Chapter 54

"Honey, I'm home," I called out as I entered the apartment I shared with my mother and sister.

"Hey, Jace," Tori bounded towards me, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce hug. "You guys were gone for quite a while."

"Longer than either of us guessed," my mother added as she lounged on the couch in the living room. "Did you and Vicky have a good...run?"

"It was very relaxing," I chuckled.

"I bet," Tori grinned. "Where's Vicky?"

"She had me drop her outside so she could drive home. Said she'd call you later," I replied.

"I'm glad you two got time alone today," Tori said. "You have no idea how different Vicky has been since you came home."

"It looks like I'm not the only one that has changed after coming back," I nodded. "Each day, I feel more thankful than the last that I have you and the others."

"The feeling is mutual," Tori smiled, kissing me on the lips softly.

"How adorable," my mother cut in.

"Come here, you," I grinned, opening my arms to the woman who raised me.

My mother crossed the empty space between us with most of her reserved dignity intact, but I could pick up a slight quicken to her step. My arms encircled her slim waist, and my hands settled on the small of her back, right above the curve of her fantastic ass. Our lips met in a sensual kiss that had me rock hard immediately. I seriously didn't know how the fuck my body had so much sexual energy stored up to use at a moment's notice, but I was glad I did in order to satisfy so many borderline nymphomaniac women in my life.

"As flattered as I am to your...situation, my dear, I need you to cool your jets for a bit," my mother said once our kiss ended.

"Why? What's up?" I asked, hiding my disappointment.

"Your father is on his way over here to talk," she replied. "Since you skipped the meeting last night."

"In hindsight, that probably wasn't a good idea," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "He did say that was the only chance I had."

"Yes, and no," my mother replied. "That was before he learned I was in your corner. Trust me, Jason, we will get everything we need from that man."

"I kind of feel bad," I said, not really knowing where these thoughts were coming from.

"He wasn't a good father," Tori said. "The fact that he doted on me and me alone while dismissing you so easily is proof enough of what a shitty parent he was. He cheated on Mum and treated her like a second-place prize. I understand he lost the woman he loved...your birth mother, but that's no excuse for doing the things he's done."

"Your sister is right, Jason," my mother nodded. "He had decades to get over your mothers passing, to reconcile with you, and tell you the truth, but he hasn't. I knew he was a selfish man when I first met him, but I thought that's what I wanted. A man that wouldn't let anything get in his way to achieve his goals. But a man who blackmails his own son into keeping secrets is not a man I wish to be with. He is not a good man."

"I guess I'm just feeling a little sorry for him," I sighed heavily. "After hearing about my...my mother, it's hard not to feel sorry for him. I couldn't imagine losing any of you."

"And that's what makes you a wonderful man," my mother smiled. "But it's also a weakness when dealing with men like your father. He will use that against you without hesitation if it means getting his way."

"So...what do I do?" I asked.

"Nothing, my dear," my mother cupped my cheek. "You have done enough. Let Mumma bear take it from here. I'll deal with your father."

The front door to the apartment swung open suddenly, and I immediately jumped back from my mother's touch, expecting my father to waltz through the door to tell me I had lost and we were all going to be living on the street. But instead of the scowling, hard stare from my father, I was greeted with a beautiful smile from Natalie, the slim, white-haired assistant at my father's firm who I'd hooked up with a few times. She was dressed in a fitted white blouse and a sexy black pencil skirt that gave her a sexy librarian look.

"Thank you for coming, Natalie," my mother said, greeting the white-haired woman with a warm hug. "I know it was a lot to ask."

"Nonsense," Natalie shook her head and smiled. "I want to help in any way I can."

"What's going on here?" I asked with a hint of confusion.

"Natalie has agreed to help our situation," my mother replied. "Which is incredibly brave of her."

"I just want to do what's right," Natalie nodded.

"I still don't know what's going on," I sighed.

"You'll find out soon enough, Jason," my mother replied. "As I said, leave everything to me."

I was about to argue that I needed to know what was going on if I was going to plan what to do and say when my father showed up, but then the door to the apartment swung open once again. This time, there was no mistaking who it was. My father strode into the apartment like he owned the place--well, technically he did--his gaze sweeping over the group of us assembled by the kitchen counter before halting on me. His eyes were hard and unyielding. It felt like he was trying to break my will just by staring me down. The old Jason might have wavered under this man's powerful stare, but not anymore. He had lied to me my whole life, treated my mother like crap, and then threatened to take away his support for Hayley and my unborn baby when I stumbled upon his secret.

I felt bad for this man for what had happened. But I would never forgive him for using Hayley and our unborn child to get his way.

"You're late," my mother said flatly.

"You should be grateful I'm even here," my father snapped. "Especially after last night."

"But you are," she smirked. "This is as important to you as it is me."

My father's eyes drifted over to me for a split second, and I saw a hint of worry flash. I met his gaze and crossed my arms across my chest. I wanted to scream at this man, berate him, and hit him. I wanted to know why I wasn't enough for him after my birth mother died. But I kept my calm.

"He knows," my mother said, looking between my father and me.

"You told him?" my father growled.

"No, although I should have a long time ago" she shook her head. "He came by the office last night and heard us arguing."

My old man stared at me for a moment, but I couldn't pick his emotion. He was once again masking his emotions perfectly, not giving a single thing away. His gaze drifted to Tori for a moment, and I saw what could have been pain. His little girl was standing opposite him with a firm, unyielding gaze that could have rival her fathers. Then his eyes focused on Natalie.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you here," he huffed.

"I'm just trying to do the right thing," Natalie said, standing her ground. "It's what my grandfather would have wanted."

"His name will be coming down tomorrow," my father said. "I don't need him anymore."

"Enough," my mother cut in. "You will not bully this young woman. You will listen to what I have to say, and you will agree to my demands because it is the best thing for our children. And that's the only thing that matters right now. No matter what happens today, we are over, so let's make sure our children and grandchildren do not have to suffer for our marital issues and lies.

"Fine, but everything we discuss will be locked by a non-disclosure agreement. Otherwise, I walk now," my father said.

"Agreed," my mother nodded to Natalie, who stepped forward and held out a piece of paper from her folder.

"The child won't even be your grandchild," my father laughed as he sighed his signature on the paperwork Natalie handed him. "Jason isn't your son...he might as well not even be mine."

My fists clenched into tight balls that matched the rage pitted in my stomach. My jaw clenched, and I heard my teeth grind as I restrained myself from launching myself across the room to wipe that smug look off his face. My father's eyes drifted back to mine, and the smirk vanished, immediately replaced by the look of fear I had seen in his eyes the last time I got mad with him. He still thought I was the weak, helpless boy that left to go to University in Melbourne.

"Jason," Tori whispered.

I looked down to see Tori's hand on my arm and immediately felt my body calm from her touch. I looked up to see a sad expression on Natalie's beautiful face that told me she hadn't known about my birth mother. I looked into her blue eyes, and I could almost feel her urge to want to hug me.

"No, that child will not be my grandchild," my mother said, accepting the same form and singing her name, handing it back to Natalie for her to witness. "But Tori's child will be."

The scratch of Natalie's pen as she signed was deafening as silence filled the room. My heart slammed in my chest, and my palms felt suddenly clammy and sweaty. My father's eyes glazed over as he stared at nothing, while my mother had a look of triumph spread across her beautiful features.

"Who is the father...."

"You know who," my mother replied.

"No...no, that cannot be," my father shook his head. "How the fuck can that be!"

"You cannot be that stupid, dear," my mother all but taunted him. "I think you just didn't want it to be true, so you ignored the signs."

"I want all of you out...now," my father growled.

"No," I said, stepping forward.

"Don't you dare speak to me!' my father snapped, shooting a dangerous glare my way. "When I'm done with you, you'll be locked in prison for the rest of your life. I'll make sure of it."

"You will do no such thing," my mother cut in. "Unless you wish to deal with the non-disclosure agreement you just signed. And...well, you're a lawyer, you know how these things work."

"You bitch," he growled. "You won't get away with this."

"Oh, but I will, my dear husband," my mother cooed. "Natalie, can you please hand my husband a copy of the files you're holding."

Natalie stepped forward tentatively and held out one of the manilla folders she had tucked under her arm. My father snatched it from her with a glare and began flicking through it immediately.

"I doubt I'll need to explain what those," my mother said after a minute passed. "And I don't think I have to tell you that those are only copies."

"Fucking bitch," my father growled. "What do you want."

"Natalie," my mother nodded to the white-haired woman.

Natalie stepped forward once more, pulling a stapled stack of papers from one of the remaining folders. My father took these with less force than he had the folder and started flipping through them.

"That is our divorce contract, detailing the exact split of assets and money," my mother said. "You'll notice that you're being left with more than half of what we own as a courtesy. You'll keep the firm and managing partner on the condition that you will sign over the deed to the manor you were forcing onto Jason, where he will take over the mortgage."

"Do you know how much that house costs a month?" my father scoffed. "The house isn't even halfway paid off, and the boy doesn't even have a job."

"That's not your problem," my mother said sternly, folding her arms under her breasts. "Do we have a deal?"

"The two-bedroom as well as the coast house?" my father balked. "This is more than half."

"But you keep your firm," my mother smirked. "Or would you like to go to court and have me take everything? Maybe I could just settle for owning half of your firm."

"Bitch," my father cursed under his breathe. "What if I refuse? I am one of the best lawyers in this city, and I've never been afraid of going to court."

"No, dear," my mother laughed. "You aren't, but you close ninety percent of your cases out of the courtroom. By using strong-arm tactics just like this. Besides, if you refuse, that first document will be sent to the authorities, then the best-case scenario is you'll lose your license and your firm."

"Blackmail is a crime too," he snapped back, then glared at me. "So is incest."

"Yes, you are correct," my mother replied. "But are you willing to lose your license, firm and potentially spend ten to fifteen years in prison just to out your own children? Not to mention, taint your family name and legacy? No, I don't think you will. You know as well as I do that if those documents see the light of day, your whole firm becomes a target. Every case you've touched is re-opened, and you'll have a lot of angry clients. Just take the deal, Nathan."

There was a tense silence in the apartment as my mother and father stared each other down, neither wavering. I could see the muscles in my father's jaw tense as he white-knuckled the documents in his hand. While my mother just smirked as if she'd already won. But then again, maybe she had. I didn't really like my father knowing about the relationship between Tori and me--since he could use that against us--but I also didn't know what she had on him. By the look on my father's face, it must have been something incredibly damning.

"Fine," he said finally. "But I have one condition."

"I'll hear you out," she replied.

"Any and all copies of this document must be destroyed or handed over to me," he held up the folder with the blackmail evidence. "I will not have this hanging over my head for when you need money."

"No," my mother replied flatly. "I will sign whatever you want me to keep me from talking about it, but I will not hand it over. Think of it as insurance in case you decide to try and oust your own son."

"Do you think I'd really do that?" he frowned.

"I don't know what you're capable of these days, Nathan."

"Very well," my father said sternly. "I'll have one of my associates draft the paperwork and have you come into the office tomorrow to sign."

"No need," my mother cut in. "I had Natalie write up the paperwork and draft the contract for me. She really is an incredibly intelligent young woman. Too bad you never saw her for anything than a firm ass to look at."

Natalie's cheeks reddened once more, and I saw her shift uncomfortably. It couldn't have been easy for her to be here right now. Siding with my mother meant ending her career at the law firm that her grandfather helped build. I'd have to think of a way to make it up to her. One that didn't just involve some mind-blowing sex.

She deserved much more.

Ten minutes later, our signatures were all signed, and the dates were marked. My father all but stormed out of the apartment as soon as the pen left his hand. I was sure if the doors weren't automated, he would have slammed them with enough force to shake the foundation.

Then he was gone. And it was all over. We won.

"Mum...I can't begin to express my gratitude for what you've done," I said, pulling this magnificent woman into a big hug.

"Yeah, Mum, you were amazing," Tori said, throwing her arms around us both.

"It was nothing," my mother laughed. "I'm only glad I was able to get this all sorted for you. Both of you."

"I still don't know how the hell I'm going to pay off a 1.5 million-dollar mortgage," I laughed. "But I'll figure something out."

"Oh, that reminds me," my mother said.

She disentangled herself from our embrace and retrieved her purse from the kitchen counter, pulling a slip of paper out and handing it to me. "This should help."

I took the piece of paper and recognized it for what it was immediately. I held a cheque in my hands for half a million dollars, signed in my mother's elegant hand. I stared at the number of zeroes for what must have been two or three minutes before looking back up to my mother.

"I can't accept this," I said, dumbfounded.

"Nonsense," she replied. "It's an investment for my grandchildren. It won't pay off the rest of the mortgage, but it will make a sizable dent in it for you and give you breathing room to set up your streaming business idea."

"You know about that?' I asked.

"Of course I do," she smiled. "I think it's a fantastic idea."

"Dad thought it was stupid," I shrugged.

"That's because your father is still living in the nineties," my mother laughed. "He doesn't understand how popular internet personalities can become. To him, you have to work nine to five to make a living. Everything else is a hobby. Your girls are all young and beautiful. You'll have no problem achieving your goal."

"Thanks, Mum," Tori grinned, throwing her arms around our mother.

"Hush now," she smiled. "I'm just doing what any good mother would. It took me a couple of decades to get there, but it's better late than never."

"You are a good mother. Thank you," I nodded, then turned to Natalie. "And thank you. None of this could have happened if you hadn't helped us. It mustn't have been easy to do, knowing full well you wouldn't be welcome back at the firm."

"There was no choice to be made, Jason," Natalie smiled. "I'd do anything for you."

Natalie and I had, had an explosive start to our relationship. The sex had been amazing, and we got along really well. But we hadn't really spent a lot of time together. I know she had a crush on Hayley--which was returned in kind--but right now was the first time that I noticed she was looking at me with the same awed reverence I had seen in her eyes when she had spotted Hayley for the first time.

"Come here," I smiled, opening my arms to her.

Natalie's face broke out in a massive grin as she skipped over to me and slipped into my arms. My arms encircled her slender waist, and her petite body nestled against mine as her arms wrapped around my neck. Our lips met, and a moment later, our tongues danced together.

"So," I said once our kiss ended.

"So..." Natalie smiled, her cheeks flushed.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go on another date sometime," I said.

"I'd love that," Natalie nodded. "But I have one condition."

"Shoot."

"Hayley has to join us."