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“Marriage is something Jules and I will discuss, whenwefeel the time is right. As for my financial interests, yes, I have spoken to my legal team. My will has been updated, with all my assets to be placed in a trust for Ava with Jules as the trustee should something happen to me. As far as child support, Jules and I haven’t discussed an amount yet, but I’ll be settling a lump sum on her to make up for the past four years, and then I will pay for anything and everything Ava needs. It’s the least I can do.”
Jules masked her shock as she listened to Nik. They hadn’t discussed money except in the briefest of terms on the night she’d told him about Ava. To find out that not only had he talked to his lawyers, but he had changed his will in Ava’s favour was far beyond anything she had ever expected. Or wanted. Nik’s wealth created a power imbalance that she was still trying to overcome in her head.
“You’re out of your mind. You fathered a child with a woman you barely know. You said yourself the relationship was over before you knew she was pregnant, something she probably did to ensure you were tied to her for the rest of her life. Now you’re committing to support them financially for another fifteen or more years? And you’re going to leave your entire fortune to the child? I’ve never heard of a more reckless, irresponsible—”
“Enough!” Nik roared. Heads turned as his voice carried through the restaurant. “You know nothing about Jules, or about our relationship. I won’t have you insulting her, implying she’s a whore after my money. The first time she told me about Ava, she offered to sign away all claim to my assets. I’m the one who won’t run away from my responsibilities. Ava is my child, and Jules is her mother. You will treat them with respect, or you will have no contact with them. None of us need anything from you.”
Nik pushed away from the table and held his hand out to Jules. “We have a plane to catch. I’ll talk to you later in the week, Ma.”
Jules grimaced apologetically at Cassandra and let Nik lead her out of the restaurant.
CHAPTER24
Nik strode through the lobby, rage burning hot at his father’s behaviour. Instead of being happy he finally had the heir he wanted so badly, Giorgio Costas had attacked Jules, accusing her of being after Nik’s money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every time Nik had tried to provide her and Ava with something that might make their life easier, more comfortable, Jules had objected.
Nik punched the elevator button, impatient to get Jules far away from the toxic presence of his father. How could his mother stay with him? Over forty years of misery, from Nik’s point of view. Giorgio was domineering and controlling, and Nik had escaped as soon as he could. How his mother put up with him was a mystery.
A slight pressure on his hand brought him back to awareness, and he gently squeezed Jules’s hand in return, grateful that she had left with him without objection.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with that. My father can be a real asshole.”
Jules shrugged, her face wrinkling sympathetically. “I’ve dealt with plenty like him before. I’m only sorry we left before I could finish telling your mother more about Ava. We need to talk, though.”
Fuck.Nik had wanted to tell Jules about the financial arrangements he had made for Ava, but in his own time. When their relationship was on more stable footing. Her resistance to accepting any financial support frustrated him. He had been afraid that if he told her his plans, she would have resisted them, and it would have set back their fragile relationship. Now he was faced with trying to prevent his father’s interference from destroying the progress he had made this weekend. He wanted a life with Jules, but convincing her to allow him into her world was the biggest challenge he’d ever tackled. His plan of slowly wearing down her resistance had dissolved last night when she’d kissed him and invited him to her bed. He had to hope this latest revelation wouldn’t have her building those walls back up again.
The elevator opened, forestalling the need for him to respond, as they weren’t alone in the car. Nik watched the numbers climb, searching for the right words to explain what he’d done. Jules hadn’t let go of his hand, giving him hope she might not be as furious as he feared.
When the door to the suite closed behind them, Nik led Jules to the sitting area and tugged her down onto one of the couches.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you my plans.” Nik searched her face for some clue to what Jules was feeling. He didn’t know if she’d always been good at hiding her emotions, or if living with Michael had forced her to learn to mask them. That meant he had no idea if she was angry about the actions he had taken, or unconcerned. He wanted her anger. At least that would show she felt something for him.
“I thought we were going to discuss this, reach a support number that was reasonable for both of us.” Her voice was controlled, distant, still with no hint of what she really thought. To Nik, the gulf between them was widening by the minute. He needed to close that gap.
“We will. I’ve done nothing in regards to ongoing child support. I haven’t settled on a figure for the last four years either. I wanted your input. But I had to make sure Ava was taken care of if something happened to me. I’m young and healthy, but I travel a lot, and nothing in life is guaranteed. Ava is my child. She should benefit from my hard work.”
Jules rubbed her hands up and down her arms, her posture defensive. “You told your father you set up the trust with me as trustee. Why? Why not a neutral party?”
Nik shook his head. “No one knows better than you what Ava needs. I didn’t ever want you to have to battle with a trustee over money for Ava. You’ve made it clear you don’t care about my money, so who better to manage it until Ava is old enough to do it herself?”
Jules muttered something under her breath. “Fine. I’ll accept responsibility for the trust for Ava. It won’t matter, because nothing is going to happen to you. And we will reach an agreement on a reasonable amount of support for Ava. But I don’t want or need your money for the last four years. If it will make you feel better, put some money away for Ava for college. Do that, and I’ll accept the money.”
Jules’s calm acceptance of his trust arrangements had eased some of his tension. He didn’t want to upset her again, so he hid his amusement at her request for a college fund. “I probably should have mentioned that. I’ve already set up a fully funded college account for Ava. Enough for her to go to any school in the world and pursue any discipline she wants to. It was the first thing I did.”
A red flush crept up Jules’s face, and her jaw clenched. “You did that without consulting me too? Nik, you can’t keep going behind my back and making decisions that affect my daughter.”
Nik could see her control cracking, her words spoken with heat, her hands curled into fists in her lap. He reached for one hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “I’m not used to running my decisions past anyone except my business partner. I should have consulted you. But she’sourdaughter, Jules. If you want me to be part of her life, I need to be able to do things for her.”
Nik could feel some of the tension seeping out of her body as she considered his words. “I want you to be part of her life. I just want you to talk to me before you make big decisions for her.”
Relieved, Nik pulled Jules towards him and wrapped his arms around her. “Deal. From now on, we’ll make decisions about Ava together.” He sighed and kissed her softly. “Now let’s get home to our girl.”
Hours later, Nik remained tense on the flight back to Vancouver. The scene at the restaurant was the exact reason he hadn’t wanted to tell his parents about Ava yet. His mother had reacted pretty much as he’d expected, although the automatic assumption he and Jules would get married was a surprise. His father? Had been even worse than he’d anticipated. Nothing he ever did would be good enough for Giorgio Costas, and Nik had given up trying years ago. That didn’t mean he wanted Jules and Ava subjected to his unrealistic expectations. Nik would not allow his father to interfere in how he and Jules would raise Ava.
Not that they had reached the point of having those discussions yet. For the past week they had studiously avoided any discussion of the future. During the day, Jules had worked with him side by side on the takeover proposal. Once he had assured her that none of the staff were at risk, she had thrown herself into assisting with the deal, knowing that it meant a bigger, brighter future for Coastal.
Then, every evening he followed her home, having dinner with Ava, spending time with her before reading her stories and tucking her into bed. It was a picture of domestic bliss, marred only by the fact that he left afterwards to return to his hotel.
Nik had wanted this weekend in Toronto to give the two of them some private time to talk about the future. After last night, he’d hoped Jules was reconsidering his role in her life, in their lives.
