Priceless

“Oh. So I’m the special someone that makes him that way. How delightful.” I roll my eyes.

“You’re a challenge. He’s bored and rich and someone is telling him no. He’s got nothing better to do.”

“Except waste your time.” We step off the elevator together. “He can do what he’s threatening. Bring lawsuit after lawsuit. Eating away at your time,” I remind Gavin. Of course he doesn’t charge me but it is still his time that he could be with other clients or with his new fiancé planning their wedding. Time is money and technically Mr. Bennington is eating into my brother’s and will keep doing so until I relent. I can’t allow this to go on. I know Gavin will do this for me until I put a stop to it.

“Can you find out about his mother and sister for me?”

Gavin stops walking to turn and look down at me.

“You’re not making that asshole shit.” I can tell this is going to be a fight. If I were to do it, I am going to have to go around my brother without him knowing.

“I could make him shit. He didn’t specify what the necklace has to be made of.” I shrug my shoulders, teasing Gavin. That gets me a smile and a small chuckle. “Can you get some information on them for me?” This isn’t something I normally do but I am having a harder time than normal reading Major. I get glimpses of a sweet man only to be pulled back to his arrogant self. It is all a façade. I need the truth before I can even continue to entertain the possibility of doing this.

“His father is a bigger asshole than him if you can even believe that’s possible. Left the mom for some nineteen-year-old girl. Word is she stopped going to functions and has become a recluse.” My heart feels sad for her. “Twenty-something years of marriage and he walks away for some young thing that didn’t last. I heard she dumped him last week.”

“That sounds sad all around for everyone.” Of course it’s the hardest for Major’s mom, but to have your parents split up and watch your mom go through that must be hard. No wonder they are trying so hard to do something to cheer her up. That’s if what Gavin is saying is all true. You never know with gossip. I might have to do some peeking around myself.

“You’re still not making him anything.”

“It isn’t for him. It’s for his mother,” I remind Gavin. The thought of being married to someone for so long and them walking away so easily scares the crap out of me. I’m not sure I would have the heart to take such a loss.

“Maybe she shouldn’t have raised such a dick and he could have gotten her a necklace no problem.”

I smack Gavin’s arm. “You’re a jerk sometimes too.”

He smirks as if I’m complimenting him.

“Come on, we’re going to lunch. I want more information on the Bennington family.”

“I’m picking.”

“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. He never likes the restaurants I pick.

We head out of the building together. Gavin holds open the town car door for me, telling the driver where to take us before sliding in behind me.

He shifts to look at me. “Be straight with me.” I know this tone. It’s not his lawyer one or his teasing one. This is his older brother tone. “You want information on the Benningtons or are you fishing for stuff on Major?”

My cheeks warm.

“Fucking hell,” he grumbles.

“He’s handsome. I can’t help it!” I jerk my seatbelt on angrily. I’m upset with myself for being lured in by those stupid green eyes. Especially when his eyes get all soft when he talks about his sister. Dang him. “Okay. I admit it. I want to know more about Major too.” I lean back in my seat. “But if what you say is true about his mother, that her heart is broken and I can do something to help heal it, I’ll make her a necklace. But I need to know more about her.”

“So we’re going to give in to what this asshat wants?”

“See, this is where we differ Gavin. Yes, I think Major is an asshole but I won’t let that stop me from doing something nice for his mom. Sometimes we can’t help who we’re related to.” I smirk at him. He narrows his eyes on me. I crack a smile about the same time he does.

“It’s not just about the necklace, Maple. He wants you too.”

“We can’t all have what we want, now can we? I’ll give him his necklace but that’s all he’ll be getting from me.” I am firmly hoping that I didn’t just make a liar out of myself.

Chapter 9

Major

“You win,” Rebecca sighs.

“You’re my attorney. You should be celebrating.” I know I am. I shove my arms into my gray suit coat, double check my wallet is in my breast pocket and breeze out of my office. “I’m out for the rest of the day,” I tell my assistant, Jason. “Please don’t lose three million dollars like you did the last time I left the shop unattended.”