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Standing, she started to pace around. “This can’t be legal?” She looked at the lawyer. “It’s insane, right?”
The lawyer cleared his throat. “Strictly, legally speaking, it would be a neat solution to both your problems. Not the only solution, but the most concise and possibly pain-free option. We might have to pay off a few bureaucrats to tick some extraneous boxes, but you wouldn’t be the first sportsperson to secure their green card in this manner.”
She shot a look at Antony, and he held out his hands in front of him, like a magician showing everyone there were no tricks up his sleeve. “It’s your choice, Tally. I am just presenting you with a possible fix that is mutually beneficial. If you choose to go a different route, we’ll support you in that as well.”
Tally stared down at the sleeping baby, with her little rosebud lips parted. “I’ll talk to the guys and let you know.” She walked over to me. “There’d have to be rules,” she said softly.
“Of course, Stellina.”
She lifted Bobbi-June from my lap, walking over to put her into the carrier. We all watched in silence as she strapped the baby in and lifted it over her arm.
I didn’t think she would go for the offer; she seemed like the strong, independent type who hated relying on anyone else for anything. I found that so fucking attractive, which was an actual pain in the ass.
She turned at the door. “No matter the outcome, thank you for trying to find a fix for me. I appreciate it.” Then she turned, shutting the door softly.
The room was silent for what felt like a long time. Antony walked to the other side of his desk and sat down with a huff. “It goes without saying that if you do anything to hurt Tally or that baby, I will ruin you. I don’t care how rich you are.”
Well, he could try, but he’d be unsuccessful. However, on this, I agreed. “I would expect nothing less.” I looked at the lawyer. “Do you do prenuptial contracts? Because mark my words, I’m getting married.”
Antony shook his head. “You’re a cocky asshole, Passero, but you’re an honorable man. If I thought otherwise, I never would have suggested it.”
Honorable I might be, but my future wife was enough to tempt a saint.
TWENTY-NINE
HAYES
“Absolutely no fucking way.”
On this, Jesse and I one hundred percent agreed. “Seconded,” I added. When Tally had sat us down and told us Antony’s idea, the visceral need to shout, “No!” was only tempered by the sleeping baby in the bassinet, being watched over by Norton.
Tally had her arms crossed over her chest, and honestly, she didn’t seem thrilled with the idea either. I kind of felt like an ass, because that made me happy.
“It would be just in name only. It would make my legal issues completely cut and dry. No one could possibly argue that Brick could give her a better life when Rocco’s net worth is nine digits and climbing.”
I snorted. “If you think Rocco wants a wife in name only, you’ve never seen the way he looks at you.”
She rolled her eyes. “I love you two. I told them that I couldn’t even consider it, if it meant breaking up with you guys. Rocco was totally okay with us having a relationship. Does that sound like a guy who only wants to marry me to get in my pants?” She snorted, as if it was craziness. “The guy was literally photographed with his tongue down the throat of a Victoria’s Secret model four months ago. His last girlfriend was an actress known for her great ass—acting ability,” she corrected. “I still haven’t gotten my pre-baby body back, and everything is wrinkly. My boobs leak. I’m permanently tired, and have bags under my eyes so big, Delta would make me check them at the gate.”
Jesse froze his pacing, walking over to her to kneel beside the couch. “You’re the most beautiful fucking woman on the planet, Tally Palmer. I don’t want to hear you talk about yourself like you’re anything other than gorgeous.”
Leaning forward, she put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him sweetly. Jealousy swept through me, though only because I wanted a kiss too, not because I hated the thought of her kissing Jesse.
That being said, Jesse was a whole different ball game to Rocco Passero, the fuckboy of Europe.
“I’m not ashamed of my body. I’m just saying, I’m not getting Rack Of The Year in Playboy. Honestly, if he wanted to, like, see other women too, I wouldn’t even care.” Her words said one thing, but her frown said something entirely different. “There’s no waiting period in California for a marriage license. We could go down to the courthouse, get someone to officiate it, and be done in twenty minutes.”
I shook my head. “It’s not a twenty-minute thing, though, Tally. You’ll be husband and wife, and to convince the courts of that, you’ll have to move into his house?—”
“Mansion,” Jesse corrected unhelpfully, and I glared at him.
“Right. And not just until the end of the court case. But for at least… I don’t know how many years you have to be married to keep your green card. That’s a long-term commitment, not just from you, but from all of us. We’re a team.”
She inhaled a shaky breath, and I knew then and there, that I’d have to adapt or I’d lose her. Her next words confirmed it.
“I love you guys, but if I have to choose between a surefire way of keeping my baby and you both, I’m choosing her. Always her.” She leaned toward me, grabbing my hands. “I understand it’s a lot to ask in a relationship that’s so new. I wouldn’t blame you at all if this was one thing too many.” Her voice cracked, but she kept her jaw firm.
Jesse looked back and forth between us. “I told you, I’m all in with you and Short Stack. And I would never make you choose. This is just… a lot, like you said.”
