Lori

The meeting with Jeff took place one week later in a cafe in Silver Lake. I'd been giving myself mental pep talks all day, but I was still nervous as hell by the time Graham and I arrived. I'd been biting my nails and wringing my hands during the drive. Part of me was grateful Graham was with me; the other part wished he wouldn't see me in this state.

"Baby, we're doing this together, okay?"

I nodded, too nervous to reply. Graham kissed my hand before we climbed out of the car.

When we entered the coffee shop, I located Jeff at a table in the corner. Seeing him was a shock. He looked as if seventeen years had passed, not seven. His hairline had receded somewhat, and he'd grown a second chin. When he rose to his feet, I also noticed a beer belly.

"Lori, it's been too long."

Not long enough was what I wanted to say, but I just shook his hand. Jeff jerked his head back when Graham introduced himself.

"The LA Lords's Graham Frazier?"

"Yes."

"Man, I'm a big fan of the Lords."

"Glad to hear it." Graham's voice was curt and in no way invited further conversation.

"Lori, I'd like to speak with you alone."

I lifted a brow. "Tough luck."

We all sat down, and after an awkward silence, Jeff said, "You two are an item, I gather?"

Graham draped an arm around my shoulders.

"Yes, we are," I confirmed.

"Okay, um... what would you two like to order?" Jeff asked. "My treat."

"How about cutting to the chase?" Graham suggested, mirroring my thoughts.

"Cut me some slack, man. I'm trying to work up the courage." Jeff shrugged. My stomach twisted. Work up the courage to what? My thoughts flew to Milo. Jace and Will had taken him out for dinner.

"Why did you want to meet, Jeff?" I asked.

He set an elbow on the table, scratching his double chin. "So, as you know, I'm working in Denver."

"Okay...?"

"I ran into some trouble recently. A patient sued me for giving him the wrong treatment. My lawyer initially said we had a strong case, but now it seems like there is a real possibility I might lose my license for malpractice. The hospital already fired me."

Graham and I exchanged a glance, and I could tell he was asking himself the same thing. What did this have to do with me and Milo?

"If the hospital fired you, I'm guessing they think the patient is right," I said.

"All I did was prescribe some drugs that had just hit the market. The pharmaceutical company gave me a fat bonus, and their statistics were comparable to older drugs. I couldn't know it wouldn't work."

"Or you could have prescribed one of the time-tested drugs. But God forbid you actually do something that is not in your best interest, right? That goes right against the Hippocratic Oath." I couldn't help the venom in my voice.

"Well, it's a done deal now. My lawyer says it's important I appear as a responsible person. She looked up my records, said it doesn't bode well for me that I wasn't taking care of my kid."

I stiffened. "Get to the point."

Under the table, Graham squeezed my hand.

"I know I haven't been good about paying child support, but it would help if you'd declare that I did."

I stared at him. He couldn't be serious. This was why he wanted to meet?

"You son of a bitch." That was Graham. I needed a few seconds to calm down before talking.

"You have the nerve to show up here and ask me to lie for you? After you ditched me when I was pregnant and ignored your son all his life?"

"Come on, Lori. That was a long time ago. And seeing the company you keep, it's not like you're still pining after me or need the money. Landon's rich as fuck anyway. Not like you ever needed my money. What's the harm in helping me out?"

"The harm is that I'd be lying. You are not a responsible person, and you have not paid one dollar of child support. I will not pretend otherwise."

"Lori, don't be like that. You know I could make things difficult for you. I have never exerted my paternal rights, but if I decided to—"

"You continue that line of conversation and you won't have teeth left in your mouth," Graham said. His voice was calm and composed, but it sounded lethal.

I wanted to punch Jeff myself. Not only didn't he care one iota about Milo, but he wanted to use him as a bargaining chip. Christ, I couldn't believe he'd become even more of a scumbag over the years. 

Jeff swallowed. "This already ate up all of my savings. They find out I've been avoiding child support all these years, they'll be at my throat."

"Which is what you deserve," I said.

He lifted his chin, narrowing his eyes. "You have no idea what it took to put me through med school and residency. I worked hard for this career to let a bitch like you ruin it."

I barely blinked and Graham was already out of his chair, grabbing Jeff by his collar. I sprang to my feet, along with several other patrons. Two waiters were hurrying toward us.

"You're a fucking scumbag," Graham bellowed.

"Christ! What did that bitch do to have you so whipped?"

Next thing I knew, Graham's fist connected with Jeff's jaw.

"Jesus Christ, are you insane?" Jeff covered his jaw with one hand.

"Don't you dare talk about Lori like that in front of me."

"Take it from someone who knows—she's not worth the trouble."

That earned him a second punch. The waiters pulled them apart then, and I immediately hurried to inspect Graham's hand. His knuckles were red but not bloody. I looked up at Jeff.

"This conversation is over. You have anything more to say on the topic, talk to my lawyer. If I were you, I wouldn't. I can take you to court for that accrued child support."

He paled, but I wasn't nearly done. I wanted to let out everything I had on my chest.

"You decided seven years ago that you didn't want to be part of our lives, fine. But don't think you have any rights to make any demands or to expect anything of me. You're just being a jackass, showing up here, demanding I lie for you. As I said, you have anything more to say on this topic, contact my lawyer. I don't want to deal with you again."

Jeff's jaw went slack. He wasn't used to this side of me. In med school, I was young and naïve. Even when he called after being gone for a year, I still gave him the benefit of the doubt. I'd hoped he'd finally decided to man up and to face his responsibilities. One of my biggest flaws had always been believing everyone deserved a second chance, and a third. 

Before Jeff had a chance to say anything, Graham spoke. "We're done here. You contact Lori again, you'll have bigger problems on your hands than a malpractice lawsuit."

I was shaking slightly. Graham must have sensed it, because he splayed his hand on my upper back. He tucked me closer to him on the way to the car. When we reached it, he opened the door for me.

"I'm sorry this was so shitty. How is your hand?"

"Not as bad as his jaw will be tomorrow. I'll put some ice on it. Don't you worry about me. You were magnificent. So strong and decisive." He caressed my cheek with the back of his uninjured hand, his thumb dwelling on my chin before moving to rest on one corner of my mouth. He kissed the other corner. I rose on my tiptoes, placing my arms around his neck, flattening my torso to his. I loved this closeness between us, even though I wished I could pull myself together already. I was still shaking.

"What's on your mind, sweet girl? You can tell me anything." 

"Not feeling so strong now," I admitted. The words felt strange on my tongue. I wasn't used to sharing these things with anyone but my siblings. I hoped he wouldn't think I was a weakling.

"Lucky I'm here to make it all better." He feathered his lips from the corner of my mouth to the center, kissing the upper lip, then the lower one.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

He gave me one of his knee-weakening, panty-melting, mind-blowing kisses.

"Love your plan," I murmured when we came up for breath.

"This was just a kiss. The plan is more elaborate."

"Do tell."

"I texted Jace and Will. They're going to drop Milo off at home in a few hours. He talked them into going to a movie."

"Of course he did." I shook my head with fake dismay.

"Hey! The little guy is persuasive. You're the only one able to resist him. Don't be so hard on the rest of us mortals."

I turned the fake dismay into a fake glare. "If I'm not too hard, I'll find a real-sized boat in my yard next time to go with that tent."

He smirked. "Relax, baby. I'd never put it in your yard. I'd rent a garage."

I laughed for real now, a full belly laugh.

"I'll make you dinner, and then I'm going to work out all the tension from your system."

"Will I get a massage?"

"Yeah."

"And some sexy time?"

"Possibly."

I pouted.

"Is that all you care about?" he teased. 

"Absolutely not. I appreciate all your qualities. It'd be a shame not to put those delicious sexy skills to use though."

"You wicked woman. You're lucky I love you." He took my face in his hands, studying me. "Are you okay, Lori? The truth."

"I think so. This afternoon just brought back some unpleasant memories. I've always known Jeff was a dick. He surpassed himself today... showing up like this, asking me to lie for him. No interest in Milo."

"Were you hoping he would want to be part of Milo's life?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not an idiot. I wouldn't trust him even if he tried. He's flighty and would only hurt Milo more."

"I wouldn't let that happen. You and Milo are family to me."

"I love you so much," I whispered.

"You handled everything great today. Now, let's go home."

During the drive, I tried to calm down, but I was unsuccessful. Seeing Graham's reddened knuckles didn't help. His lips were pressed in a thin line—he was no doubt rehashing the past hour in his mind, just like I was. It set me on edge. Seeing Jeff today brought back the ugly feeling—and the fear—of being tossed aside. I shouldn't have let it get to me, but I was only human.

Even after dinner, I wasn’t feeling like myself. Graham told me as much.

“I’m not angry, or nervous, just... unsettled,” I tried to explain. “Not sure if I’m making much sense.”

“You do. Seeing someone who has hurt you before has to get to you.”

I blinked, relieved he understood, that he wasn’t judging me. “It did. I hope I never have to see his face again.”

Hooking an arm around my waist, he brought me close to him. “I love your strength, Lori.” He dragged the tip of his nose up and down my neck, making me shudder.

“Thank you for coming with me today, and for being here now.” Facing things together, as a team, was new to me. My family had always been behind me, of course, but this... this was different.  

“My pleasure.” He placed open-mouthed kisses on my neck, descending to my shoulder. My hands roamed his chest, and then I couldn’t help myself and slipped my fingers under his shirt, tracing the lines of his six-pack. Then I undid the button of his jeans, and the fly, needing to touch more of him. When I squeezed his cock, he tugged at my lower lip with his teeth. Heat zipped through me.

Graham pushed both straps of my dress off my shoulders, lowering the zipper on the back. I was glad to be wearing a simple beach dress. Easy to put on. Easy to get off. He tossed it somewhere behind him in the living room, raking his heated gaze over my almost-naked body. The lingerie was so tiny that it didn’t cover much. He got his jeans and boxers out of the way, and then his erection was between us, touching my belly, hot and hard.

I opened my thighs, but Graham pushed them even wider apart as he stepped between them, guiding his erection lower, rubbing the length against my center. I still had my thong on, and the friction was making my legs quiver. With grabby hands, I took off Graham’s shirt.

“Do you have a condom on you?” I whispered. “I don’t think we’re going to make it to the bedroom.”

He laughed against my lips, then reached for his jeans. After taking a condom out of his wallet, he rolled it on under my greedy gaze. We made it to the couch, but no farther. He kissed me ferociously. His hands were everywhere. His mouth was driving me crazy.

“Baby, I’ll be rough,” he whispered.

“I like it rough, and fast.”  

He didn’t even take off my lingerie, only pushed the scrap of fabric covering my center to one side. He ran his fingers across my opening, strumming them against the sensitive flesh. I lifted my hips in a wordless request. When he nipped my clit between two fingers, I nearly came. He slid inside me.

“Wrap your legs around me. You’ll take me in even deeper.”

I followed his command, bringing my knees to his sides then resting my heels under his ass. He pulled back, then pushed inside me again, filling me up, stretching me.

“Graham!”

Our lovemaking was wild and unrestrained. When he brought his palm to my lower belly, pressing down, the sensation of him relentlessly driving inside me became even more intense. Graham kissed the tops of my breasts, then pushed the bra up, releasing my nipples. Cool air hit my peaks, and then the lash of his tongue. He was making me burn everywhere, even where he wasn’t touching me. Even my toes felt on fire. And when he strummed his thumb over my clit, I came hard. He grunted out my name, a raw, primal sound, until he climaxed. Then he went still over me, bracing himself on one arm, keeping the other on my waist.  

His voice was rough when he spoke in my ear. “Nothing compares to this feeling. This, Lori, is everything.”