The Silk Tie (Erotic Threesome Romance) (20 page)

Until
now yes. Even last week I’d have fought to the death to keep that for myself.
But Brent…

Brent
was different. He deserved love in his life. I didn’t love him but I could see
how a person easily could—how Gabe could. Brent was special. He was
everything I looked for in a man; kind, generous, honest. It caused me to feel
sick to think he’d been cheated on, made to look a fool and hurt right down to
his soul.

A stir
of feeling billowed up within me. Brent was right for Gabe. He was right for
us.

I’d do
whatever was necessary to make things right for the two men in my life. Maybe
that would include examining my own heart and seeing if a kernel of love was
growing there for Brent.

Why
else would I be missing him tonight in an equal measure to missing Gabe? Why
else would I be fantasizing about him fucking me?

* * * *

It was
Friday morning before I had any chance to catch up with Gabe—other than
brief texts letting the other know of our whereabouts.

“What
time does Brent’s hearing start this afternoon?” I asked, pouring tea.

Gabe
spread butter on a slice of wholemeal toast. “Three, is that okay with you
still?”

“Yes,
it’s meant for a hectic week but it should be doable.”

“Great.
I’ll see you in there.”

“Yes. I
can’t say I’m looking forward to seeing Nadia, though.”

“No,
Brent isn’t either.”

“Poor
thing, she’s been such an evil bitch to him.”

“Yes,
but she’ll get what’s coming to her, which is basically nothing.”

“I hope
so.”

“Our
case is solid. I can’t see a judge giving her sympathy.”

“Unfortunately,
we’ve said that before and then come up with the only judge who sees it
differently to everyone else.”

“It’s Nigel
Henderson overseeing today.”

“Oh,
well that’s a good start.” I took a sip of tea.

“Yes.
I’m feeling confident.” He stood and straightened his tie then brushed a few
crumbs from his trousers. “I’ll see you later then, in court.”

“Yes…Gabe…”

“What?”
He glanced at his watch and slipped his phone into his pocket.

“I…”

He
looked at me. “What’s the matter?”

The way
he was standing suggested he was ready to bolt out of the door. His mind had
already switched to work mode.

It was
hardly the best time to tell him I wanted another man to fuck me and ask him if
he was in love with that man.

“Nothing,
it’s okay.”

He
frowned. “You sure?”

“Yes,
go, I’ll see you later.”

He kissed
me then strode from the room. I heard his footsteps on the hard hallway floor
then the front door slammed shut.

I
wrapped my hands around my mug of tea and stared at several postcards held onto
the fridge door by small round magnets. One of the Maldives caught my
attention. My cousin had just been there and sent a postcard. We were tempted to
break the Caribbean habit and try something different. Perhaps Brent would come
with us.

I
tutted and shook my head. No, I was getting ahead of myself. That was fanciful
thinking. One step at a time.

Having
him in our bed, as an equal to Gabe, was the next big thing. Maybe then, if
Gabe agreed and it went well, we could think about the future and talk about
love.

But
first, today, we had to rid Brent of his past and of the woman who’d lied and
cheated and torn his life apart.

I made
it to court at exactly three o’clock which wasn’t ideal. But at least I was in
the public gallery so my opening and closing of the large polished wooden door
didn’t cause any disturbance.

The
judge was yet to arrive, and there were a handful of other observers but it was
incredibly quiet.

Quickly,
I plucked my iPhone from my handbag and flicked it to silent. I then took a
seat and studied my surroundings.

Gabe
and Brent sat together with their backs to me. Their heads were close and a
spread of files lay before them on the large desk. They were both in suits and
their broad shoulders almost touched.

They both
suddenly turned. It was as if they’d felt my gaze.

I gave
a tiny smile and crossed my legs.

Gabe
winked and Brent caught my gaze, held it for a moment before returning my smile
with a quick nod.

He appeared
anxious and uptight. I hated seeing him like that. I had an urge to go to him,
hold him, make it better.

But, of
course, I couldn’t.

I
watched, though, as Gabe gently rested his fingers on Brent’s arm, over his
suit jacket.

It was
the smallest of gestures and would have looked like nothing to a casual
observer, but I knew it meant more. I knew it was an act of comfort,
reassurance, and a promise that he wasn’t alone in this, not today.

He had
us.

I
glanced at the respondent’s table. Nadia, I presumed, sat with her solicitor,
and older man with white hair and a sprinkle of dandruff on his suit jacket. I
vaguely recognized him but couldn’t recall his name.

Even
from the back I could tell that she was also tense. Her shoulders were rigid,
her hair swept up into a tight blonde bun, and she was wearing huge silver-hoop
earrings and a blood-red jacket.

The
judge’s door opened, and Judge Nigel Henderson entered the courtroom.

I took
a deep breath. This was it.

The
judge sat and put on a pair of small round glasses. He peered over their rims
at first Nadia then Brent.

Nigel
Henderson had a mean appearance. He had small eyes and a tight-lipped mouth but
he wasn’t at all unkind. He was fair and intelligent and was passionate about
justice. Brent could have done a lot worse.

I sat
back, folded my arms and prepared to watch the cases put forward.

* * * *

After
an hour, the judge called recess while he deliberated the complex finances that
needed to be separated.

I
remained seated as Nadia stood and stomped into the central aisle. It wasn’t
going well for her. Brent had had a good financial advisor and a pre-nup when they’d
married and many of his assets were protected from divorce.

I
glanced at Nadia’s face. Her mouth was pinched into a tight pout and her
heavily made-up eyes were narrowed. I could see that she was an attractive
woman, but she looked effected, as if she were trying too hard. It wasn’t a
nice image, it was false and, to be honest, tarty.

She
shot a glare my way, probably wondering who I was.

I held
her gaze. I knew her husband better than she did. I cared for him much more
than she did, and I also wanted him more than she did. She could wonder who the
hell I was all she damn well liked.

With a
flick of her chin, as though she didn’t want to waste her time on me, she
marched off, her heels banging like firecrackers on the hard floor.

I went
to the front of the gallery and rested my hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “Hey, are
you both okay?”

They
turned. Brent looked pale and he had shadows beneath his eyes. This was taking
its toll on him, having his financial affairs aired in public, plus I knew what
else was worrying him. Nadia hadn’t accused him of having an affair with a man
yet, but it was likely an ace card—or so she thought—that she and
her solicitor were waiting to play if things didn’t pan out in the money
stakes.

“Yes,
we’re fine,” Gabe said. “All going to plan so far.”

“Good.”

“Thanks
for being here,” Brent said.

“You
wanted me to be, so of course I’m here.” I reached out and took his hand. “It
will be okay, you’ll see.”

He
pulled in a breath. “So you both keep saying.” He shook his head. “God, I feel
sick.”

“Would
you like some water?” I released his hand. “I could go and get you some?”

“No,
it’s fine.” He smiled weakly. “I just need this to be over.”

“It
will be soon enough,” Gabe said. “Just be strong for a little longer.”

“It’s
not strength I’m lacking.” He fiddled with his tie, as though wishing he could
loosen it. “It’s being in the same room as her. Knowing what she did, how she
made such a fool out of me for so long. The lies, the deceit, it’s hard to live
with having been a blind idiot.”

“You’re
not a blind idiot,” Gabe said. “She’s a sneaky adulteress, that’s not your
fault.”

“No,
it’s not,” I added firmly.

He
sighed. “I guess.” He glanced between us, a sudden urgency in his eyes. “I just
don’t want to become one of those fucked-up blokes who can never trust again,
who is always wondering if the people he loves are being true.”

“That
won’t happen,” I said. “You have a good and open heart, don’t change that.”

“And we
won’t let that happen,” Gabe said as he rested his hand on Brent’s shoulder. “I
promise.”

The
clacking of Nadia’s heels warned me that she’d returned.

Brent
turned away as though he didn’t want to see her face.

Gabe
and I glanced at each other then I went back to my seat. As I settled, Judge
Henderson returned.

“I’ve
come to a decision on the orders,” the judge said, poking at the center of his
glasses and pushing them up the bridge of his nose. “As Mrs. Nadia Dawson
hasn’t protested to Mr. Brent Dawson’s application for divorce, I declare that
all property will remain in the name of Brent Dawson, all pensions will remain
in the name of Brent Dawson. Brent Dawson Ltd. will remain intact and
untouched. As there are no children to concern ourselves here with financial
support, Mr. Brent Dawson will pay a one-off sum of one hundred thousand pounds
to Mrs. Nadia Dawson and then all financial ties and responsibilities will be
severed.”

“What?”
Nadia shouted, jumping up. “That’s ridiculous, one hundred thousand pounds,
that’s pennies to him.” She pointed at Brent. “That man is worth millions, how
can you expect me to take that?”

“Mrs.
Dawson, I suggest you sit down and respect the court’s decision and the
agreements you signed prior to your marriage.”

“Respect
the decision! How can I respect you when you’re making me poor? I’ll be on the
streets. He’s made a fortune since we married, he’ll be living in luxury and
I’ll be desolate.”

“I
hardly think so. Now, please, sit before I have you for contempt of court.”

Nadia
sat and crossed her arms. Her solicitor put his hand on her shoulder but she
shrugged him off and glared across at Brent.

The
judge sighed and removed his glasses. “Mrs. Dawson, your husband has divorced
you on grounds of adultery. You haven’t contested that, so did you really think
you’d walk out of here today with half of his assets?”

“He’s
loaded, what does it matter to him if it’s split in half? Plus, I should be
able to live in the manner that I have become accustomed to.”

I
rubbed my finger on my bottom lip and sat forward. This wasn’t how these family
law sessions usually went, but Judge Henderson was an unusual character.

“Loaded
or not, you cheated on your husband, numerous times, I gather. And if you’d
truly appreciated living with wealth and fortune, you wouldn’t have risked that
by taking another lover.”

“What
choice did I have?” she said, the last word ending on a dramatic sob. “When I
had to put on a brave face to cover up what he really is?”

I saw
Brent rub his hand over his face.

Gabe
leaned close and whispered something to him, reassurance I suspected.

“What
do you mean?” the judge asked. “Are there other mitigating factors that you’ve
withheld?”

I knew
he was alluding to domestic abuse, which was, of course, ridiculous in Brent’s
case, but it was a judge’s job.

“Yes.”
She pulled a tissue from her purse. “There are, and I didn’t want to bring them
up, didn’t want to drag his name through the mud, but he’s left me no choice.”

“Go
on…” Judge Henderson said sternly.

“He’s,
he’s…” She turned to Brent and pointed with a shaky finger. “He’s gay, he’s
been having an affair with a man for our entire marriage.”

“Objection,”
Gabe said, standing. “This is preposterous and the respondent has no evidence
to substantiate this claim of Mr. Dawson being unfaithful.”

“Overruled,”
Judge Henderson said.

Gabe
sat down.

Damn
it, the judge was going to listen to her poison.

“Go on,
please tell me why you have made this adultry claim against Mr. Dawson.”

Nadia
sniffed and dabbed at her nose.

I could
have quite happily slapped her; she was such an actress, such a liar.

“Well,
before he met me he had a relationship with a man. He never told me but I know
he did. I saw texts and emails from this person, Samuel someone or other. Then
when we married he continued the relationship. Brent would say he was going on
foreign business trips but he was really holidaying with this man. Sometimes,
he’d be out all night and I knew they were at gay bars together—”

“Objection,
please, Your Honor,” Gabe said, standing and holding out his hands. “This is
all fiction and Mrs. Dawson has no evidence to support her wild, slanderous
claims because they’re grossly untrue.”

The
judge sighed. “Do you have evidence, Mrs. Dawson?”

“Well
no, but I’m a woman, I know these things.”

“What
do you mean?” he asked.

“Well…”
She tipped her head and appeared to be trying to look coy. “In the bedroom, you
see, he just…” She held her index finger toward the ceiling then curled it
downward. “Couldn’t get it up for me, he was always thinking of this man,
Samuel. Of doing whatever men do to each other when they’re together.”

Brent
groaned.

Gabe
leaped up again. “Objection…seriously…Your Honor.”

“Withheld.”

The
judge looked at Brent. “Mr. Dawson, is this true? Have you also committed
adultery?”

“No,
absolutely not, Your Honor. I never would. I have been one hundred percent
faithful.”

“Bloody
liar,” Nadia screeched. “I know you’ve cheated, you’re gay, Brent. Have you any
idea what that’s like for a woman to be married to a gay man? It destroys her
soul.” She tapped her large chest. “It’s heartbreaking, no wonder I went into
the arms of another man.”

“Whether
or not your husband is gay, Mrs. Dawson, is irrelevant to this case as is his
performance in the bedroom,” the judge said frowning.

I squirmed
on my seat and thought of Brent’s performance in the bedroom. There was
absolutely nothing lacking there. Also, the way he’d looked at me in my office
the other day assured me that his attraction for women was right on track. He
wanted me with a passion that was almost frightening it was so intense.

“The
fact is,” the judge went on, “you were an adulteress, you haven’t denied that,
and your husband is divorcing you for it. To make claims now about his fidelity
is, quite frankly, too late.” He picked up his hammer and bashed it on the
desk. “My decision about assets are final. Your solicitors can tie up the
details.” He stood, retrieved his glasses and a pile of paperwork then walked
from the courtroom.

Nadia
sprung to her feet, pushed past her lawyer and charged at Brent.

He
stood tall and stepped around Gabe.

“You’ve
done this on purpose,” she said, stabbing at his chest with her finger. “Left
me with nothing.”

“Too
right I’ve done it on purpose,” Brent said. “I didn’t want you to have
anything. That’s what happens when you cheat and lie, you get found out and you
lose.”

My
heart swelled with pride. I knew how much this was hurting him but he looked so
strong and in control. He
was
strong and in control.

Gabe
glanced my way, obviously wondering whether or not to intervene.

I shook
my head slightly. I had a feeling Brent needed to do this on his own.

“I’m
going to ruin you,” Nadia said, clenching her fists at her sides. “I’ll see
that everyone knows you for what you are. That you’re a gayboy, that you do
men. We’ll see how that works out for Brent Dawson bloody Limited then, shall
we?”