Ryan stood there speechless. He knew she was right. There was nothing he could say because he was going to follow through with his plan. The best he could hope for was at some point to get to know his daughter so that she wouldn’t think he was a complete monster.
Vicky shook her head and turned away from him, “Come on honey...we’ve got to go.”
Angel put her toys away and ran over to Vicky, “Okay mommy.” As they were about to leave Angel turned around, “Mommy! Forgot to say goodbye to the nice man.” She ran back over to Ryan with a big smile on her face, “Bye.”
Feeling somewhat guilty, Ryan smiled back, “Bye little princess. I will see you again soon.”
They opened the door to leave. Jason watched as Angel came out of the room, followed by the court supervisor, and finally Vicky. Ryan stood in the doorway looking around as if he were looking for someone.
Angel’s face lit up when she saw Jason. She called out to him as she ran into his arms, “Daddy daddy!”
Jason bent down to pick her up and kissed her on the cheek. Vicky walked up to him as well and gave him a tired smile. Jason kissed her softly on the lips. “Take Angel and go to the car. I need a word with Ryan.”
Vicky looked panicked, “Jason, please don’t do anything…”
“I promise I’ll behave. I just need a word. I won’t do anything to land us on the cover of the papers.”
She hesitated, before taking Angel and doing what he asked. “Don’t do anything to land yourself in jail either.”
The court supervisor left immediately after the meeting was over. Once Vicky and Angel were almost out the door Jason calmly walked over Ryan.
“Can I have a word?”
Any sensitivity Ryan had for Angel was completely gone when he looked into Jason’s face. “I don’t have anything to say to you. I’ll see you in court tomorrow.”
Jason pulled Ryan up by his shirt and pushed him back into the party room and closed the door. His voice was deathly quiet as he spoke, “You piece of shit. If you were looking for the photographer you hired to take ‘family’ pictures or should I say the money shot…I got rid of him.”
Ryan could see the rage in Jason’s eyes. As long as the door was open Ryan felt safe. Now that it was closed, he was nervous. There was nothing like a man who thought he was losing everything. That person would be capable of anything. He struggled against Jason to release him. “Let me go. Real men fight in court only thugs use their fists.”
Jason’s grip was like steel. After Ryan’s comments, Jason couldn’t hold back. And, like lightening…Jason hit Ryan so hard in the face he fell backwards. But, Ryan was quick on his feet and got up off of the floor. He swung at Jason and missed. Jason charged him and knocked him into the wall and onto a table.
Whatever was on the table went flying in a million different directions. Ryan did his best to try and fight back but he was no match for Jason. He was hit with iron blow after iron blow before crying out to Jason to stop. Jason grabbed Ryan by the throat. He held him so tight Ryan couldn’t breathe. So, he clawed at Jason with both hands trying to get Jason to release his grip.
Jason ground out in gritted teeth, “The only thing that keeps me out of prison for killing you is Angel. I love that little girl. But, you need to know that I know you’re a bastard. I get it…it’s the Governorship you want. However, you’ll be an important person in Angel’s life when she gets older. The games you think you’re going to try to play…don’t. Because if you do anything to hurt her or Vicky…there’s no place in this world not even Hell itself where you’ll be able to hide from me.”
Jason released Ryan’s neck and smoothed out his wrinkled shirt before walking out of the party room.
Chapter 32
The past couple of days with Jason had been probably the most honest they’d had since being a couple. It wasn’t so much about the passion which was always under the surface but they talked about their hopes, joys, fears, and everything else. They talked and talked and talked some more.
As much as they wanted time to keep still, there was nothing they could do to keep Friday from coming. It was here and they had to face whatever might come. And, they would. Jason was no longer pretending that he could control this situation and Vicky could show her fear without being concerned that Jason would try to control something he had no control over. The comfort came in knowing that whatever happened they would face it together as partners.
Vicky was finishing with Angel’s hair when Jason’s parents arrived to their suite. Shortly after, Aunt Shirley arrived.
Considering the hearing was about to start in a few hours, Jason and Vicky seemed happier and calmer than they’d been in months. They found reasons for a simple touch here or a touch there when one or the other was near.
That wasn’t lost on anyone in the room.
Jason whispered something into Vicky’s ear and it caused them
