Part 13 (2/2)

”Hey, you can do this. You're going to be fine. Kimberly knows what she's doing. Calm down. I wonder where Chase is?” Liyah said, dismissing Sloane's worried thoughts.

”You ready to do this,” Kimberly asked, approaching the two women.

”As ready as I'll ever be.” Her knees were starting to feel like rubber bands and she took a moment to compose herself before following Kimberly into the room. Sloane took her seat beside her attorney, while Liyah sat behind her and Chase quickly joined her behind Sloane. Turning slowly, Sloane looked at Gates; who was staring straight ahead. ”He won't even look at me.”

”Hey, forget about him okay,” Kimberly tried to get Sloane to focus. ”Your only concern is Brayden and making sure he stays with you, all right?”

Nodding, Sloane took a deep breath and stood along with everyone else in the courtroom as the session was called to order.

With the court case going on, it was hard to focus on much. Luckily she was terribly busy at the Foundation, so time pa.s.sed by pretty quickly. As Sloane was about to finish up for the day, she heard her phone ring.

”h.e.l.lo.”

”Sloane, there is a Mr. Jaxon here to see you.”

”Uh, okay. Send him in.” Why is he here? She wondered if she should call Kimberly, but decided to wait.

”Sloane.” She watched 'Jax' enter her office and shut the door behind him. He carried himself with such an a.s.surance and confidence and she wondered if he'd ever used the word 'doubt' in his life.

”Mr. Jaxon. I wasn't expecting you. Should I call my attorney?”

”Oh, no need to be so formal Sloane, and no, that won't be necessary.” Moving slowly, he stared at a recent picture of Brayden Sloane had placed on the side credenza. ”Wow how quickly they grow up.” Wearing his normal annoying smirk, he turned to look at Sloane. ”How old was he here?”

”Jax, exactly why are you here?” She wasn't in the mood to deal with Jax and she had a feeling he was up to something.

”Wow, you get straight to the point. Now I remember why Gates liked you. He's very point blank as well. No BSing him, just get straight to it.”

”Well, that's usually how things get done.” She was growing more and more anxious as he continued to stand in her office. ”So?”

”Sloane, it seems to me this case has the potential to drag on and on and I don't see how it can be beneficial to you or Brayden. Gates is prepared to fight you for his son. You do realize that don't you?”

”Hmm, well Jax, it seems to me maybe your case isn't as much of a slam dunk as you thought. Maybe you're here to convince me to give up?” She tilted her head and glared at Jax as she relaxed into a leather chair. How dare he try and intimidate her?

”Oh, on the contrary. You're a mother. You have the inherent trait to fight for your young. I have a ton of respect for that. However, Gates is prepared to go the distance on this. I see you have the pa.s.sion and conviction to go the distance, but I'm pretty sure his resources will outlast yours. So I'm here to offer you the opportunity to cut the fight short, save face, some time, and money.”

”My son is worth more than any amount of money.” Sloane shook her head and rolled her eyes at Jax. The audacity of the man was enough to make her choke. Did he really think she would give up that easily?

”I'm sure he is, Sloane. But you and I both know if I wanted to, and it's a good possibility that I will, I could tie this up in court for a long time. Lucky for you, Gates doesn't want that. He wants to be a part of his son's life as quickly as possible.” She watched him walk to the window and look out.

”I'm not keeping him from Brayden.”

”Yeah, not right now?” He turned to look at her with that same smirk on his face. Was he born with that look on his face?

”Look, Jax, I really think this conversation is going nowhere, so-”

”Sloane, you can't really believe you're going to be granted full custody of Brayden.” Jax walked over and sat in the chair in front of her desk. He almost seemed put out that she wasn't giving in.

”And why wouldn't I? I'm a good mother. I've been raising Brayden on my own and he's healthy and happy; and isn't that what ultimately matters?” Sitting forward, she couldn't fathom the gall of the man. She wasn't going to give up because Gates had more money.

”It's commendable, but not practical.” Jax looked at his expensive watch then tapped the arm of the chair. ”Look, you're doing okay here. You're working full time, making okay money, but it's not realistic, Sloane. You don't have the money or resources Gates has and can give to Brayden.”

”I told you before, money isn't everything. Children need love and time and support. You and I both know Gates is a little too busy for those things.”

”Seems to me you don't have that much time to dedicate to Brayden yourself,” Jax chuckled, infuriating Sloane with his superior and annoying att.i.tude as he straightened the platinum cufflinks at his wrists.

”What's that supposed to mean? I'm raising my child and doing the best I can by him. He's happy.”

”Think about it, Sloane. Your best is working full time, which equates to at least eight hours a day if not more away from your son. He's in day care most of the day and if you need to go on trips or events for work, he's with someone else. So is that really what's best for Brayden?”

Sloane paused, taking in Jax's words. ”I'm a single mother. I'm providing for my son. Any judge can see that. I have a wonderful network of friends and family, and I'm doing a great job at it if I do say so myself.” She still couldn't understand what he was getting at. Even most two-parent homes utilized day care and babysitters for the care and well-being of their children when they couldn't be at home.

”Oh, I applaud you for trying. I don't doubt you're doing a good job. h.e.l.l, maybe you and Gates are even when it comes to the amount of time you'd be away from Brayden. But, there are a few things I don't think you've thought about.”

”No, I think there's something you haven't thought about. Like how a judge is going to look at you and Gates trying to take an innocent baby away from his mother,” Sloane glared. If Jax wanted a fight, she was going to give him one. The room silenced and then if his smirk wasn't annoying enough, Jax started to chuckle in only the most irritating and reprehensive way he could.

”Well, you see, I have thought about that. But then the funniest thing crossed my mind. Sloane, you live in North Carolina. A state that is pretty conducive to fathers when it comes to custody. You see, right now, both of you are ent.i.tled to have joint custody of Brayden. It's an automatic thing. But you've kind of been in breach of that now haven't you?” Jax sneered and Sloane's stomach twisted in a knot. ”I wonder how a judge is going to look at you knowingly keeping a man in the dark about his son; or that you tried to pa.s.s the child off as someone else's. And then, well, there is the other stuff.”

”What other stuff?” Sloane could feel her throat starting to close and her mouth went dry.

”Well, this 'network of friends'...leaves a little to be desired don't you think?”

”What?” Narrowing her eyes, Sloane stared at Jax. She had great friends and there was no reason why anyone should have a problem with them around her son.

”Honestly, Sloane, the judge is going to want to know what your plans are when it comes to people being in the child's life. For instance, what happens when you need to travel for work? Gates can provide the best of everything. He can provide an in-home nanny with outstanding credentials. He can provide security to keep Brayden safe no matter where he travels. He can provide the best nutritionist, and I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. All would be very responsible, stable and consistent people in Brayden's life.”

”Again, money isn't everything.” Jax's incessant reminder of how much money Gates had was truly grating on her nerves. Yes, the man had more money than she did, but that didn't determine that he loved their baby any more than she did.

”You're right; a child does need more than money. They need people who are responsible and upstanding citizens to surround them and give them good role models. Gates can provide that. Can you?”

Furrowing her brow, Sloane wasn't sure where Jax was going with his last statement. ”What're you getting at?”

”Look Sloane, it's no secret you have friends that help you with Brayden, but how exactly would the court look at the fact you have someone in his life that has a pretty colorful past.”

”Colorful past?” Confusion covered Sloane's face as Jax walked back to face the window as he continued.

”Chase, who you tried to pa.s.s off as your fiance, has been dating someone recently, hasn't he? Hannah...Hannah Winters, right?” Jax stopped and swiveled to face Sloane. He watched her face as she tried to put together his cryptic puzzle.

”That's none of your business. I don't see what Chase or anyone he's dating has to do with this.”

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