking his hand gently
down my cheek, kissing me softly again as I leant against the sink, knowing I
was in too deep.

The
feeling only got worse as I watched them build their castle together and the
man had the patience of a saint, listening to Dex telling him how he liked it,
and then showing him how to build a turret, brick by painstaking brick.

“I
have a presentation at Sports Kids next Friday, Lucas, will you come and
watch?” Dexter asked hopefully as Lucas glanced across for my approval.

“I
don’t know, Dex,” he smiled, “I’ll look at my schedule.”

Dexter’s
face fell as my heart lurched. I could see he really wanted that, and part of
me did too. Dexter wanted a dad, to be like the other kids, but it wasn’t
something I could offer or promise him. Lucas and I were a long way from that.

“Will
you put me to bed, Lucas?” he asked eventually, yawning as I smiled, nodding
and clearing away the Lego as I tried to gather my thoughts. This was a big
step forward. Buying him a toy was one thing, the prospect of letting him down emotionally
was something else entirely, and I was still thinking about it as he came into
the lounge, pulling me onto his lap.

“I
had a great time, Jess,” he smiled as I smiled back.

“Me
too,” I said, warmed by the happiness that engulfed his features.

“I’d
like to come to the presentation,” he said as my smile faded.

“It’s
just so fast, Lucas. You can see how he is with you. He loves you already and
I’m scared. You’re busy and you run God knows how many businesses. I know
things crop up last minute and it would be terrible if you let him down. I know
you wouldn’t do it on purpose, but the outcome would still be the same,” I said
as Lucas gazed at me, his face as serious as I had ever seen it.

“This
is new to me too, Jess, and I have to learn from you just as you are learning
from me. But you don’t seem to trust me enough to give me a chance,” he said as
a small frown flickered across my face.

“It’s
different, Lucas. If I fuck up you can spank me. It hurts like hell but it
heals. I’m not sure Dexter’s heart would mend quite so quickly if you let him
down.”

“I’ll
be there,” he said firmly as I swallowed hard, thinking maybe I should give him
a chance, for both of us.

“Please,
Lucas, just let me think about it,” I said as he smiled and nodded.

“Would
you like me to stay?” he asked as I shook my head. I needed a bit of space.
Lucas was everything I wanted, but I was so overwhelmed and the unrelenting
fear in the back of my mind was there again.

“There’s
something else stopping you, isn’t there?” he asked as he stood, pulling me
into his arms and kissing my forehead lightly. “Take all the time you need,
baby, to think about what you want,” he whispered against my ear, brushing his
lips gently against mine before smiling gently and leaving the apartment as I
stood momentarily in mute shock.

I’d
expected him to ask me what it was, to demand to know, but he hadn’t. He was
giving me space, time and the support I needed to come to my own decisions and
just like that he had broken down another objection. God, he was good at this.

CHAPTER 31

I
followed the advice of the trauma counsellor and Lucas and sent Dex back to
school the next day, but it was another two before I was fit to go anywhere.
Despite talking to every single teacher in the place, I was on the phone every
hour checking that he was okay.

They
wouldn’t let him out of their sight; I’d been reassured of that, trying to
force myself to think of something else as I sat in my office with my fingers
hovering permanently over my phone. It wasn’t practical to keep doing it. I
needed to get back to normality, but Sid was out on the streets, and despite
the reassurances of the Police that he wasn’t a danger, I still couldn’t
settle.

I
hadn’t seen Lucas and assumed he was giving me the space he’d promised, not
altogether certain that was what I wanted either. When I wasn’t with him, I
ached for him and Dex missed him too. There was no denying the strength of my
feelings, but there was still that undeniable fear I couldn’t shake and the
insecurities that seemed to plague me relentlessly. I sighed deeply, looking up
as the door to the office opened and he walked inside.

“I
brought you a drink, try not to spill it,” he winked, holding out a large
coffee with a huge whip of cream as I laughed gently.

“Thank
you, Lucas,” I said as he took a seat, watching me closely, concern etched in
his incredible blue eyes.

“How
have you been?” he asked as I shrugged.

“Not
great. I can’t stop calling the school like some obsessed crazy woman and I’m
anxious that they’ve released Sid. They said he isn’t a danger, but I don’t
know,” I said, shaking my head.

“I
agree with the Police, Jess. I don’t think he is a danger to Dexter,” Lucas
said as I frowned at him. What the hell did that mean?

“What
do you know that I don’t?” I asked, suddenly irritated as he held my gaze. I
was taking this out on the wrong person.

“I’m
sorry, Lucas. My head is all over the place and my moods are up and down. It’s
not you,” I tried to smile as he nodded.

“I
know, baby. I understand. The reason I agree with the Police is because I’ve
spoken to him. I wasn’t prepared to take anyone’s word when it came to Dexter’s
welfare and I needed to see for myself,” he said as I stared at him blankly,
stunned and trying to get the questions in my head out, but my words just
wouldn’t form.

“I
asked him how he knew about Dexter, why he took him and what he plans to do
next,” he said as I nodded, knowing instinctively that Lucas would have asked
everything I wanted to know and probably more. I trusted him and was listening
intently.

“When
Jake died, Jess, he said it was a catalyst for him. At first, he spiralled into
depression, deeper into drink and tried several times to take his own life,
fuelled by the guilt of how he’d treated his only son. Eventually, he sought counselling,
got sober and decided to use his experience to try and help others. He mentors
in AA and he runs a group that supports fathers with their sons. Some are
raising them alone, others are estranged and his charity tries to help them,”
he said as I swallowed hard, barely able to believe this was the same monster
I’d known for all those years.

“The
group meets weekly at a community centre near Dexter’s school. A few weeks ago
he saw Chas picking up a little boy. He said he assumed that he must be hers,
but when he saw his face he knew. He told me it was like seeing Jake reborn and
when he showed me a photograph of his son I knew what he meant. Dexter is the
absolute epitome of his father,” Lucas smiled as tears flooded my eyes.

I
had never seen pictures of Jake as a boy. I had only known the teenager and my
only photographs were of that time – the same one he’d shown Dex at the school
gate. I needed to hold it together, I knew he wasn’t finished. “Go on, Lucas,”
I urged as he smiled gently.

“He
said he tried to stay away. He knew after how he treated you that he didn’t
deserve a second chance, but he wanted to figure out a way to get to know his
grandson. He’d watch from a safe distance every afternoon. He was afraid that
once he made contact with you that you might freak out and pull Dexter out of
school, and that was his biggest fear. He’s known about him for a while and
says he’d taken a letter that day to give to Chas. The Police corroborated that
they found it on him when they arrested him.”

“So
why the hell did he
snatch
him?” I shouted as tears
weaved down my cheeks.

“He
stood at the railings that day because he was there to see Chas, but she didn’t
show up. All the other kids had gone and Dex was running around the playground
by himself. He kicked a ball and it landed right by Sid. He was holding the
letter and a photograph of Jake in his hand and Dex saw it. He said he never
planned to speak to him, but he pointed at the picture and told him that was
his daddy. He started asking questions and the whole thing just snowballed. Before
he knew it, he’d asked him if he wanted to go to the park. Dex waved to the
teacher saying he was going with his granddad and she didn’t know any different,
so off they went. Don’t worry, Jess, he got a strong piece of my mind about
that,” Lucas said firmly as I nodded, putting my head in my hands before I
looked up at him again.

“What
makes you so certain that he won’t try and take him again?” I asked as Lucas
smiled.
“Because I’m a good judge of character and a
formidable, intimidating bastard when I decide to be.
I also have a
Private Investigator following his every move. He can’t even take a shit
without him knowing about it, never mind get close to Dexter. That’s not to say
I think that’s entirely necessary, but I’m taking no chances when it comes to
your peace of mind or the security of your son,” he smiled as I stared at him
open mouthed.

“Oh,
God, Lucas,” I said, rising from the chair and rushing around the desk,
throwing myself into his arms as he stood, strong firm muscles enveloping me as
he held me tightly. It was possibly the only thing that would have put my mind
at rest and this beautiful man had made it happen.

“Thank
you,” I smiled up at him, appreciating for the first time just how grateful I
was to have had him around during this whole sorry affair. I stood on my
tiptoes, kissing him over and over again as he laughed softly, taking my face
in his hands.

“Your
moods are certainly all over the place,” he laughed as I nodded. It had been
like that since I first got the call, an exhausting, never ending roller
coaster ride of agony and ecstasy, desperation, despair and hope. Perhaps now I
would start to normalise again.

“I
think there is a lot of pent up anxiety you need to rid yourself of, Jess,” he
smiled, eyes dark as they gazed down at me and I knew he was right.

 
“How?”
I asked as he
pulled me tight.

“I
have an idea, come with me,” he said, taking my hand as I grabbed my bag and
phone and followed him out into the car park with a puzzled, bewildered frown on
my face.

He
pressed a set of keys as a gleaming white R8 burst to life in front of me and I
jumped back startled. I hadn’t been expecting it.
“Another
car?”
I laughed as he opened the passenger door for me to slide into the
seat.

“What
can I tell you, I’m a petrol head,” he grinned as I bit my lip, unable to take
my eyes from him as he slid into the driver seat, firing up the engine and
turning to look at me.

“What?”
he asked smirking at my expression.

 
“This car is sexy, Lucas,” I smiled as he
pouted playfully.

“Just
the car?” he winked as I shook my head slowly.

“Good.
I’m glad to hear it. That will come in very useful for what I have planned,” he
chuckled softly.

“And
what’s that?” I asked as he flashed his eyebrows.

“All in good time, Miss Evangelista.”
He pulled out of the car park and into the London traffic. I suspected it might
be the club, hoping that Lucas’s method of de-stressing me would be somewhat
physical.

He
pressed a number on speed dial, barely giving the poor man time to answer before
he was barking his demands.

“Jackson,
reschedule all my appointments for the rest of the day. Inform Mr Briggs he’ll
be taking the Holland trip alone and forward him all the necessary documents
from my file.”

“Yes, Sir.
What
about your lunch appointment, it’s marked as private?”

“I’ll
take care of that,” Lucas replied and he was only half way through his “Yes S...”
when Lucas hung up and dialled again.

“Dad,
something’s come up I can’t make lunch,” he said quickly to the brief reply of
“No problem, Son,” before his father cut the call, and I wondered if the Hunter
family just didn’t do telephone small talk. They were certainly straight to the
point. I was about to ask who Jackson was, when another number I recognised
flashed on the display.

“Chas, its Lucas.
I want
you pick Dex up from school today,” he announced as I gasped. In light of his
abduction I’d been doing it myself. I couldn’t bear the thought of it happening
again and was afraid to trust Dexter to anyone. I stared at Lucas and he put a
reassuring hand on my knee, weaving through the traffic as I swallowed hard.

“I
can’t, Lucas. Jess doesn’t trust me anymore,” she said and I could hear the
sadness in her voice as my heart clenched. I’d been shaken up, but I trusted my
sister implicitly and hadn’t stopped to think how hard this must be on her.

“Yes
she does, Chas. She just needed a couple of days to come to terms with what
happened.”

“I’m
not doing it unless Jess asks me,” she said as Lucas turned to smile at me and
I knew what I had to do.

“It’s
me, Chas. Of course I trust you, there’s no one I trust more with Dexter and
I’d be really grateful if you’d collect him for me today,” I said and I heard
her sigh deeply down the line.

“Thank
you, Sis,” she said, her voice brimming with emotion as I smiled.

“I’m
sorry if I took it out on you, Chas. I don’t blame you, really I don’t.”

 
“Thanks, Jess, I’d love to pick him up,” she
said, ending the call and I felt certain that was because she was about to cry
and didn’t want Lucas to hear her.

He’d
stepped in and taken over, and yet again it had been the right thing to do. I
was beginning to realise there were definite upsides to a man who could see
through the fog when I couldn’t, knowing I’d given him too hard a time for
trying to help. I wasn’t about to do it now.

“Thank
you,” I said as he threw me a wide smile and my heart exploded with warmth. We
were still in the city and I realised we weren’t heading for the club, but
there was another question I still wanted the answer to.

“Who’s
Jackson?” I asked, drinking in his delicious profile as he watched the road.

“My
new P.A.” he said as my eyes flew open in shock.

“What
happened to Melody?” I asked as he shook his head gently.

“I
fired her after the Groucho incident. She set you up, Jess, and I suspect Roberta
was behind it. She wouldn’t admit it, but I’m not a fucking idiot. I don’t
believe in coincidence and I need to trust my staff. I thought a male P.A.
might help with that whole ridiculous jealousy thing you’ve got going on,” he
said seriously and I was absolutely flabbergasted.

 
I couldn’t believe Lucas would even consider
my feelings when it came to anything to do with his business, but I was clearly
wrong. I felt such a rush of overwhelming affection it was all I could do not
to fling myself at him as he turned to me, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling
mischievously.

“Hold
that thought,” he grinned as I wondered if he was actually better at reading my
mind than he admitted as we pulled into the underground car park which was
beginning to look familiar.

“We’re
going to your apartment?” I asked, throwing him a bemused smile.

“We
are indeed, and by the time we leave I expect those stress hormones to have
dissipated and been replaced with something altogether preferable, although it
might not be quite what you have in mind,” he smirked as I frowned. It had to
be sex – the only other question was which kind, unless Lucas Hunter had
invented an entirely new way to fuck which probably wouldn’t surprise me. The
man was full of them.

He
was quiet as we took the elevator up to the penthouse, leading me into the
kitchen and pulling out a stool for me to sit as he walked around to the other
side of the breakfast bar, watching me closely.

“This
is for your own good and what I think you need to completely empty your mind of
all the worries that are plaguing you. It’s Dexter, but there are other things
too. I hope after today you will be able to face your issues with more clarity
and a clear head,” he said seriously as I watched him, listening closely and
wondering what the hell was coming.

“In
this room you may speak freely, but the rest of the apartment is mine. For the
remainder of today you will be my submissive. Everything you do and every
thought you have will focus on pleasing me and nothing else.
Nothing.
I want total surrender of your mind and your body, Jess.”