Disclaimer: JER/NBC own Passions characters
Chapter 38
Julian was anguished at Eve's reaction to her discovery of the bodyguards even though he was aware of the risks of her doing so. He prayed that she would understand why he defied her request to desist from hiring them.
"I would never forgive myself if that bastard Russell harmed a hair on your head," he whispered. Julian got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom door. "Eve?" he called softly. "Please come out. I only wanted to protect you from that horror of an ex-husband. "
"You went behind my back, Julian. I trusted you," Eve sobbed on the other side of the door. "If you could lie and hide this from me, what else are you capable of?"
"No! Don't even think that Eve! Was I so wrong to want you safe?"
"You were wrong to lie to me Julian. Don't you see that?"
"No! All I saw was the fact that because of my complete selfishness all of those years ago, you married a man capable of abusing a woman. I was not there to stand beside you and love and protect you as a real man should. That demented fool put his hands on you because of me and I will never forgive myself for that!" Julian took a breath. "Your wellbeing is the most important thing in the world to me Eve. Yours and our daughter's. I would gladly give my life if it meant that you would be happy."
Eve held her hand to her mouth as the tears flowed.
"You really mean that, don't you?"
"With all of my heart, my darling. You are the very air that I breathe. Please try to understand why I did what I did." The door opened slowly to reveal Eve's tearstained face.
"I don't know what to say, Julian."
"Just tell me you understand and that you love me." Julian held his hand out to her. He smiled with joy when she gently placed her small hand in his larger one.
"I love you Julian," she said simply.
"I love, adore, and cherish you my darling Eve. But do you understand?"
"I still don't approve of the manner in which you did this Julian—"she paused, seeing his eyes widen—"but I do understand why. "
"So does this mean that the bodyguards stay on?"
"Yes, Julian. I would like to meet them however, so I know what they look like."
"Does it have to be at this very moment in time? I can think of some more interesting things to be doing right now," Julian teased, pulling her close to him. "And it does have to do with guarding your body," he purred."
"Julian, we just made love! You are insatiable!" Eve pushed his busy hands away from the edge of the sheet that was still wrapped around her.
"I am a satyr when it comes to you. Also," he grinned naughtily, "I am increasing our chances of us having another little one of our own. "
Eve's eyes softened as she considered the possibility. "A baby—I would love that so much."
"As I would welcome the chance to be at your side during the pregnancy. I want to share everything with you Eve. Give me a chance to do it right this time," he pleaded.
Her hand smoothed his brow and her fingers then drifted to his lips.
"You will be a wonderful father, Julian. Look how you are with Whitney."
"I regret so much that I wasn't there to see her grow into the beautiful young woman she is today. I've missed out on an entire lifetime with her."
"It's never too late for love." Eve touched her fingertips to his lips. She squealed in surprise when Julian began to suckle on them, his warm lips sending delicious shivers down her spine. "Julian," she moaned, "We have to meet the guards."
Releasing her hand, a slow smile crept over his face.
"And we will. But I do have a matter to attend to first," he whispered. He snatched the sheet off of Eve, his eyes taking in every detail of her lovely frame. "I intend to make love to the most beautiful woman on the face of this earth until she faints from the pleasure."
Eve moved to cover herself with her hands, but Julian was too quick for her. She found herself wrapped in his arms and looked up at his smiling face.
"Julian, we can't do this now!" Eve tried to protest, only to feel Julian's need pressed against her.
"I beg to differ, my dear. We can do this now and for the rest of our lives….forever," Julian cooed as he swept her into his arms.
Ivy seethed after being hung up on by Julian. She was getting more and more impatient with his refusals to give her the money that she so richly deserved. Sitting in her car, she pondered the situation.
"Apparently it will take something actually happening to his precious Dr. Johnson or the brat he made with her to get his attention," she sneered. "In fact, Julian's probably trying to show off for his new daughter by buying her everything that isn't nailed down. She's probably at his mansion right now. And if that is the case…well, TC Russell is just the ticket. Let's see if TC can get him to change his mind."
She punched in the numbers to TC's cell phone, containing her annoyance when it rang several times.
"What the hell do you want now?" TC's harsh whisper came across the line. "I'm still in the shed on the grounds."
"I have an idea. Whitney may be inside the mansion. If you can get her to meet you, you can hold her until Eve and Julian come out to meet you."
"And then what? I don't want to hurt my daughter!"
Ivy rolled her eyes. Could anyone possibly be this stupid?
"I didn't say hurt her, I said hold her. She trusts you, doesn't she?"
"After the business that happened with her mother, she told me she didn't want to see me again. I haven't seen her in a long time. For all I know she hates my guts."
"Does she trust you or not?" Ivy snapped.
"I don't know!" TC snapped back. "All I can do is try!"
"Precisely. Lull her into a sense of security with you. Then all you have to do is get her to contact Julian and Eve. They'll come running to save their daughter."
He clenched his fist at the reference to Whitney being their daughter.
"I'll think about it."
"What's to think about? You get Julian and Eve in one place, and get to see your daughter. I'm on my way there now, so don't make one move with them until I get there."
"Look—I want to make Eve pay, believe me I do. But I don't want to do it in front of Whitney. My daughter already told me she doesn't want to see me again, what would she do if I hurt her mother in front of her eyes?"
"That's why you do what you wish to Eve later. You simply being there with me will get Julian to give me my alimony. Then you can approach Eve later and….do what you need to do."
"Crane is always with her."
"Don't tell me you are afraid of him?"
"Hell no! I'll kill him with my bare hands, and then make Eve pay for being such a lying tramp! "
"As long as my alimony is safely in my bank account, I could care less what you do them. After I get my money! "Ivy hissed into the phone.
"Fine! Now hurry up so I can get to Whitney!" The line went dead.
Ivy closed her phone and smiled to herself. It was really a win-win situation for her all around. Julian being killed after he paid her didn't bother her one bit, and as for Eve, anyone foolish enough to get involved with Julian on a romantic level was too stupid to live anyway. And should things go wrong and TC end up being killed by cops or overzealous security guards, then she would simply find another way of loosening Julian's purse.
"Sooner or later," Ivy grinned, "I always get what I want."
