Page 87 of Tempted

“That’s the plan. Remember Chelsea and Tyler have half day at school today so you’ll need to pick them up in about an hour.”

“This conversation is far from over, Victor. I won’t be kept away from my grandchild and you’re eventually going to have to tell the children about the baby.”

He sighed gathering his briefcase and jacket. “Mom, you’ve made your concerns quite clear. I need to go.”

“Where are you two meeting?”

“I’m meeting at her place.” He bent over and gave his mother a peck on the check.

“Oh yes, that house on Peach Tree Terrace?”

“Yes.” He was heading toward the door but something struck him as odd. Turning on his heels, he eyes his mother suspiciously. “How did you know?”

She shrugged. “You left your appointment book open. Shouldn’t you be going?”

“Uh, yeah. There was probably more he should have said, but thought better of it. There would be plenty of time to talk her out of whatever she was planning. And knowing his mother, she was definitely up to something.” As he walked to his car, he rubbed the back of his head. He hadn’t been smacked like that since he was a kid. Victor wished he was as confident about Jasmine’s feelings for him as his mother was.

* * *

“How was your visit with Star?” Victor asked as Jasmine offered him a glass of lemonade. He wasn’t really thirsty, but he needed to hold something so he wasn’t tempted to take Jasmine in his arms and kiss her silly. Pregnancy certainly agreed with her. She’d gained a few pounds which looked great on her. Her breasts were fuller and her belly was huge with his son. Her gorgeous brown skin glowed with renewed vigor and she was so lovely, he ached for her. She was the most beautiful woman in the world to him.

It would be hard getting through his meeting being so close but not being able to touch. Jasmine normally took a seat in the recliner while he sat on the couch, but this time she sat next to him. “Sorry, to crowd you, but the couch is so much better for my back now that I’m getting bigger. I feel like a whale.” She laughed.

“But you look beautiful,” he couldn’t help saying. “Well, I guess we can start going over the particulars of the case now,” Victor rushed on to cover up the sudden awkwardness.

“Yes. You said you were meeting with the DA last week. How did it go?”

“Very well. Actually it went along much better than I’d hoped. He basically said the same thing I did. This case should never have been presented to the previous DA in the first place with all the evidence intact. Not only that, Danny has been able to dig up a little dirt on your attorney in that case. He’s no longer working for the state. He’s with a private practice, a firm called Lutz, Cohen and Smith. Guess who one of their biggest clients is.”

She shrugged. “Should I know the answer to this question?”

“Sanderson Insurance.”

Her mouth fell open. “What? That company belonged to…”

“Miles Sanderson.”

“It’s a coincidence right?”

“From what I understand, your attorney had been angling for a position with the firm months before your case came across his desk. We’ll need to do some further investigating, but it looks like Hammond, had a vested interest in your going to jail. From some of the cases he’s had, he’s not above using any means necessary to get the result he wants.”

Jasmine gasped. “Was I set up? Do you mean he had no intention of defending me?” It was hard to reconcile how far down the rabbit hole this went. Her ex’s parents had hated for not being who they believed their son should be with. They even refused to acknowledge Star as their grandchild. But she never thought they’d go this far.

“I can’t make that accusation with one hundred percent certainty but it certainly looks like it. But besides, that, I have a meeting set up later this week with one of the appellate judges. Things are moving faster than I thought they would.”

“I…I can’t believe it. When you first offered to help me, I was skeptical. Not because I believed you wouldn’t do what you said, but because I’m so used to disappointment. I don’t know how I can thank you.” She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. A move that made his body tense and dick stir. He inched away from her on the couch and took a sip of his drink. God she was lovely.

Victor shifted his hips slightly to adjust his cock. If she saw his erection she’d probably kick him out. “Don’t thank me yet. It’s not over until the judge’s rule in your favor. So, how was your visit with Star? You said Jason was taking you to see her the last time we met.”

A shadow crossed her face. “Yes. I’ve been allowed more visitation and I’m allowed to have a couple nights a weeks. My case worker is concerned that I’m living with a man who I’m not married to and that I’m unemployed. Every time I seem to make progress she moves the goal post. I don’t understand why she’s being so difficult.”

“How’s she doing?”

Jasmine nibbled on her bottom lip. “Better because we get to spend more time together but she’s still not talking. They’re taking her to therapists.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Victor placed his glass on the coffee table and took her hands in his. “I’m so sorry, Jasmine. But is she at least responding to your presence?”

She nodded. “Yes. That’s a plus. Hopefully things will change soon.”

---