Winning His War

1

Patrick's POV

I sighed to myself as I placed my pen down on the table before passing the paper to my wife, who sat beside me.

I watched wordlessly as she copied my actions. The second she finished her signature she stood up and left the room, leaving me and our lawyers staring at each other.

"Should we go back over the terms of the divorce," my lawyer, Reece, said as he looked over everything but I have to keep myself from scoffing at his words.

The terms of the divorce were motoric and the only reason I agreed to it was just so we could get all of it over with.

Mary ended up getting nearly everything; she house, most of the furniture, our wedding china. She even got sole custody of the camp we made together to help at risk kids.

All I got was my own clothes, my car, and a few other random nick knacks that weren't even worth fighting over.

"No, I think I've heard it enough times," I sighed as I stood up. Reece stood with me before extending his hand to me. I took it without a second thought and thanked him before following my ex-wife's lead.

When I get to my car I just sit there. It's been years since I've been without Mary and I honestly didn't know what to do with myself now.

Mary and I had been together since freshman year in high school. With help from both of our parents we were able to get married the summer we graduated.

They were foolish for allowing us to do it. Mary was smart and gradated a year early at 17 while I got done on time at 18.

At the time we were in love. We thought we were kings and that nothing would ever get in the way of that but marriage is hard at any age.

We had never been on our own before that. We didn't know how to keep a budget, or how to pay a mortgage; hell, neither of us could even really cook at that point. Still, we got through the hard times together and if anything, it only made us fall farther in love.

Mary opened the camp and I became a cop and from there life shifted.

I don't know exactly when it happened but at some point the fights came more often and 'I love you' became a scarce saying.

It got to the point where if we were alone for more than a few minutes we were screaming at each other. It just wasn't a good life anymore and I didn't want to live like that anymore so I ended it, as compensation, Mary got almost everything but that didn't matter to me.

'No one would even have to know'.

Those words had been playing in my mind a lot here lately.

Jem.

He was the one man who ever made me consider swinging the other way yet he was the only man I couldn't have.

Still, my mind goes back to the time he had pushed me up against my car.

He forced my front onto the car while his hands held my hips in place. His lips had teased my neck oh so well and he gave promises of so much more if I agreed to spend a night with him.

'No one would even have to know.'

Those words had been another promise that he had skillfully whispered in my ear. Those little words were almost enough to convince me but I couldn't.

I was still married and had to tell him no but now that I'm not, the offer is tempting.

I looked down at my phone as I forced the case off of it.

A sleek black card fell out of it and onto my lap. It was nothing but a black card with only 10 digits on it but it meant so much more than just a phone number.

Jem made things complicated.

No matter how much I wanted to have a night with him, if things every got out that it happened, my career would be over. The head of Springfield County Sheriff's Department couldn't be seen with someone like Jem.

He was a supposed gang leader but despite all of the allegations against him, no one was ever able to build a solid case against him. For years I had been after him but things happened and I was forced to get to know him better.

He wasn't as bad as I thought he was but that didn't change the fact that he was a criminal. Even with nothing solid on him, I could get fired for just associating with him.

Still,

'No one would ever have to know.'

I play with the small card just before my phone goes off.

My heart skips a beat when Jem's name pops up on the screen.

I had only called Jem once before but at the time I was too anxious to make it a permanent contact, afraid Mary would some how find it and question me about but when I moved out I programmed it anyway.

The card was just a reminder now; of the night he had promised to give me.

The simple text had me on high alert.

Jem didn't just text people. He said it was too dangerous and could always be tracked. If he was texting, it was something serious.

The message was nothing but an address and for a second, I contemplate not going. For all I knew he could have heard my divorce was finalized today and was just seeing if I had changed my mind, in which case going to meet him wasn't a good idea.

But if it were something serious, I would regret going home and doing nothing.

My teeth sink into my lip as I put my key in the ignition before pulling out of the small parking lot while my GPS gives me directions on where to go.

The arrival time would be a little over an hour, I could only hope it would be worth it. 

Jem, I better not regret this.