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Chapter 52. Three is a crowd

"Everyone take a seat please." Suzanne requests.
"Now Claire, I want the whole story! Please don't leave anything behind as I need all the details. Things are not looking good for you sweetie, as they think it's a pay back situation from your side."
"How is that even possible?"
"From the hotel's cameras, all they see is a couple going upstairs looking perfectly happy and then, they assume something happened that you didn't like and decided to set him up, but since you have no marks on your body or any sign of violence, they can't accuse him of anything. So tell me everything in detail and I mean everything! Starting from your current relationship with this man." She says looking unsure.
"Alexander and Mr. Goodman, I would please ask you to exit the room at this point. This will definitely take us a while, so you can wait at the cafeteria." Suzanne says, but just when I am about to start yelling, Claire interrupts.
"No, they can both stay, as they already know everything."
"Ok Claire, this is completely up to you." She agrees.
We are in there for over an hour and I admire my girl for the courage she shows. She narrates everything from the time the relationship started to be problematic and first signs of unhealthy jealousy appeared, to the previous night, in this New York hotel room, where he had traveled all the way from England and was stalking her for several days, not yet knowing exactly for how long.
Suzanne grimaced happily, when she told her about the tracking app that he secretly installed on her phone without getting her permission and especially when she told her about that doctor Elisa, who could most definitely confirm about her mental and physical state when she first came to the U.S.A. Then we had Paul who as her psychologist would confirm that she would fall into a state of shock every time she would feel emotional pressure and if seeing your 'dead' ex abuser standing in front of you wasn't enough to provoke it, what would. That would certainly explain why she wasn't reacting to him, while he was carrying her up to his hotel room.
Suzanne also said that we would need someone from the U.K to confirm everything about their past, preferably a common friend and the trial was a sure win.
We left the lawyers office feeling content and hopeful. She would take care of everything and most importantly she gained Claire's trust. I know I'll regret this but I feel like I owe Paul for everything he did for her, so I suggest we all grabbed something to eat before going back home. They both agree and Paul stops in front of this well known casual diner that I've never been to before and we take a seat in this semicircular couch in a remote corner.
"What a day!" He says grabbing her hand, but I swear to God, I only want to cut it off. No! Oh my God! What's gotten into me? I have to suppress these reactions I have towards him!
"Well it's now finally over and I think I feel optimistic about the outcome, all because of you two. Thank you both so much!"
"Nothing is over, not yet my love, but I promise you it will soon enough and I'll be by your side every step of the way."
I grab her face and I kiss her sweet lips, but I get that she feels awkward so I pull off. At least Paul's hand is now away from hers, so I don't regret the kiss. It's not like I did it to prove a point, as I honestly felt the urge to kiss her, but she felt uncomfortable for some reason, which I now find alerting. Why would she mind me kissing her in public, it's not like it's the first time we've done that.
Paul tries to brake the awkward silence and tells Claire she needs to call Stephanie, because she was feeling extremely guilty as she was the last person she was with, before Michael got to her. After a long conversation briefly explaining what happened, the food comes and the girls finally get off the phone, as me and Paul hadn't exchanged a word during that time.
Three extra large burgers make their appearance on these huge plates, looking surprisingly good. Paul ordered for the three of us, as he said he was a regular of this place and knew what their best dish was. They both dig in, but they start laughing at me when I grab the knife and fork cutting through the burger.
"Oh come on! Don't tell me this is your first burger." Paul says but in a humorous mood rather than a judgmental one.
"Of course I have eaten burgers before, I just like eating it like that." I say to my defense.
"Have you ever tried it otherwise?" Paul asks Alexander?
"No, but I am about to." And by that I take the burger in my hands grabbing a big bite, but half of the ingredients fall from the other side.
"Well, it looks like you need practice." Claire says and we all laugh.
The whole dinner rolled quite pleasantly, as we all had enough of this day and needed to relax. The annoying part is that by the end of this night, I grew to like Paul as he indeed was a fun guy. I know he likes my girl and it's not only in a friendly way, because he'd have to be gay for that, so I can't even blame him.
How can anyone not fall in love with her once they get to know her? She is the most amazing woman I've ever met, so surely I will have to keep an eye on him, but if he makes her happy, I can't take that away from her. Besides I trust her, so I will be the supportive boyfriend I should be and repel all these thoughts away from my head, wanting nothing more than to see her smiling and feeling blissful.
He drops us off and kisses Claire goodnight, telling her to call him if she needed anything. I almost say to him that she won't, but thankfully I manage to keep my mouth shut. In addition, I shake his hand thanking him for everything he did and he tells me he would do it all over again, all that and much more.
When we enter the building, I grab Claire's hand and I beg her to come upstairs with me.
"I wouldn't have it any other way." She says, reassuring my insecure heart.
We watch a movie, but we both fall asleep shortly after the first scene, being completely exhausted by the day we had. I wake up later and pick her up in my arms, taking her to bed. I wipe over a tear of relief that escapes my eyes when I think of what could have happened to her. I love her so much and I would most definitely go completely crazy had I indeed lost her. She is now sleeping in my arms and I was at the moment being so emotional about this that I felt ashamed when she opened her eyes and she saw my tears.
I smiled at her, letting her know it was tears of overwhelming relief for the outcome of this horrible day.
"I love you my sweet girl!" I say while another tear rolls down my eye.
She kisses me, hugging my face with her tiny hands and I feel like I am the luckiest man in the world and universe gave me a second chance in life so I now need to take better care of this precious gem it send in my path. Our kiss deepens and although I didn't even think about it nor would I ever dare to bother her, here we are making sweet love, as it was the most beautiful and natural thing in the world.
"I need your touch to rinse away my fears, I need your kiss to take away my pain and I need your love to undo the damage he caused." She says.
"Forever!" I say and I don't regret the big word I just used.
"Is that a wedding proposal?" She laughs.
"Being married with someone doesn't mean forever. But I wouldn't want anything more than taking that step with you one day, If that's what you want."
"Shut up! We've only known each other for less than two months." She says laughing.
"I don't need more than that to know how you make me feel and that's not going to change." I seriously answer.
"Alex!" She complains while smiling.
"Now you shut up and kiss me." I say going back to those delicious lips I adored.