“After we talked, I didn’t get much sleep,” he replied softly. “I asked my mother to get Mr Andrews—”
“Andrew A. Andrews,” Sebastian interrupted, still staring at the elderly lawyer, and Tom glanced at him.
“Yes . . . I asked my mother to get Mr Andrews here, as soon as possible, so that I can financially settle with you.”
“Why the rush?” Ari asked, thoroughly confused. “I thought we would work something out... I thought this was about Reine—”
“It is about Reine,” Tom replied gently. “I want to make things right, Ari, and this is how I start.”
“By throwing fistfuls of money at me?” Ari snapped. “By paying me forservices rendered?”
Tom winced. “No, not like that—”
“That’s exactly how it feels,” Ari cut him off, but there was no anger in her words. Just that echoing emptiness — a hollow feeling of sadness.
She shook her head, sighing softly. “Fine. Whatever.”
“Ari—”
“Just leave it,” Ari snapped. “I will say, though, that I feel at a distinct disadvantage without my own lawyer here to advise me.”
It was part lie, part truth. She didn’t have a lawyer, well, not one on retainer, like the staid grey-haired gentleman who sat at the table, clearly on call for the powerful Somerset family. But Tom and Marnie didn’t need to know that, and so, when Luis went to open his mouth, Ari kicked him sharply under the table. Sebastian, who saw her action, immediately fell into line.
“Yes,” he said slowly, still staring at Andrew A. Andrews. “We should have sent for our lawyer, Mr... um... Mr Xavier X. Xavier.”
Ari groaned, momentarily closing her eyes. When she opened them, Marnie was staring at Sebastian.
“Your lawyer is called Xavier X. Xavier?” she asked. To her credit, Ari could hear how it pained her to keep the tone of disbelief from her voice.
“Yes,” Sebastian lied, sitting up and straightening his shirt. “He’s quite the barrister.”
“No one messes with Triple X,” Luis piped up, and although Ari knew he was trying to be helpful, she groaned again all the same.
“Right,” Marnie replied slowly. “Okay, well, hopefully we can keep these arrangements friendly, and soMr Xavier’sservices—”
“Triple X,” Luis interjected. “They call him Triple X. If it helps, we can call Mr Andrews Triple A?”
“Like a battery,” Sebastian whispered, and now Ari kickedhimunder the table.
“I think I’d prefer to be called Mr Andrews,” Marnie’s lawyer offered, his voice dry.
“Andrew A. Andrews,” Sebastian said, staring at him.
“Okay,” Marnie cut in. “So, anyway, hopefully we can keep it so that your, um, yourMr Xavier’sservices won’t be required. Tom has been very generous in his financial settlement offer here, Ari, and all that we need is for you to sign a few papers so that we can discuss the next few days, and the time both Tom and I would like to spend with Reine.”
“Where is Reine?” Tom asked suddenly, sitting up.
“You mean you’ve only just noticed she isn’t here?” Ari asked, biting down on her lip to stop herself from saying something she would later regret.
“I just... I know the three of you share her, and—”
“We don’t share her,” Luis spat. “Weraiseher.”
Tom took a deep breath. “I know. I know. And I don’t want to get in the way... Actually, I do. I do want to get in the way ofthat. I want time with her. I want to help raise her from now on.” Ari watched as he inhaled deeply. “I want joint custody.”
Ari felt the blood drain from her face. Joint custody? She hadn’t been expecting that. She thought he might ask for visits, maybe the odd holiday or two. But joint custody? Ari swallowed nervously, looking at Luis and Sebastian. The two men had faces like stone, their hands tightly clenched into rock-like fists. But while Sebastian’s face held barely concealed anger, Luis’s chiselled jawline had dropped, betraying his absolute devastation at Tom’s words.
“Luis—” Ari began gently, but at the sound of her voice, Sebastian leapt to his feet.
