Chapter Sixteen

It seemed there wasn’t anything to worry about as Evan shakes hands with his lawyer and proceeds to leave the office. Looking over the documents along with proof and validation that more than ninety percent of the time Shasta lives with him and providing everything for her, Mr. Dawson informed him this was a done deal case.

Feeling lighter than he has been the last couple of days since he was served the court orders he felt like taking the day off instead of going back to the office. Isabel had taken her mother to a doctor’s appointment while Shasta was in school. So when he pulled up into his curved driveway he frowned seeing another vehicle that he didn’t recognize.

Parking next to the black SUV that looked brand new a deep suspicion entered his blood stream. Quickly heading to the door he slowly opens it to be greeted with nothing but silence. Alarm went through him as he hears a noise upstairs. Quickly getting his bat, that was hidden in the coat closet, he carefully heads up the stairs making as little noise as possible.

He wasn’t sure how the burglar got onto his property with the gate locked, and it was pretty bold of them to park in plain sight of the house.  As soon as he got to the top of the stairs he hears a frustrated grunt followed by a whispered curse. Instant anger flashed through him as he recognized the voice. Putting his bat down he quickly barges into his room.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He growls, causing Kristan to jump in fright, her eyes big like a deer caught in headlights.

“You’re home early.” Was all she states, her voice a bit rattled.

He looks behind her to see that she was at his dresser and the contents on top were opened and gone through. Scowling, he places the bat against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest standing his ground.

“What are you doing here Kristan?” He nearly barks out.

“I was just…” She looks around for a split second. “Waiting for Shasta to get home. Got bored so I was looking around that’s all.” She shrugs, crossing her arms as well.

Total bullshit and she wasn’t good at it either. “This is trespassing. No one invited you here and you don’t just come into my home whenever the fuck you want. I could call the police on you for this and how do you think this will hold up in court?” He threatened.

Her shoulders slump and she puts on a pout. “Okay you got me.” She sighs dramatically. “To be honest, I came here for you.”

He comes up short on that, frowning deeper. “What are you talking about. Came here for me about what?”

Finally looking up at him, staring right into his eyes he became extremely wary of the sudden tears that threatened to spill over. She slowly walks up to him making him take a step back out of precaution.

“I’ve been thinking about it Evan. And hear me out before you say no, but I think its in Shasta’s best interest that we should try and make this work.”

Confusion now overwhelms him from her words. Titling his head he asks cautiously, “Make what work? Are you going to drop the custody battle?”

“Make us work. If you agree to give us another chance, I’ll drop all the charges. I think Shasta deserves to have both her parents in her life, don’t you? She should grow up with a mother and father, set family guidelines and teach her that things could work out in the end.”

He stood there completely flabbergasted at what she was asking. Them? Be together? As in a couple? Absolutely not. No way in hell was he falling for this trick. Scowling, he knew she was after something, and he was pretty sure it was his finical stability. He scoffs at the audacity of this woman who he unfortunately shared a child with.

“No.” That one single word was hard and final.

Blinking, she scoffs but in a different manner, throwing her hands down at her sides with a look of contempt. “You won’t even try for our daughter?”

Shaking his head, slowly he repeats, “No. In fact, hell no. Shasta deserves so much more than that. She deserves to be happy and us being together isn’t it. We tried that when she was first born, and it didn’t work at all. I’m not subjecting myself to that ever again. We don’t love each other Kristan, never have.”

Grabbing the bat he moves to the side to indicate her to leave his room. When she didn’t look like she was going to budge he scowled again and said, “I can still call the police.”

With that she huffs and stomps out of the room like he was the one causing all the problems. Looking at his dresser he saw that his wooden box of valuables was slightly opened. There was nothing worth of value in it, just sentimental mementos he collected over the years. Which told him enough that she was scraping for whatever she could pawn off. She must be desperate for money. Money that he wasn’t willing to give.

Once downstairs, he hears the front door open and women laughing as they came inside. Kristan stops short and stiffens her back just as Isabel pauses when she sees her standing there. The smile slowly slips from her lips as Evan comes down to the foyer.

“What’s going on?” She couldn’t help asking.

“It’s none of your business. Aren’t you an employee? I suggest you keep your mouth shut where matters aren’t your concern.” Kristan snaps.

Isabel’s spine stiffened at the harsh words and Evan knew he wasn’t going to keep quiet. Hiding their relationship be damned. With the confidence of the lawyer earlier today he knew without a doubt he was going to win his case.

“Actually Kristan, it is her business.” He points out causing all the women to look at him in shock.

“Excuse me?” She gives him the look of such attitude that he was more than happy to spill the beans to her.

Walking over to Isabel he leans in and kisses her gently right on the lips shocking them all even further. Slipping his arm around her waist he smiles at Kristan and states, “You see, she’s no longer an employee of mine. She hasn’t been for quite some time. We’re together, officially.”

“What the fuck? You’re fucking our daughter’s nanny?!” She screeches with such a piercing sound that they all winced.

“Seriously? Are you really coming at me with that?” He snaps right back, getting highly pissed. “Lets not say something you’re going to regret Kristan.”

She knew exactly what he was referring too when he caught her having sex with the man he had hired while Shasta was sleeping in the other room. She didn’t even know him, in fact had met him that same day.

“I knew it. I knew there was something going on between you. It’s probably the reason you hired her in the first place. Did you even hire to take care of our daughter? Or hired her just to be your slut-”

A loud slap rent the air as a hand slapped her right across the face, hard. Evan stared at Mrs. Alvarez, who stood right in front of Kristan with her hand out. “How dare you speak about my daughter that way. I know who you are, and you should be ashamed of yourself young lady! Instead of worrying about materialistic things you should be focused on your own child.”

She suddenly starts speaking Spanish in a quick manner before limping to a nearby chair and sitting down seeming to be a bit out of breath.

“Mama.” Isabel quickly went to her mother.

All Evan could do was look at Kristan, who held a hand up to her redden cheek with slight tears in her eyes. “I think you should leave.”

She doesn’t say another word as she looks straight ahead and out the door. Evan follows her up to the first steps of the porch. Watching her hit the last step to the ground he calls out,

“Kristan.”

She stops but doesn’t turn around.

“Don’t think about retaliating against her. She isn’t some hookup. I’m in love with her and I think she’s in love with me, at least I hope she does. But more importantly she loves Shasta. This isn’t going to go away. I plan to make this long term, hopefully to where she’ll marry me. I just want you to know that.”

For a moment there he thought she was going to say something, but she doesn’t as she stomps away, gets into her car and speeds off like a demon from hell.