The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max)

Lark answered her phone knowing exactly who it would be as she stared at the unknown caller on the call display. He had changed his number too many times to count. She put it on speaker as she swung on the porch swing, one toe rocking on the deck boards.

"What do you want?"

"You. Come home. We can get a new place, Lark. We can start over. I'm not mad about the car or the condo. I deserved it. Please. Come home to Houston. Please."

"Doug, it's not happening. Stop calling me."

"I won't babe. Not until you agree to come home. I miss you so much."

"Call your secretary."

"I never called her before, and I haven't answered a single call from her since the day you caught us. Come home. We will have dinner and talk. Really talk."

"Has it not occurred to you there is nothing you will say I want to hear? Your excuses are worthless to me. I will never, ever trust you again."

"Don't say this, Lark. Please."

"Doug, you cheated on me. With someone you didn't even like. What happens when a woman you do like flirts with you? I can't trust you won't put your d**k in another woman."

"You're leaving me no choice, Lark."

"What do you mean?" something in his tone made her stop the swing and listen attentively.

"I mean we were living together Lark. I can sue you for spousal support. Either come back to me or I'll drag you through court."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Spousal support. We've been living together a year. Legally it makes us common law."

She laughed loudly at his comments. "You're an i***t," she finally gasped out. "You studied corporate law, and you barely passed the bar. I know you have absolutely zero knowledge of family law, but you should know my grandmother was a family law lawyer for many years before she was a judge in family court. I actually considered following her footsteps before switching to corporate. Unlike you, I know in Texas unless you can prove we presented as married or identifying each other as spouses, then you're out of luck. You always introduced me as your girlfriend. We filed separate taxes. We're not on each other's insurance plans. We never agreed to be considered married to one another. The condo was rented because I wasn't ready to commit to home ownership with you, which is documented in writing at the condo rental agency because I completed a form when we rented it which stated we reserved the right to buy the condo in the event we married. We never did. It wouldn't matter if we lived together a week or ten years if I never once considered myself your wife. You are s**t out of luck."

"I lost everything, Lark. It's only fair you support me."

"You lost everything because you f****d a subordinate in the workplace. You violated so many HR policies it baffles me how you thought anything other than a termination was going to occur. The s****I harassment policy alone was violated by having s*x in your office, lewd and lascivious behavior with a subordinate. Not to mention inappropriate use of office equipment considering the way you used your desk, support your termination. Everything you did violated your employment contract. None of this is my fault. I don't owe you anything."

"I am living in my mother's spare bedroom, Lark. I can't get a job because someone keeps telling my prospective interviewers I was fired for s****I misconduct and coercion of a subordinate. They didn't even give me a full severance package, Lark. I know you got one and you probably already have a new job lined up. We were together three years.?"

"We dated for two years and lived together one, as lovers, not a married couple, and" she took a breath, "I don't give a s**t what your living or financial situation is. You cheated on me with your secretary who was for all intents of the workplace, your employee. You screwed up and this is not on me."

"Well, what about the guy?"

"What guy?"

"The one who gave me this broken nose and cheekbone? My eyes are swollen almost shut, Lark. Who was he? Is he your lover?"

"Are you kidding me right now?" she scoffed at his accusation. "You mean Max? My childhood best friend?"

"Wait, he was Ollie's brother, Max?"

"Yeah. Why do you think he came at you? You made me cry."

"I thought you didn't get along with him."

"I didn't. I don't," she shrugged as she stared straight ahead fighting her racing heart as she recalled the way they woke up earlier. "But I've known him since the day he was born. We shared a crib and playpens and grew up together. We're family and he will always have my back." As she said the words a strange calmness filled her. "It doesn't matter how much we fight and hate on each other, we always protect each other. He hates when I cry and while he'll tell me it's good to let it all out and hug me while I do, he will he also won't hold back on punishing whoever is responsible for my tears."

"Well, I'll sue him."

"Go ahead," she laughed. "Guess whose firm represents him? Dad recently hired a new lawyer. Let me give you a cluse who he hired, Doug? I'll represent Max pro bono. I'll even put all twelve family members on the stand who will all attest to the fact you tried to hit me first and Max defended me."

"That never happened!" Douglas screamed at her.

"Really? It's how I remember it. In fact, I remember you raising your hand to strike me, and being frightened, falling to my knees and Max seeing what was happening and defended me, the woman he considers his other sister."

"You would lie to defend him?"

"I'm not lying. It's what happened." She wasn't stupid enough to think Douglas wouldn't try to record their conversation." You tried to hit me, and Max defended me. Based on how I responded to the situation, he says he was concerned it wasn't a first-time thing."

"You're a b***h. A lying, scheming, bitch."

"I'm not a liar, Douglas but I am a damn good lawyer. I will happily go to court and fight all the way. Go ahead and bring up the charges. Oh," she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "one other thing. I never mentioned it before because we live in such a normal neighborhood, and I never really introduced you to my neighbors but there is more you should know. I don't recall telling you Ollie's last name."

"Moreno, isn't it? You said she was related to the family who owns Moreno Oil."

"Do yourself a favor and google Max and Ollie Villeneuve. Then google their father, Olivier. While you're at it, google their grandfather Gael Moreno. Then when it's all said and done, do some research on Levi Villeneuve."

Douglas was quiet a moment and then he gave a gasp. Evidently, he typed in Max's name into his search engine.

"Wait, you're friends with the billionaire Villeneuves? How did you not tell me this?"

"I've been brought up to not flaunt my friends because it makes things weird. I rarely tell anyone, mostly because we went through a kidnapping thing when we were eleven and we learned to keep our mouths shut. What I will tell you is Olivier Villeneuve paid for my education and not because my own father couldn't but because he considered me his fourth daughter. He has kissed as many scraped knees as my own Dad did from the time, I was eight years old. Do you really think I wouldn't defend their family to the death?"

"You would lie on the stand for them?"

"Again, I wouldn't lie. I was truly terrified of you last Saturday, Doug. You showed up here uninvited. You demanded I forgive you. You were scary. You raised your hand, and it freaked me out and Max responded. If you want to take on the weight of the entire Villeneuve and Moreno family, backed completely by some of the best lawyers in the world, and I'll tell you now, my Dad and I might be Max's legal team but Olivier, Ollie and Gael have some pretty incredible lawyers who work directly for their companies then know we'll be coming at you full throttle. Bring it on, Doug. I need a good distraction from finding out my ex-boyfriend likes to role play cowboys while he uses his tie as reigns and ass-f***s his secretary. Give me something to do."

The phone went dead, and she snickered as she ended her part of the call. "Asshole."

"Holy s**t, Lark Hoffman!"

She turned her head to see Ollie, Johan, and Max standing at the side of the porch with their mouths open. She blushed at the way they were staring, and she covered her face in embarrassment. "How long have you been standing there?" she grimaced.

Ollie snickered, "from the minute he asked you to go to Houston to see him. You are a devious bitch." She hopped up on the deck and plunked into the swing sending it careening. "I am incredibly impressed."

"I personally like how she said she would defend me." Max smirked as he took the stairs and leaned against the rail. "Very sexy."

"It was sexy," Johan nodded. "If I wasn't absolutely besotted over a cowgirl I met last weekend, I'd be fighting Max to win you over."

"Shut up," Lark growled at Johan who laughed loudly at her red cheeks.

"You wouldn't win," Max grinned at Johan. "I'll be fighting dirty to win her back. You wouldn't stand a chance."

She rolled her eyes as Ollie hugged her to her side.

"Are you okay?" Ollie asked seriously. "He was really pushing buttons."

"I want to know how he can talk such smack with his cheekbone fractured and his nose all busted." Lark grimaced.

"He's a lawyer. Pretty sure even with his mouth wired shut he could still talk if only to hear himself," Johan teased her with a wink before hopping away from her swinging foot.

"What are you guys doing here?" she tried to change the topic.

"Max isn't allowed to drink tonight since he did last night. He promised Mom he'd watch his alcohol intake and we got wasted last night. He's also not supposed to overexert himself or get involved in high stress situations. Mom asked me to babysit since she is going for dinner with your parents and can't check in on him," Ollie grinned as Max gave her the finger, "so I am calling in recruits."

"Hey, you shouldn't be overexerting yourself?" Lark looked at him accusingly. "You went on the hike this morning." "Walking is good. Running a marathon is not unless I'm being monitored closely, for a little while." Max shrugged at her." We went before it was too hot, and we did the easy trail. It was perfectly safe."

"What did the doctor say about your s*x addiction? Can you overexert?" Ollie snorted.

"I don't have a s*x addiction." Max kicked her shoe. "I still can't believe Ronnie f*****g told the doctor I was a s*x addict. Asshole."

"The triplets think you do because it's all they've ever talked about. They try to emulate you, you know." "As if," Max folded his arms, "enough talk about me. We're here to see if Lark wants to join us in an alcohol-free evening." "What are we doing?" she realized she agreed with her question when three pairs of eyes brightened up with her question.

"It's a surprise." Ollie said as she jumped excitedly from the swing and pulled her into a standing position. "Let's go!"