Gavin drew up a brow, finding the situation comical. “Don’t get high on yourself, bro. I’m taking you because Emily insisted. I don’t need you there. If anything, Dillon’s lucky you’re coming with me.” Gavin moved to the refrigerator and plucked out a bottle of water. After taking a sip, he shook his head. “If he gets out of line, neither you nor anyone else will be able to stop me from finishing what I started months ago.”
“Be careful, little man,” Colton warned, jerking his head toward Noah. “Keep him in mind if Asshole pushes the wrong buttons. Dillon will never be worth going to jail over.”
Gavin’s gaze fell on Noah. There was no denying Colton’s statement was correct. Gavin began to think Emily’s desire to have their lawyers send a letter on their behalf, notifying Dillon that Gavin was the father, was a good idea. He’d originally planned on a simple phone call. Although he did call Dillon, it was only to lie about Emily’s next doctor’s appointment. But something deep inside Gavin wanted, no, needed to see Dillon’s face when he heard the news. It screamed out in revenge for all Dillon had put them through. It was payback time, and Gavin wanted to cut the fucking check.
With that, he headed for the bedroom to see if Emily was finished. When he entered, he found her in the bathroom blow drying her hair. He stared at her a long moment, almost regretting his decision to go against her wishes, but it only lasted a second. Visions of the hell she’d suffered with Dillon hit Gavin’s thoughts, relinquishing him of every bit of guilt he felt about doing things his way.
On a deep breath, Gavin stepped into the bathroom and came up behind Emily. Staring at her beautiful reflection, he slid his hands around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. “I’m getting ready to go,” Gavin whispered, hating the look in her eyes. Emily stared back at him in the mirror, her unspoken words ripping him apart, but he couldn’t stop himself if he wanted. “Everything’s going to be fine, Emily. I have to do this. For me. As a man. I have to.”
Emily wasn’t about to argue the issue any further. She’d spent the last several days trying to convince him that seeing Dillon in the flesh to deliver the news wouldn’t do anything but make an already insane situation worse. Though she’d never fully understand his reasoning, Emily knew she had to stand by Gavin’s decision. She nodded, closing her eyes when Gavin buried his face in the crook of her neck. Without another word, she watched him walk out of the bathroom. Now Emily just needed to convince herself what she was allowing him to do was going to be okay.
“How come I feel like this is the calm before the storm?”
Gavin flicked his gaze from the red glowing numbers on the elevator display to Trevor. “What makes you say that?”
Trevor shrugged. “You’re too calm. It’s kind of freaking me the fuck out. I’ve never seen you like this.”
“I can’t be relaxed?” Gavin asked, lifting a brow. “Is this a new rule?”
“Not this relaxed, dude.” Trevor rushed a hand through his hair. “Look at yourself.”
With his hands tucked in his pockets, leaning casually against the wall, Gavin smirked. He found Trevor’s nervousness amusing. “You think I’m going to hurt him?”
“I think you’re going to do some kind of number on him, yeah.”
“Right,” Gavin chuckled. “It’s called the ‘Dillon, go fuck yourself. I’m the father’ number.”
Before Trevor could blink, the elevator doors slid open. Smirk holding steady, Gavin strolled out, his eyes scanning the chaotic scene of brokers pacing. Not only did Gavin ignore the stares from Dillon’s coworkers, he ignored Dillon’s secretary. When her jaw dropped open, Gavin found himself amused for the second time in less than two minutes.
“Gavin!” she yelped, shooting up from her chair. Fumbling in her mountainous stiletto heels, her breath was a ragged mess when she caught up with him. “You can’t go in there.”
Gavin placed his hand on her shoulder, a grin softening his face. “Hi, Kimberly. How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been good, Gavin.” She sighed, her tone nothing short of begging. “Please don’t do this to me. I was told to call the cops if you ever show up here.”
It was Trevor’s turn to place his hand on her shoulder. “Hi, Kimberly. How’ve you been?”
She rolled her eyes. “Hi, Trevor. I’m fine.”
“You’re not going to call the cops on Gavin.” She rolled her eyes again, and Trevor smiled. “You know how I know you’re not going to do that?”
She dug her hands into her hips. “How do you know I’m not going to call the cops on Gavin, Trevor?”
“Because a little birdie from this very office called me the other day and let me know that not only is Dillon… sweetening you up in his bed, but he’s also sweetening up Pricilla Harry from Sheller Investments on the seventeenth floor. They also mentioned he really isn’t digging the little mermaid outfit you wear for him as much as he makes you think he is. “ As Kimberly’s eyes narrowed, lighting up like searing coals, Trevor gave a leisurely shrug. “Am I wrong when I say you probably want Gavin to go into Dillon’s office right about now?”
Kimberly whipped her head in Gavin’s direction, her voice seething. “You have five minutes.”
“Not a minute longer,” Gavin replied as smooth as silk, feeling somewhat bad for the girl. He swung his blue eyes in Trevor’s direction. “Why don’t you keep Kimberly busy while I tend to business? She looks like she needs some comforting.”
Trevor nodded and Gavin turned, heading right for Dillon’s office. Not even bothering to see where the asshole was positioned, Gavin reached for the handle and swung open the door. There was one thing he did the same as last time. Yeah. He made sure to lock the door.
Let the second motherfucking game begin.
With widened eyes, Dillon surged to his feet.
The shock and nervousness on his face forced a barking laugh from Gavin. “Whoa, whoa.” Gavin held up his hands in mock surrender. “Caught you a little off guard, I see.”
“Fuck off, Blake. You can’t just walk in here like that,” Dillon pointed out, his body language showing he was braced for a fight. “You were supposed to call with Emily’s next doctor’s appointment. That was the fucking agreement when you left the message saying she wouldn’t make her last one.”
Slight tension crackled through Gavin’s nerves as he stepped toward Dillon. “Calm the fuck down.” Gavin held up a small, blue envelope and tossed it onto Dillon’s desk. With a slow grin twisting his lips, Gavin stared at Dillon’s hand resting on the phone. No doubt he was getting ready to pick it up. “I didn’t come here to physically hurt you, Dillon,” Gavin continued, attempting to hold in a chuckle. “Today, I’m the bearer of… good news. Emily no longer has any more doctors’ appointments.” Gavin paused, his grin widening. “Well, not prenatal appointments.”
Still appearing as if he was about to yell for help, Dillon’s eyes piqued with curiosity as he reached for and tore open the birth announcement. Gavin wasn’t sure how long Dillon took to scan over the teddy bear-riddled card highlighting Noah’s July 5th entrance into his life, but somehow, Gavin wasn’t filled with the joy at witnessing any of this the way he thought he’d be.
“Emily had the baby?” Dillon questioned, his face bleeding confusion. “This was over a fucking week ago. How come I’m just finding out?” After crumpling up the announcement, Dillon chucked it into the garbage pail. With a smirk, he rounded the corner of his desk and walked up to Gavin. Their bodies were less than a foot apart when Dillon spoke up again, his voice as cold as a snowy winter morning. “It’s all good. Just tell me where I have to go and what I have to do to prove I’m this kid’s father.”