Tangled with the Tight End (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 44

forty-four

GAbrIEL

Two Weeks Later

The flight to Florida with Truman at my side had me on edge. Not that I’m uncomfortable around him. It’s actually the opposite. Working with him over the last couple of months has given me a different view of the strong, silent retired Navy SEAL commander. He’s not as grumpy as he seems and loves a good football game.

The issue is that I left Norah at home with Gino to make the trip. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve grown closer, and I hate being away from them. I snap on the waistbelt as the pilot announces we’re prepping for landing.

What seemed impossible at the beginning has turned into a seamless schedule. Once I returned to the team, I’ve not been able to go back to Evergreen Lake, but we FaceTime when she’s back home. A smile tugs at my lips. FaceTime watching her use the small rose vibrator happens to be my favorite way to go to sleep.

She and Marco have settled into their own pattern when he takes care of the bistro from Thursday to Monday afternoon when she returns. It isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Seeing her at the stadium cheering me on from the jumbotron when I catch a pass is the best thing ever.

Coach Slater intends to give us an extra day off at Christmas so I’ll be able to return to Evergreen Lake and experience the holiday with them in the mountains. The only problem in my otherwise perfect life is Sloane.

“Are you ready?” Truman closes his laptop and deposits it into his briefcase.

“Yes, I’m ready.” I don’t want to see her, but I want this done.

Thirty Minutes Later

We enter a conference room where Sloane is already seated, wearing an orange jumpsuit and silver bracelets on her wrists–not the kind she used to wear.

Her hard eyes meet mine. Just get it over with. Do whatever it takes to ensure she can’t hurt Gino anymore.

“Sloane.” I nod at her, the attorney on her right and an officer on her left.

“Take a seat.” Truman points to the chair opposite of the attorney and lowers to the one opposite of Sloane. His eyes are hard as they sweep over her. “Sloane.”

“Asshole.” She grinds the word out between clenched teeth.

“Make sure your client doesn’t do anything she’ll regret,” Truman warns him without taking his attention from Sloane. She clasps her hands together to keep them from shaking.

“Don’t–” The man cuts himself off and clasps his hands together to mimic Truman’s posture. I bite back a laugh. They’re both intimidated by him, which is why I brought him rather than my attorney. Sloane’s attorney turns his attention to me as the jailer remains alert to everything going on around him. “We want you to drop the fraud charges and the charges back in Colorado.”

“Why?”

“That’s fucking stupid. I want to reduce my charges. Why else would I want you to withdraw them?’

“What’s in it for me?” She’s so easy to bait. And I’m dick enough to stick in the screws and tighten them.

“I’m your wife.”

My eyes narrow into slits. “You’re not my wife. You are the woman I married under duress at your trickery. That’s not a wife.” I’m going to choose my wife. I keep the words to myself.

“Gabriel.” Her eyes turn pleading as she leans forward. “Please drop the charges. If you ever cared–” Clearly, my look of disdain is written on my face.

“Fine,” she growls. “What do you want?”

That’s better. “I want you to sign the divorce papers.”

“That’s bribery.” The attorney pipes up, and Truman and I study him.

He cowers back in his chair. Public defender. Not even a defense attorney. Truman researched the man down to when he last paid his electric bill before we left Missouri.

“It’s not bribery.” Truman’s jaw flexes. “The woman asked what he wanted, and the divorce has been on the table for several months. Did you hear Gabriel ask her to do something for signing the papers?”

“No.” His shoulders sag lower.

“Give me the papers.”

Truman opens the briefcase, retrieves the divorce papers, and sets them in front of her. He glances at the officer, arching an eyebrow. “Pen?”

“Security pen.” The jailer takes an ink pen that’s only about 4” long with no case from the pocket of his white polyester button-up uniform shirt.

For several minutes, Sloane reads the paperwork in front of her and swallows. “This is generous.”

“You’re welcome.” I’m making it easy for her to sign. Giving her money that she doesn’t deserve in exchange for her to disappear from our lives.

“What’s the catch?” The attorney snatches the paperwork from her.

“There isn’t a catch. I want the divorce done. Now. And I don’t want you around Gino. That’s it.” She wants money. She can have it. To get rid of her, I’d pay more. But this is a reasonable amount that a judge would feel is appropriate for her.

She drops the pen down on the table. “No.”

I smile as Truman snatches out file after file, displaying our evidence in front of her. “If you take it to court, you won’t get anything. We have corroborating witnesses who state you intentionally got pregnant by Gabriel for money and status. We have evidence you were cheating on him before he even left Florida. We’ve even contacted the men who you drugged and had sex with. Additionally, we have evidence that you were having Havana Lopez raise Gino. You have charges against you in two states. You won’t get Gino back. Not that you want him anyway. And the alimony we’re offering is off the table the second we walk out of the room.”

“Fuck you.” She stabs the pen into the page, scribbling her name with enough force that it’s surprising the pages aren’t shredded.

My hands shake with each signature. This. I want this. I need this. My head throbs. Don’t change your mind. Don’t change your mind.

“There.” She shoves the pages toward Truman without looking at me.

Her attorney straightens his spine. “Now, drop the charges.”

I glance at the attorney. “I’m sorry, Sir, but I don’t participate in bribes. If I sign to drop the charges now, it’ll look like I forced her to sign the divorce decree. I can’t do that.”

“You fucking asshole.” Sloane jumps up, causing the chain to scatter to the floor behind her as the jailer jerks to his feet and grasps the belly chain. “I can’t believe you tricked me. You fucking asshole.”

My jaw is tight as I stand. “I didn’t trick you. You were the one who poked pins into the condom you switched out when we had sex. All I’m doing is ensuring you’re out of my life.” I spin on my heel and march to the door.

Truman pats my back. “Good job. I’ll get these filed immediately before we leave for the airport.”

I rake an unsteady hand through my hair. “It’s over.” My knees shake. Within a couple of weeks, I’ll be divorced, and my life can finally start.