Chapter 1
Today is moving day. Again. Living in the previous house for four years, we accumulated too much, thanks to my ex for her abundant shopping sprees. Yet I’ve purchased all new furnishings for the new house. Why? First, because I can. Second, I wanted nothing that would remind me of her so I gave her everything. It hasn’t been pleasant living in a hotel room for the last few weeks but it gave me time to find a house, buy it, then purchase everything online to go in it – down to new clothes and toys for my daughter, Embry, and giving me time to go to the store to stock up on groceries. Since the divorce was completed quickly, due to me not contesting anything, which included giving my ex a generously fat child support check every month and alimony – God forbid she would actually get a job and work for a living – I’m more than ready to live a better life with my daughter and submerge myself in my court cases. Mind you, being one of the best and most sought-after criminal lawyers in Sunview, you can bet I’m keeping my eyes on my ex for anything that may lead me to file for full custody. I don’t trust her, but who would after finding her in the throes of passion with another man in our house?
In our bedroom.
In our bed!
Who does that?
Obviously Gianna does. Did. She should be glad that Embry was at her mothers at the time. If she had been in the house, I would have had a great chance to get full custody during the divorce.
Gianna’s mother. Lord, help me. I don’t even want to get started on her. Let’s just say, I should have known the apple wouldn’t fall far from the tree if you catch my drift. Good ol’ mother-in-law is on her fifth marriage. I think. I lost track. Shivers.
“Yeah, just set that over there.” I point at an area in the living room for the movers to set down the couch. One good thing, everything except my personal things are brand new, down to the appliances in the kitchen. Hell, the ones that came with the house looked like they had already been on their last leg for years. Yep, the house is a little bit of a fixer-upper but I hired people to get everything done. The cabinets in the kitchen had to be replaced, the countertops, and the hardwood floors throughout the house needed a lot of TLC. “That’s good. Now, the big screen TV can be hung on the wall across from it.”
“Look, mister,” the big burly guy gives me a look while crossing his arms, “I just move things not hang them.”
Raising my brows, I give him the same look back. “There’s an extra fifty in it.” He nods and looks at the other mover then proceeds to get the TV out of the box.
I’ve had four different trucks show up with the various things I purchased. The first one brought new furniture for Embry’s room along with clothes and toys. I’d done a little shopping on my own for bath needs and food. By the time the second truck came, I noticed several curtains and blinds in different houses along the street and cul-de-sac opening and moving. I’m sure my new neighbors are wondering what in the hell is going on. A fourth truck pulls up, just as the third one leaves from Ikea. Oh, yeah. My office furniture, computer, and accessories. I might have gone a little crazy shopping there.
Embry is set to be dropped off tonight. I’m lucky to have her every other weekend and two days/nights during the week, but if I know Gianna, she’ll fight to take her from me in every way possible. What I’ve learned – the hard way – is she’s an unforgiving bitch, even though she’s the one that caused this. I guess she expected me to let her continue to cheat on the side while still married to me. Like that was gonna happen.
“Was I not fulfilling enough for you in our bed? Did I not provide you everything your heart desired?” I was so perplexed. She had more things that most women would die to have. A loving husband, a beautiful daughter, a huge fancy house, and anything she asked for. What more could she possibly want?
I watch as she crosses her arms, my hand on the door to the garage, my bag in my other hand. I’d gone back for the rest of my things and of course she was there. I’d asked her not to be but wasn’t surprised when I almost ran into her as I walked into the house. She raises her hand, looking at her long manicured fingernails, something that’s become annoying, then her eyes look up and meet mine. “You didn’t really expect me to be faithful to one man for my entire life. Did you?” Was she fucking kidding? “I mean, how boring would that be?”
I’ve beaten the biggest courts in my young career, can spot a felon a mile away even with the most innocent looks, but to be taken by a woman who appeared and felt like the most sincere and loving person, makes me see red. This is the last time I let my heart dictate anything. The saying “love is blind” has a whole new meaning to me now.
“Yes,” I simply reply and walk out the door.
At the age of twenty-two, I had my undergraduate degree and at twenty-five, I graduated law school, top of my class. A few days before my twenty-sixth birthday I passed the bar exam. Then, I became an official criminal lawyer. I’d met Gianna shortly after I set up my practice, fell head over heels in love and we married the next year. Now, at the age of thirty, I had no idea I’d be going through what I am now. Successful lawyer. Beautiful three-year-old daughter. And a divorce. I never thought that would happen, not in a million years. My parents have been married for twenty-nine years. My grandparents were married for fifty before my grandmother passed then my grandfather the year after. That’s what I’d wanted. A woman to grow old with. A marriage to last until our dying days. What this left me with is hatred. Lots of hatred and lack of trust. No woman will do this to me again. They are off limits. Totally. How could I ever trust someone again? I’ll never let another woman do this to me. Ever!
By the time all the trucks had come and gone, I spent the remainder of the day unpacking and organizing. Thank fuck that kept my mind busy.
“Princess!”
I open the front door to the most beautiful girl in the world. She runs into my arms, and I hold her tight. Then I make the mistake of looking up from my squatting position. Gianna is peering into my house, looking annoyed. Standing, I take Embry’s hand but stare at Gianna. “You ready to see your new room?” I ask Embry. The woman who was once my love, my entire world, looks into my eyes.
“I’ll be here to pick her up Sunday night. Seven. Sharp.”
Stepping back, pulling Embry with me, I glare at Gianna while I shut the door in her face.
“Daddy!”
I feel Embry pulling on my hand and blink rapidly until I look down and focus. “Let’s go see your new things!” She nods, excitedly, and we walk to her bedroom. When we reach her door, she quickly releases my hand and covers her mouth as she gasps. “Do you like it?” Why am I so nervous about a little girl’s bedroom being just perfect? Maybe it’s because she’s going through such a bad time with divorced parents who loathe each other. Maybe it’s because she deserves everything, and I aim to make that happen. Maybe it’s because I’m a daddy and not a mommy so I don’t know what little girls like?
Her head tilts up and those big brown eyes fill my heart instantly. “Oh, Daddy! It’s….” She looks around her purple room, her eyes widening. “Purple!” She runs over to her new plastic kitchenette and opens the cabinets then squats and opens the ones that are under the play stove. Watching her stand, she runs over to her plastic vanity. What? All girls should have a vanity. Right? She pulls out a drawer and takes out the purple brush and runs it through her long hair. “It’s bewtiful!” Her entire face lights up as she looks at me.
That right there. That’s why I would do anything in the world for her.
Smiling, I walk over and kneel down beside her, watching her look at herself in the vanity mirror while she brushes her hair. “Now, this is our secret, right?” She continues to brush, smiling at her reflection. “Mommy doesn’t need to know.” Gianna wants her to have everything pink. It’s like Pepto Bismol exploded in her room at home, for God’s sake. I mean, Gianna’s house. I should have known by how shallow Gianna was at the beginning, knowing purple is Embry’s favorite color, yet she wasn’t allowed to have it in her room or even wear that color of clothing.
“Yes, Daddy. Mommy only likes pink,” she says with a frown on her sweet face, and it makes my blood boil even further.
Reaching up, I push back some of her long hair behind her shoulder. “Yes, well, at Daddy’s house you get to have your favorite everything!” She stops, her frown turning up into a smile as she looks at me.
“Even ice cweam for dinner?”
She may have me wrapped around her little finger and I may want to help her in any way possible during this trying and difficult time, but…. “After dinner, if you eat everything.” She lets out a sigh but her smile is still there.
Leaving her to play, I finish unpacking the kitchen. I’d wanted everything done and her new home to be perfect before she got here but ran out of time.
Once done, the house silent with Embry still playing in her room, I make some hamburger patties and fire up my new grill on the patio. I made sure to get one right away since I cook more outside than in. I’m not a terrible cook, but I do love my new gas grill.
After a full stomach and cleaning up, we played a board game of Paw Patrol then after bath time, I helped her put on her new purple princess nightgown and tucked her into her new bed.
“Make sure the nightlights woks, Daddy.”
Ever since Embry was a baby, she’s been afraid of the dark. Gianna would never coddle her, letting her cry out her fears alone in her crib and then junior bed, like the bitch I’ve found her to be. Many times I’d sneak out of our bed and read Embry a story or stay with her until she’d fall asleep. Later I found having a few nightlights plugged in around her room helped her immensely.
“They work, Princess. They’re brand new.” I tell her as I walk over and flip off her bedroom light. As I spoke, all the nightlights glowed, casting more purple coloring up and across her walls.
“Ohhh.” She exclaimed. “Purple glows!” She sits up in bed, her covers falling down to her waist.
Letting out a chuckle – my heart expanding – I walk over and gently push on her shoulders until she lies down then pull the covers up to her neck. As I sit down beside her, I watch her eyes moving across the room in awe. “Yes, lots of purple glows.” I still fear she’ll wake up sporadically throughout the night especially since she’s in a strange place. I’m prepared for that. “Is that enough to help you sleep, sweetie?” She nods, not taking her eyes away from the glowing walls. “Okay then. Close those beautiful eyes and get some good sleep.” I kiss her forehead then tuck her in. Her eyes still on the wall when I walk through the doorway, leaving the door open slightly.
The next couple of days were too short. We made pancakes together in the morning, I gave her a bath and dressed her in a purple princess gown, and she played with her new things. I made ‘sgetti (her words) the next evening for dinner – all her favorites. My heart broke when Gianna arrived to pick her up.
This sucks.
I loathe women.
I know that’s not fair, I’m sure they’re not all like Gianna. But how would I ever know? Obviously, I didn’t know that she could ever do such a thing. I could never go through this again. Be embarrassed, lied to, the deceit – the hurt. No. Women are off limits!