Page 2 of Laws of Love
“We aren’t a self-serving state, so no.” Aiva could imagine after the things Kyan had told her how the other woman would feel vindicated serving him. “However, anyone aside from you, one of your family members or his, can serve him. As long as they hand him the documentation and tell him that he’s been served, I don’t see why you couldn’t be nearby.”
Aiva probably should not have told her that, but it wasn’t illegal for her to be there. She just wasn’t sure the reaction Kyan’s husband would have. However, if there were others around, Aiva didn’t foresee there being a problem.
When the two women finished, Aiva told Kyan she would send over the drafted paperwork to make sure it was suitable before filing it with the courts. They shook hands once again and said their goodbyes.
Aiva leaned back in her seat, deciding to prepare the documents. It was about five minutes later when Finx walked in and sat across from her.
“How long do you plan on staying today?” he questioned.
“I’m going to prepare some of this documentation, and then I’m going to head out. What’s up?”
“I was going to see if you wanted to take me to dinner tonight for coming in and working with you today,” he responded with a smirk.
Aiva chuckled. “I guess I can do that, and you can tell me how your classes are going.”
“They’re trying to kick my ass, but I’m not going to let them. Especially, when I have you and Meila at my disposal. I’ll be taking clients right along with the two of you soon.”
“I know you will.” She turned her attention back to her computer screen. “I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty. You can pick the spot.”
“You are the best boss,” Finx told her as he stood from his chair.
“Be sure to tell Meila that I am as well!” she called after his retreating form. His laugh in response filtered out the further he got down the hall.
If she left in the next hour that would give her time to do some laundry and clean around the house before she had to pick Finx up for dinner. Aiva knew herself well. So, she set an alarm to alert her when that hour was up.
Knox tuned Mia out as she bitched about whatever unspoken thing he had not done that she had expected him to do. He’d gotten so used to her wanting to argue with him, of her accusing him of something that he knew exactly when to tune back in. Her self-arguments had taken on a repetitive theme, and she didn’t even seem to know it.
For someone who’d claimed she was tired of being around him, wanted to separate, to kick him out of the house he paid for, she still found a reason to come to his condo about something she imagined he’d done wrong. She still found time to call him several times a day and text him even more, with trivial things that she swore were life and death if he didn’t do them right then, or he’d told her to wait until the weekend.
Knox knew well that part of her attitude, her demeanor, was his fault. Mia was spoiled. She had been when they started dating. He knew that when he’d married her and contributed to it because he enjoyed spoiling her at the time. Enjoyed giving her the things that she wanted. The downside of that was the fact that his estranged wife was spoiledandungrateful. Those things did not go well together.
However, she hid the ungrateful aspect until she had his last name. He could buy her exactly what she asked for, but if it wasn’t from where she saw it, it wasn’t the same to her. It had gotten to where he’d just give her the money for it to pacify her.
Things only got worse when their daughter was born. Knox had never loved a human being more than he loved that little girl, and that had not set well with Mia. Because now Knox was giving Yasmine all his attention.
Knox had put up with Mia, and everything that entailed for four years, until the last time she’d screamed at him to get out of her face and not come back. She’d said it a dozen times before. There was something about her saying it at that time that had been Knox’s final straw. That had been almost a year ago.
“Are you listening to me?!”
Knox sighed. “It’s hard not to when you’re screaming in my ear.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you’d just do shit right!”
“When left up to you being the judge, nothing I do is right,” he responded.
“I told you the other day that I needed money for Yasmine’s field trip to the aquarium, and for her gymnastics class.”
“I know. I got all fourteen messages,” Knox responded, going into his kitchen. He needed a drink.
“If you know, then why am I not seeing it?” Mia questioned, in that voice she liked to put on when she felt as if she was superior in the situation, which was most of the time.
Knox popped the cap on the beer bottle. “Because I took the money for the field trip to the school, and I went by to pay the gymnastics teacher only for her to tell me she isn’t taking any students for the next several months because she’s going on maternity leave.”
He was more than aware of the fact that Mia was going to use the money on who knew what. She started doing it after he’d moved out of the house. So, he started paying directly for whatever she claimed their daughter needed the money for.
It wasn’t as if he stopped paying all the bills in the house and giving her money to make sure Yasmine was taken care of. However, she always asked for more. Knox knew it was so she could buy things she wanted but didn’t need, since he was no longer doing so.
“No one told you to do that. You should have just sent it to me.”
