Chapter Sixty-Seven: Two Men and a Little Lady

Josh escorted them into the restaurant that night, it felt a little ridiculous but Devon understood it was necessary. Jon was used to having people around him but she would take a little time to get used to being accompanied places. She clutched Jon’s hand as they entered the restaurant and were shown to the table where her father was waiting.

He smiled and the soft lines of his face deepened as they sat down. It would also take some time for her to get used to seeing her father again. She couldn't have been more pleased to have him back in her life and hoped somehow she could make all this up to him.

“It’s good to see you both again.” Richard shifted in his seat as Jon signalled the waiter to bring in some wine.

She cocked her eyebrow as Jon winced and rubbed his back.

“You right there son?”

Jon shot Devon a look and then nodded. “Yeah I’m fine. I pulled my back running this afternoon I think. I’ll have to get my guy to look at it.”

Devon snorted as she took a sip of water and was swiftly kicked under the table. “So, Dad I need to show you this.” She dug into her bag and tugged out the phone and showed him the message.

Richard stared at it and stroked his chin. “Mmm yes. Just as I suspected. What I have found out is Jared has left the country. He hasn’t tracked any activity in New Zealand for a few months so I guess this cements he’s here.”

“I’ve got a security guy following us around and I’ve moved Devon into my place until further notice.” Jon explained.

“That’s very wise Jon, thank you.”

“So, what do we do Dad? Do we wait for him to contact us, ask us for a boat load of money and then what?”

Richard closed his menu. “In my experience, people like Jared don’t just want the money. He wants revenge.”

Devon swallowed, it wasn’t news. And in a way she couldn’t blame Jared for wanting that as their lives turned out very different. “What will that mean?”

“Well quite honestly Devon, even though what he did was wrong he’ll see it as he got something taken away from him and you didn’t.”

She looked at Jon. “He would have seen Jon and me together and I am sure that’s why he approached Jon and not me. He wants Jon. Doesn't he?” She swallowed that hard reality as her father nodded.

“Well it's likely he wants to destroy what you have with him so it really just depends on how he thinks he’s going to do it.”

Jon laid down the menu and crossed his arms. “So what do we do? We can’t exactly go after him can we?”

“No, I wouldn’t advise that either. He’s breaking the law by being here though and under a false name. But the risk we take in turning him into immigration. He could do the same with you Devon.

“He could?” She wondered why he hadn’t before as that would have been an easy way out for him. But knowing Jared he wanted to settle things personally and make sure she paid. “I could get deported?”

Jon shook his head. “I’d marry you before that happened. Don’t worry about that. You’re not leaving the country. Not over my dead body.” His hand shifted to her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Jared wanted the money she took from him and he’d want the freedom she also took from him. Millions of dollars guaranteed freedom. Her belly squirmed with uncertainty and Jon took her hand.

“It’ll be ok baby. What can we do?”

“One thing came to mind, but I don’t think it will solve anything and I definitely don’t think it will deter Jared.” Richard explained.

“And that is?” Jon prompted as he looked at her. She sat still and silent as this sank in.

“You could break up for a period of time. If he thinks you are not together it would take the heat off you and anyone in your family Jon. I just don’t-”

“No, that’s not an option. We’re not trying to solve this apart. It would drive me crazy not knowing what was happening to her.” Jon reaffirmed. “We’re not doing that.”

“Well you’d still be able to contact each other you’d just have to be careful about it.”
“No, it’s not an option. Right?” Jon asked her. She felt like she was standing still in the middle of the room that was spinning. They were trying to help her but she felt helpless as they argued over the solution. It was all her fault and she wanted to fight, she needed to fight for this but the reality was becoming too much for her.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” She pushed her chair back and slid her hand out from Jon’s. “I’ll be right back.” She heard Jon call after her but she just needed a minute to pull herself together.

She washed up and steadied her hand as she reapplied her lip gloss. She took a deep breath and glided it on. She could do this, she had to do this. She owed it to the faith Jon had installed in her and the sacrifice that her father had made for her. She had let people down in the past and she wasn’t going to back out of this now. She wasn’t that person anymore. She had two good people in that restaurant willing to protect and help her. So, why did she still feel so afraid she was about to lose it all?

~

Jon sat back down as Devon excused herself and rested the napkin back on his lap. “This is all way over my head, I’m trying to do what's best. Am I doing ok?” Fucked if he knew if he was or not but he thought it was no harm to ask her father what he really thought while Devon was away from the table. He needed a reality check here. Devon was overwhelmed by it all and he couldn't blame her.

“Jon you’re doing fine. I’m really impressed how committed you are to Devon even after you know what she’s been through.”

Jon relaxed a little. “Our pasts are what make us. Devon did something stupid but she’s not that woman anymore. I can assure you if you knew her the way I’ve gotten to know her in the last couple of months...” He paused and grinned as he remembered when he chased her in her salon. How innocent everything had been in that honeymoon period of their relationship. He would make damn sure they’d get that back.

“I can see she’s changed. In a roundabout way I understand why she ran. It doesn't make any of it right but I understand.” His New Zealand accent was thicker than Devon’s and his words drawled more than hers did. British mashed with Australian.

“She had to start over and she couldn’t see the way out.” Jon noted as he kept flicking his gaze to the direction Devon had gone in.

The waiter came and poured them some wine. “If she had been caught I would have made sure she got off lightly. I wouldn’t have been able to help myself. Jared was poison. He pretended to love her and she fell for it. I often wonder if she fell under his spell because we were always too busy for her. And here he was giving her attention.”

He thought about his own daughter and how busy both him and Dorothea were and could make some sense from what Richard was saying. “I don’t think Devon would ever think that. She knows what she did and she’s made sure she’s never been that girl again. I couldn’t even imagine her like that - she’s a wonderful woman.”

Richard drank from his wine and raised a brow. “You sound like a man that cares.”

Jon chuckled but then winced as his back nerve pinched. Only Devon would make him pull out his back during sex. She did slam him into the ground of course. “I’ve made my intentions clear. I intend to stick around.”

“Well from what I have seen in this short space of time. I wouldn’t object to that. You’re good for her.”

“She’s good for me Richard. In ways I didn’t think I needed.”

He grinned and nodded. “Well then we’re just going to have to think of a way to make sure that happens and you both can stay safe.” The dark look in his eyes suggested something Jon was afraid of seeing.

“You don’t mean-”

Richard leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the table. “There are only two ways out of this. One is that we can have him arrested and he’ll be deported and once the New Zealand law learns of this he’ll be more than likely on a flight risk list and less likely to ever get back over here after her. “

“And the other one?” Jon asked swallowing hard. He knew what that answer was and god if he hoped to hell that wasn’t their way out of this one.

“Jared dies.”

“You’re not suggesting that we get a hit man on him or something are you?”

Richard’s eyes hardened. “No. That’s dangerous territory. And you don’t seem like the kind of person that plays in that world. Please tell me you’re not.”

Jon blew out his breath. “No, of course I’m not. I’m relieved you weren’t headed there. I know the guy is a badass but I don’t want to kill anyone.”

Richard patted Jon’s shoulder. “Relax. That’s not what I want to do. I was thinking more of a trap. But I need to think about this a bit more and then discuss it with you and Devon. I have to be careful but I can try and tip off that Jared is in the US and involved in something sinister like money-laundering. The yanks hate that.”

“You really think that would work?” Jon asked. He was impressed. He’d thought this through and he had a plan. Just that notion put Jon slightly at ease.

“I think so. Jared is after money as well as revenge so we just have to think of a way that he thinks he’s going to get both and have him caught in the act. I will talk to someone I know for some advice.”

“And none of us hurt. Especially Devon or my family.” Jon confirmed.

Richard frowned. “Of course not. I didn’t mean we throw her out as bait but we will have to use her to get the set-up sorted since he contacted her.”

“So blindside him somehow?”

“Exactly.”

Jon blew out his breath and raked his hand through his hair. “You really thought this through?”

“Jon, you’re a good guy. I know you didn't expect to be wound up in all of this but you’re going to have to trust me on this. I’ve been around people like Jared most of my career. You just have to trust me.”

Trust. It was a hard thing for Jon when he’d known the guy five minutes but he was his girlfriend’s father and had already proved he had Devon’s best interests still at heart. Still, it was no easy thing.

“Ok. I do. Man, you’re one hell of a father.”

Richard shook his head. “I should have done more for her. I knew that man was trouble but I only drove her away instead of accepted it and I could have prevented the whole thing.”

Jon shook his head. “Devon doesn’t see it that way and neither should you. She knows she screwed up and she learnt a hard life lesson by it. I believe that. Hell, we’ve all done stupid things. I could count you on my hand how many times I did stupid things on tour.”

Richard leaned back. “Oh? Indulge in the rock star lifestyle a bit too much son?”

Jon chuckled. “It was pretty tame but I did things a married man shouldn’t do--in my younger years.” He quickly corrected. “But I knew I wasn’t happy overall. I’m in a different place now and I am happy with your daughter. And she is in a different place from when you knew her.”

“I’m beginning to see that. She’s certainly become the daughter I had hoped she’d be.”

“And more.” Jon added. “She has this ridiculously addictive smile and laugh. She makes you feel at ease and she is a good person. I have trust issues and I felt like I could trust Devon with my life... which is a little ironic given her secret but I know now that Devon is not who I fell in love with.”

Richard beamed. “Thank you. I needed to hear that. I think I knew it but hearing that makes me proud. I’m proud of her that she came to you and told you about all this. It tells me she wanted to make things right. The way that they were meant to be in the first place.”

“I love her Richard.” Jon wriggled in his chair and placed his hands on the table. “And if it’s ok by you once this is all over. I would very much like to ask your daughter to marry me. So, I’m asking you for your permission.” It felt good. To actually ask Richard and Jon was pretty sure Richard appreciated the gesture as much as he did.

“Thank you for asking Jon. Will you take good care of her?”

Jon looked up and half-smiled when Richard was smiling back at him. “Of course.”

“Then yes, yes you can ask her.”

“Thank you. Speaking of which, here she comes.” His eyes trailed up her long legs and he grinned as he was mesmerized by the sway of her hips. The simplicity of the black dress cinched with a thin white belt took nothing away from how lovely she was. Her hair was all loose and fell just around her shoulders. When her gaze met his she smiled warmly and he felt safe. He forgot about the situation they were in and remembered only that he loved her. That had to be enough. It was enough.