Chapter 23: Totally put me up for adoption.
"Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love until he's owned a dog. He can show you more honest affection with a flick of
his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes." - Anonymous.
***
Raina Williams
"You haven't said much about your trip ?" Grayson muttered as he made himself comfortable in my office.
"Uhh, it was great." I bit my pen, thinking about my upcoming case with Derrick.
"I meant your meeting with Angelo a week ago..." He grimaced eagerly.
"Oh that." I shrugged my shoulders. "We just sorted out our differences." I sighed. I don't know why talking about him made me
feel tired.
"I swear that guy has it out for you." He added sitting with one leg on top of the other.
"What do you mean ?" I said feeling more than confused.
"Isn't it obvious, well I'm a guy and I can tell."
"I'm confused."
"He likes you." Gray muttered making me laugh hysterically.
"Right." I curtly replied not minding whatever he was about to say.
"Well maybe he doesn't like you but there is something between the two of you. The way he looked at you when we were at the
airport gave me the wrong idea about this whole situation." He grumbled typing on his silver iPhone.
"Angelo is like that, he enjoys fooling people especially people like me. He will convince you that he likes you then Nope!" i
smiled absent-minded atleast I didn't like him anymore.
"Not that babe like seriously the way he looks at you makes me have second thoughts." He suggested.
"I don't care really, don't mind him.." I shrugged.
"You still up for being a bridesmaid ?" He smirked.
"Yes, trust me I'm not going to be some ex or whatever who will sabotage their beautiful ceremony."
"You would be doing Angelo a favour from my own perspective, he looks like he doesn't know what the fuck he is doing."
"Stop having these silly ideologies.." I laughed.
"No but seriously does he need to call you about the twins all day everyday.... or maybe he just wants an excuse to talk to you."
He said thoughtfully.
"He loves his kids so he would rather call every chance he gets." I defended.
"Bullshit, I tell you." Grayson rolled his eyes.
"Gray, we decided to be friends and be mature about it." I explained.
"I would hate to tell you I was right in the near future." He gave a tensed smile. I knew he was just looking out for me but the truth
of the matter is Angelo is just tolerating me for the twins sake nothing else.
"Okay."
"I was thinking..." He straightened the cuffs of his navy blue blazer.
"Yeah ?" I added.
"Why don't you become my front until I'm ready to come out ?"
"What but how do I became your front ?" I was shocked.
"You pretend to be my girl friend." He said calmly.
"Why ?"
"Because you are my friend are you not ?" Gray pouted.
"Yes but you are being manipulative." I pouted back.
"Whatever I take it that's a yes ?" He questioned.
"Sure." I said without hesitancy.
"Great. I knew you would say yes." He smirked and I simply laughed at his gesture of trying to be sexy.
"Uh huh..." I stared at him in disbelief.
"When exactly do you plan on coming out ?" I asked.
"When my dad goes back in prison and hands me my shares to the company." He bluntly said.
"Well that's not happening because that's my reputation on the line, i can't lose this case. It's the biggest case I have ever
handled."
"You are my friend and a pretty good lawyer but my dad is going to jail, he killed someone.. he isn't getting away with it this time."
He replied.
"What do you mean this time ?" I pryed.
"Did I say that ?" He nervously chuckled.
"Are you trying to say he has killed someone before...?"
There was silence.
"Well he kills people all the time but he doesn't have to do the dirty job... this time is different because he did it himself and
messed up." He paused. "Do you really think anyone will believe he didn't deliberately drive into the poor guy?" He muttered.
This was a new lead, i knew Gray wouldn't lie about something as serious as that. He was Derrick's son for goodness sake.
"Wow." was all I could gasp.
"Let him go..." He shrugged putting his feet on my mahogany table.
"That's your father we are talking about." I gritted through my teeth.
"Yeah, i know." He snorted.
"He's still your father even if he has committed some-"
"You mean murdered. It takes alot to get to the top and you should wonder why and how our company stays at the summit."
"You talk about it so normally, I mean doesn't it scare you that your father has-"
"Nope it doesn't, i grew up with him."
"What would happen if he found out about your sexuality ?"
"Totally put up for adoption." He laughed. "You know what i mean."
"Gray trust me, your father loves you. I have seen the way he's eyes dilate when he talks about you. He will accept you for who
you are...he doesn't have much family or friends but he holds you on a high position." I paused. "When he got arrest, he called
me and told me that he was scared about how you would see him from there onwards. He didn't care about the press or the
world or the investors...he cared more about your opinion."
He was silent as if trying to register what I had just said to him.
"Really ?" He raised his head to look at me with those blue eyes. Tears wailed under them. I stood up walking around my
mahogany table to go give him a hug. He needed it. He stood up still towering over me, he embraced me in a hug and I instantly
hugged him back.
"You are my best friend, you know that?" He laughed while wiping tears from his eyes. I always thought Alma was my best friend
but frankly all she does is hurt my feelings so she isn't. "You are mine too." I smiled and hugged him again.
The door flipped open revealing Angelo, i instantly pulled back. He looked stunned but why would he? He knows Gray is my
supposed boyfriend. Gray stood there in a black Louis Vuitton suit and Angelo in a charcoal armani suit. The tension was tense
even with my four inches high heels they both towered over me.