ADELINE
Ifelt sick to my stomach before we even pulled into the parking lot, the nausea lodging right under my ribs and not loosening its grip no matter what I did. Simon didn’t even seem to notice, or maybe he did, but he just didn’t acknowledge it.
He drove with the same singular purpose he applied to everything else in his life, completely uncaring of anything outside of his immediate objective. Today, that objective was getting to the slate-gray skyscraper we were disappearing under. It was built entirely out of glass and steel, exuding an air of corporate intimidation and importance.
As we descended into the parking garage, the light dimming more and more with every level, I frowned and glanced over at him. My cousin had flown in from Virginia last night and then he’d arrived at my door this morning, announcing that he was here to help me finalize my divorce.
He was an attorney for the Morris Company, and apparently, a good one at that. From what I’d heard, he was sharp and methodical, making people nervous wherever he went. Despite our familial connection, I felt that same effect applied to me.
I let out a long, deep breath, trying to keep the nausea from climbing even higher. Right at the beginning of this debacle, he’doffered me his help, but I’d turned him down. I hadn’t been in the right head space to involve the family back then.
A year ago, I’d still been blaming them for my predicament and doing everything within my limited power to try to secure my girls. Now, however, the numbers were adding up, and with Louis making threats to take the kids from me, I wasn’t fighting Simon’s involvement any longer. Frankly, I was running out of time to pretend I could handle it all alone.
As he eased into a parking space, I swallowed hard and tried to steady my nerves. “Where are we? I thought you said we were meeting my lawyer.”
“We are.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and reached for the door.
I shook my head and followed him out of the car, but not moving away from it. “No, this isn’t where his offices are. They’re across town.”
He glanced at me. “Not anymore they’re not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Louis is still pushing, right?” Simon asked, his tone suddenly laced with a cool, clinical seriousness I assumed meant he’d shifted into work mode.
“Yes,” I said as I finally closed the door behind me. “His lawyers keep going back and forth with mine. It’s constant.”
“What’s your lawyer saying?”
I hesitated for just a second, not wanting to call a colleague of his useless even though the two had never met and didn’t work for the same firm. Naturally, Simon noticed the pause and sighed. “He’s an idiot, isn’t he?”
“I just don’t think he’s equipped for this,” I admitted quietly. “He keeps sayingwe’ll work it out, but it’s not happening.”
“Because Louis isn’t interested in working it out,” Simon guessed out loud.
“No, he’s not.”
He took my hand and pulled with me him, and we crossed the polished concrete floors of the garage together, our footsteps echoing faintly as we walked. I still didn’t quite know what we were doing at this particular, incredibly fancy building, but my cousin knew I couldn’t afford whoever worked here.
And he’d brought me anyway.
“He’s going for full custody now,” I said softly as a pair of glass doors slid open upon our approach. “I told you that, right? They’re saying they’re going to take my girls if I don’t relinquish my trust.”
“Yeah, you told me.” His teeth ground. “You have a prenup, right?”
I frowned. “I do.”
“That’s why this hasn’t settled yet,” he said simply. “Don’t worry, Adeline. I’m here now and I’m taking over.”
Simon pressed a call button and an elevator slid open in front of us with a soft chime. He dragged me inside and pressed the number of the floor we were headed to without any hesitation whatsoever, like he’d been here a dozen times and knew exactly where we were going.
The doors slid shut and he finally let go of my hand, giving me a reassuring smile. “They’ve been dragging this out intentionally, applying pressure, and waiting for you to fold.”
“I’m close to doing exactly that,” I admitted before I could stop myself. “I can’t lose my kids, Simon. I won’t.”
“I know.” He met my gaze evenly. “You don’t have to deal with this anymore, okay? I’ll handle it. You’ll be officially divorced within a few weeks and you and the girls won’t have to worry about Louis ever again. You’ll be taken care of. I’ll make sure of it.”
My heart fluttered, but I tamped down on that hope trying to take root. “That’s a pretty big promise.”
