Second Serving - Part I Adil looked at Beni and sighed, "dude what is your problem?" "He had her on his lap." "I saw it too." "Why is he so damn hands on all the time? He just scoops her up like she's weightless." Beni grunted angrily. "I could do it, but he beat me to the punch." Adil flexed his muscles. "He's a very take-charge individual but I'm worried he's going to make her uncomfortable. Her heart is broken right now. She doesn't need Daddy Dominant spanking her ass while she's recovering from a miscarriage and a cheating ex she's been with since she was a kid." "You're very protective of her," Adil accused quietly. "You've been protective of her since I pulled the file. "I watched her." Beni admitted. "The day you pointed her out two weeks ago, I kept watching her after. I've been following her, trying to get a read on her. I wanted something, anything, which told me she deserved the shit we were going to end up bringing to her table. Instead, I saw this funny, insightful, sweet woman who overtips the barista at the coffee shop, smiles at everyone she comes across and is well-respected and liked in her 1/6 11:50 department. She's genuinely a nice person and the guilt I feel for ruining her life is killing me." "Is it only guilt for ruining her life?" "What do you mean?" "I mean if you watched her for two weeks and you think she's all this, then is it guilt for ruining her life or guilt because you're glad you ruined it so you can swoop in and make her tea and rub her back." "Adil." "Don't Adil, me, Beni. I've known you far too long to pull this bullshit with me." "Why are you angry at me?" Beni asked Adil and then his widened, "you like her too!" eyes "I do." Adil shrugged uncomfortably. "She's fucking gorgeous. I watched her a full two weeks before I even told you about her. It's been a month of stalking her and when I say I spanked more than one memory of her in my shower, I'm not exaggerating." He took the punch to the arm as he deserved, "she's effervescent, Beni. All I want to do is put that laugh back on her face. The one I saw when she was at dinner with the girls from work a few weeks ago when one of them resigned. She was laughing so hard she was holding her sides and tears streamed and fuck if I didn't want to be the one to make her laugh like 2/6 11:50 7 that." "Well, you didn't. Instead, you broke her fucking heart." "But I can put it back together. I know I can." "Good luck to you. The minute she's ready, I'm making a play." "You won't win." "Yes I will. I live right next door to her." "Oh my god! It's why you chose that apartment. Phineas said originally it was far too expensive, and you gave him the song and dance. You were hoping to play pick me up with her!" "Yes." "Benicio, this is war." "War?" "I want her too." "Except," Beni met his gaze as they pulled into the law offices where Kyst works, "there is someone else who wants her." "Him?" Adil jerked his thumb at the man visible from the parking lot as he paced in the lobby. "She doesn't want him anymore." 3/6 11:50 "Not him, idiot. Phineas. He's got her right now on his knee, playing Daddy to his broken-hearted little girl." "Aw shit." "Yeah. I might be able to make her tea and keep her fed but he's sex on legs and he's all dominant and," he deepened his voice, "bend over and I'll give you something to cry about." Adil burst into laughter, "is that what you think he says?" "He goes to the sex club, and I know he spanks girls there." Benicio grumbled angrily. "I won't kink shame him," Adil shrugged. "I'm not! I can't stop thinking of the fucking flogger in her drawer." Beni watched as the lights came on in Adil's brain. "And now he's catching up. We might be fighting a losing battle." "She might not want any of us. She's been with one man her entire life. She may want to be celibate for a while." Adil sighed, for worse, she may want to try on a bunch of new sizes and you'll be watching a steady stream in and out of her new condo right past your door." "Yeah, you'll be right there with me, fucker," Beni grunted at him. He waved at the phone, "call them so they can watch this." 4/6 11:50 He looked at Kyst through the w "I'd like to rough him up more," Adil commented quietly, and Beni knew he meant it. His best friend might appear to be easy-going and the life of the party, but his temper outmatched even Phineas'. "Let's just do this and be professional," he warned his friend who nodded. Adil opened his messaging app and called Phineas and Beni fought the way his hands clenched to see Juniper still seated on his lap. "You look cozy," Adil commented bluntly. "My phone is small, and we need to watch it together." "You could have casted it to the television. It's right there in the room." Adil called him out. "I never thought of it. Too late now to get it all set up. We'll need to stay like this." "Are you ready for this, sunshine?" Beni asked her over Adil's shoulder. "Yes. He's going to know I know?" "Yes. I'm going to serve him. He'll open the documents, and he'll 5/6 11:50 see the photograph on the top page." "Okay." Now he was itching to get inside. He waited until Adil positioned his camera, muting it. He walked into the office a few steps ahead of Adil and slightly off to the side. "Excuse me, are you Kyst Kennedy? The lawyer who works here?" "Yes." "Can you sign for this?" Beni held the packet out. Kyst signed for it and then frowned when Beni smugly said, "You've been served." "Served?" Kyst seemed unconcerned, as he pulled the envelope. open and pulled out the documents and his eyes immediately landed on the photograph paperclipped to the top. "What the hell is this?" "This is the first of many pieces of evidence my client has in her possession regarding your infidelity. Those are divorce papers which she has signed. My card is also in the envelope so you and your lawyer can give us a call when you've had a moment to review them."