The Ceo's Contracted Mistress
The Ceo’s Contracted Mistress Chapter 19

Olivier stood in the entrance to the toy store and watched the kids building their toys and felt guilt he had been late on only day two of being part of them. Riggs had let him know how pissed Bobbie had been to think he was hiding his family from Gael. Then Henri had reported the twins had thrown a temper tantrum about leaving the hotel without him. He realized he needed to set expectations for himself and his new little family which would be reasonable for all of them. He owed Bobbie so much for doing everything on her own for so long and his first day he was supposed to be there to meet the kids after work, he’d not shown.

Bobbie’s annoyance with him wasn’t unexpected. It wasn’t entirely his fault of course. Protecting them from his grandfather for the time being was important but he needed to accept responsibility for the fact he had set an unrealistic expectation for the children to presume he would be around every moment Bobbie was. He ran a conglomerate of businesses which demanded his time. He usually had to travel extensively and while during summer and vacations he would take them with him as much as possible, during the school year it wouldn’t be feasible.

He had already set into motion appointing his most trusted people into positions to take over many of the tasks which pulled him away but at least once a month he would be gone a few nights and already he was dreading it. If it was bothering him, then it was most assuredly would bother the kids.

He leaned against the door frame and just watched the excitement of the group. As the kids raced around and picked out outfits for their toys, Olivier couldn’t help but grin as Bobbie and Everly behaved as silly as the trio of terror as Grady had named the kids, making the doll heads pretend they were talking about losing their bodies. He couldn’t help but notice as much as she was annoyed with him, Bobbie did not let it interfere with the children. She was making the most of the situation for their sake. She was an incredible mother. He was as fortunate as the kids were to have her.

A sign over one of the stations caught his eye and an idea popped into his head.

“Max, Ollie, come,” he waved them to him as he pulled two recording devices from the shelf.

They raced to him with exuberance, and he thanked God for the thousandth time Bobbie had raised such loving, compassionate, and accepting children as they embraced him completely and totally.

“I know you were upset I was late tonight, and this will happen. I am terribly sorry I got pulled away at the last minute, but it does happen from time to time.” He saw Bobbie listening attentively just a few steps away. “I want you to know it doesn’t mean my business is more important than you. It just means on occasion, for a little while, I have to work a little bit late.”

Max nodded solemnly, “mom and Grady and Everly sometimes work late. I understand.”

He smiled at the sweetness of the boy, “Just like maman, Everly and Grady have to go to work, I too have to work. It’s not fair to you though for me to say I will be somewhere and then not be there. I promise to do better.”

“Okay,” Ollie nodded at him.

“It’s not fair when I mess up,” he looked at Ollie pointedly, “for you to take it out on your maman. I promise you both I will do my absolute best to be with you as much as I can, but I will get pulled away. It’s inevitable. It’s going to happen. When this happens, I want you to remember I am not gone forever, just a short while. I will always, always come back for you. Okay?”

Olivier looked to Ollie who looked away embarrassed, “Ollie?”

“I just missed you,” she whispered quietly.

“And I missed you, so much my heart was hurting. Did it feel like this for you too?” Olivier asked gently and she nodded.” Ollie, it’s okay to be angry at your Papa for being late and for letting you down. You are allowed to be upset but it’s not okay to make maman upset with you over it. If you are angry with me, you talk to me and you let me know you’re angry. Don’t take it out on mom. Deal?” Ollie nodded once and he kissed her cheek softly.

“Well, I have an idea,” he stroked her cheek gently, “how about if we use these little recorders to put Papa’s voice inside your stuffed toy. That way when we have to be apart for a little bit, you can hear me. You tell me what words would make you feel happiest to hear when I can’t be right beside you and I will record it and put it inside your toy?”

He watched as both kids considered his words and Max held his toy out first, “I want you to say ‘I love you. I will see you soon’”

Ollie stared at her stuffed toy for a long time and then said, “can you say, “papa loves you and it’s okay to be sad until we see each other again’?” At his nod she jumped up and down, “do it in French though! Please?”

He looked to Bobbie and noticed the tear on her cheek. On a whim he grabbed another recording box and winked at her as he rose to his feet. “I’ll make a special one for maman too.”

Lark shrieked at Grady he had to do for her what Olivier was doing and Grady grinned at him.

“Okay but I want to record something for mom’s too!” Grady winked at Everly, and Olivier laughed at his new friend’s antics. They were definitely on the same page.

The kids raced back to continue picking out clothes and Olivier looked up as Bobbie approached him with a small smile. “Why are you crying, chérie?”

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, “you handled the situation very well and I’m crying because you had my back and for the first time since they were born, I got to feel what it’s like to have backup from a parent and it felt good.”

His heart swelled at her words, and he reached for her. He crushed her into a hug and inhaled the scent of her as she wrapped her arms around his waist hugging him back. He loved how she fit so perfect to his frame, and he didn’t want to let her go but they were in a toy store surrounded by everyone who loved her. He whispered against her ear, “I will always have your back, Bobbie. Always. I am sorry I was late. I promise to do better.”

“Thank you,” she whispered against his neck.

He stepped back keeping his arm around her shoulder, “Now is as good a time to tell you as any. My parents are flying in tomorrow along with my two sisters, their husbands, and my nieces. Our last week together nine years ago I went home for a shotgun wedding when my sister revealed her pregnancy and my religious father insisted, they be married immediately. Ollie has a cousin named Seraphina who is only a few weeks older than her. Close to Lark’s age. They desperately want to meet the twins, Lark, and your family. They want to meet you and the people who have kept you safe.”

“They’re coming tomorrow?”

Olivier almost laughed at the panic in her voice, “breathe, chérie. I had a hard time making them wait until tomorrow, but it was the main reason I didn’t want Gael to see them. My father would spit bullets if he met them after Gael. I would fear for my life.” At her frown he gave an exaggerated shudder. “My Papa, he is a force to be reckoned with. It’s where Ollie gets her temper, I’m sure of it.”

Bobbie lifted her eyes in horror, “I won’t have someone being violent –”

Olivier threw his head back and laughed loudly, “He is a grown man. He’s not going to be violent,” he kissed her temple hugging her tight. “My father is a gentleman, for the most part. He is fiercely protective of his family though and would tear the world apart for us, sometimes a bit irrationally but it’s out of love. I am not sure however if my grandmother is coming. She is his mother, and she is scary. Her, I kid you not about. You will know within seconds if she likes you. She fancies herself a voodoo priestess. Don’t piss her off.”

“Very funny.”

“I am serious,” Olivier have a shake of his head at Bobbie’s grimace. “Let me say it this way, when I found out what Bernard did, Riggs first suggestion, even before suggesting we kill him and losing his body in the bayou was to get her to curse him.”

He caught her wrists as she slapped at him in mock anger and he kissed her fingers with a wide smirk, “do not believe me? If she arrives with the clan tomorrow, you’re on your own.”

“Papa!” Max screamed at him, and he felt an immediate flush of pride as Max, the first of the two, called him by the name he called his own father. He had wanted to hear it from their lips. He was thrilled with whatever word for father they wanted to call him, but this felt special.

“What is Max?” He didn’t release Bobbie’s fingers from his. It felt good to hold her hand. He could feel her slowly adjusting to their rekindled relationship. He didn’t want to give her any reason to balk.

He stared into the little brown eyes with his black-rimmed glasses and smiled. He was a beautiful child, and he watched the little hands flailing and his mouth sputtering with excitement. He and Bobbie had created the most incredibly beautiful children and he found himself smiling with pride as his sweet-natured son explained he needed Olivier to make a stuffed toy too so he could take it with him whenever he went to work, and they would record their voices for him to hear when they were apart. He knew this was Max’s idea and he looked to Bobbie knowing this child had her tender heart.

“I would love this very much. Would you help me pick out which toy I should have and help me get it dressed?” Something caught his eye and he knelt down and lifted Max’s hand. “Where did your green polish go?”

Max looked uncomfortable, “it was girly, so I asked Nana Prue to take it off.”

Ollie spoke up, “a kid at the museum made fun of him. Everly wouldn’t let me hit him, but she called him a punk a*s little b***h and threatened to spank him. The kid’s mom didn’t like it and started yelling until Everly threatened to get Grady to sue her for raising an a*****e for a child.” She looked to Everly, “right?”

Olivier felt Bobbie tense in silent rage, and he gently cupped Max’s face, “did you like the green nail polish?” While he didn’t agree with the language his daughter had just spouted off, he was more focused on the boy in front of him.

He was bright red now under his father’s intense gaze. “I don’t like when kids say stuff.”

“f**k them,” Bobbie said crassly, and he chuckled at her fury. Ollie had her tongue.

“That’s six for today, chérie,” he gave her a sideways glance, “and you still owe me for reaching ten yesterday.” He pulled Max closer to him as Everly gave a loud snort, “Max do you like wearing nail polish?” Max shrugged as if embarrassed by the question. “You never, ever have to apologize to anyone for being yourself. I don’t care if it’s green nail polish, purple hair or if you want to wear high heel shoes and a dress. If you want to wear work boots and camouflage or anything else, you want to wear. You don’t let strangers dictate how you live your life. The most important thing is how you feel inside and,” he leaned closer to mock whisper, “your maman, she is right. f**k them!”

Max covered his mouth and giggled as Olivier swore

Ollie heard it loud and clear and roared with laughter. “My dad swore!”

Grady stepped up and slapped Olivier on the shoulder before squeezing it, “he did and he’s right. Max, you be you and f**k anyone who says anything about it.”

Olivier chuckled as Max hugged him tight hiding his face in his shoulder. He watched Bobbie’s hand reach out and stroke the boy’s shoulder gently. He looked up at her and saw her staring at him with emotion in her eyes and he wasn’t sure what it meant but he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and replace a place to k**s her endlessly. Instead, he hiked Max up and motioned for Ollie to help him replace his special teddy bear he could take with him when he would be away from them.

Olivier had to admit this was a far cry from how he had intended to spend the evening and the ring he’d picked upon his drive home after he’d left the lawyers to sort out the rest of the contract burned a hole in his pocket. He had arranged for dinner at the hotel in the private room for the entire group and he had intended to propose. Grady had sent him to the spot he’d found Everly’s anniversary present, telling him when he and Bobbie had been searching on the website she had oohed and ah-ed over the jewelry there. He decided his soon to be wife had exquisite taste because the boutique she sent her friend to shop was expensive and the craftsmanship was outstanding.

He knew deep down in his heart; she was fighting this. She didn’t want to get married. It wasn’t optional of course. His father was already infuriated at the situation. Deeply religious he had demanded Olivier correct his mistakes of having children out of wedlock by marrying the woman. Although for a religious man he had also suggested Bernard’s murder and Cleo’s painful torture.

He watched as she giggled while the kids decided Olivier’s boy bear with the blue bow tie should have black high heel shoes. Her smile still today captivated him the way it had the fateful night so long ago. He had walked into the coffee shop furious at the date he’d been on. The girl had set him up with paparazzi waiting and he’d simply left her standing there like the fool she was. He had needed something sweet, preferably a donut to soften his fury and he’d gone into the shop and Bobbie had smiled at him and had taken his breath away.

He’d been in a foul mood that night and offered to make her his kept mistress. She’d refused and scowled at him and so he stayed, feeling guilty for making her frown and flirted with her, made her laugh until she cried and then he promised to be back. He should have known Bernard had lied to him. Her heart had been too pure and too sweet to have done what he’d accused.

He looked over his shoulder as the door to the shop opened and Riggs walked in. He stepped closer to his long-time best friend. “Do we need to call Emile?”

Riggs grinned, “nah. Whatever you said to the old man had him so fired up he couldn’t be bothered to even ask why I was beating up his favorite guard. Just told him to get in the car.”

“Who are you?” Ollie interrupted the conversation, holding her bear up to her father for examination.

Olivier watched his friend get emotional as he squatted to meet his daughter. In another lifetime Riggs probably would have been her godfather. When Olivier had told him what he’d discovered his friend had cried with him over his lost years.

“My name is Riggs. Your Papa is my best friend in the entire world. I am hoping we can all be friends?” He held his hand out to shake the little one.

“He told me about you,” Ollie shook his hand firmly. “He said you would teach me to fight”

Olivier gave a laugh as Bobbie gave a furious hiss, “Ollie, I said no such thing. You asked if he could teach you to fight and I said it was a conversation we would have with your maman. Try not to throw me under the bus.” He winked at her as she giggled, her brown eyes glittering with mischief. He picked her up quickly and hung her upside down to tickle her belly before nuzzling her neck. “You’ll get me and Riggs into trouble!”

He clapped his friend on the shoulder, “Riggs, this stunning woman is the mother of our children, Bobbie Caron. Bobbie, this is Riggs and anything he tells you of our childhood is a lie and must be run past an independent third party for veracity.”

He made introductions to the rest of the group who laughed at his words.

Riggs and Grady stood on either side of him as they watched the kids finish their bears.

“They’re beautiful, Ollie.” Riggs said quietly, his voice thick

“Ollie?” Grady asked. “Your family calls you Ollie?”

“Yeah,” he smiled. “First day I saw the kids and they said Ollie my head automatically turned.”

Riggs grinned, “your dad is gonna cry like a b***h when he sees them.”

“He’s been crying since Friday night. He was the first call I made.”

“The men in your family just embrace the emotions, huh?” Grady gave a low chuckle.

Riggs laughed past Olivier’s shoulder. “They are emotional as hell. They have s**t tempers, too. Ollie hired me because every time someone shot their mouth off, he was throwing punches. I wasn’t hired to protect him. I was hired to keep him from losing money in lawsuits. Makes sense the newest member of our group is a lawyer,” he winked at Grady.

“Newest member?” Grady asked curiously

“You are family, Grady,” Olivier told his new friend seriously and watched the blue-eyed man blink in surprise. “You took care of my family like they were yours and for this you have my gratitude until the end of time. I am forever I’m your debt.” He clasped Grady’s shoulder tightly, “also we’ve been bitching for years we need a fourth when we golf.”

Olivier laughed as Grady wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye, “I’m just so thankful to have someone with testosterone in my corner. I’ve been outnumbered by chicks for so long and Max’s balls haven’t dropped yet.”

Olivier laughed and draped his arms over both men. Old friends and new friends with his family right in front of him. Nothing was better than this