Binding Agreement- Book 1 of the Tipton Dynasty

It'll Just Provoke Her

"But why?" Martin asked puzzled. "Has something more gone on that she feels the need to get in the way of your relationship."

Damon looked at me. I could sense there was some anticipation in his eyes. I knew what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to take the chance to come clean to Martin right there. It was the perfect opportunity to do so, this would end the issues going on once and for all. But I couldn't find the words to even begin.

Damon noticed my struggle and sighed. He knew that I wouldn't be telling Martin the truth today. "She must still be upset about Justin not getting the president seat. She visited Kaydence with Victoria while I was away and wanted Kaydence to convince me to promote Justin." He explained to Martin.

"This is unacceptable behavior! I will have a talk with her." Martin looked slightly angry from finding out it was Ava.

"What's the point dad? It'll just provoke her. Leave it be. I can handle this myself." Damon responded to Martin's words as if it were no big deal.

"Are you sure it's just over the promotion?" Martin raised an eyebrow at Damon. He was trying to dig for more of the story.

Damon glanced at me and then back to Martin. "Yes, that 's the only thing I could think of."

"Well, I'll let you deal with it as you request. But you two also need to repair the damage she caused to your relationship by this. I can see that this has caused some tension just by the way you two have been since you arrived." Martin's eyes glanced between Damon and I.

"I'm sure we can get back on track." I tried to reassure Martin.

Martin spoke to us for another hour or so. He was trying to help us mend things but it just wasn't working. We should be back to normal after the truth was revealed. But Damon was hurt that I didn't take his word and I was hurt that he didn't say anything about the encounter in the first place. Finally Martin gave up and let us leave.

We exited Martin's house and made our way back to the car. Once inside the tension between us could be felt even more. Damon started the car and began to drive away. It was minutes before he finally broke the silence.

"Still can't come clean to my father? Even after they've proven they'll play dirty?" He asked while he kept his eyes on the road.

"I'm not ready." I answered quietly.

"When will you ever be ready?" His tone wasn't angry but he wasn't happy either.

"I don't know, okay! It's not a past that I want to talk about! I'm ashamed of the things I did! Stop pressuring me to go and tell your dad I sold myself and let Justin sell me for business!" I couldn't help but raise my voice.

"Fine, I won't bring it up again." He now sounded annoyed. "But I'm telling you they're not going to stop."

"They have to give up eventually right?" I asked, my tone was lower again.

"You would think." The annoyance disappeared from his words. "They're the ones who sent Nicholas."

I honestly should've guessed this. Ava warned she wouldn't stop until Justin was in the proper position. It didn't surprise me that Nicholas was involved with them. What did surprise me was how far this woman was willing to go for her son. Her behavior explained a lot about how Justin acted.

"How do you know?" I was curious as to what information he had found.

"The call at my fathers was from some people I had that were investigating the picture. I had them look into Nicholas being on the system randomly as well. It was noticed that the source was someone from the IT department. Once the individual was found it wasn't hard for them to get out of him that it was Justin who requested it be put there. Justin and Ava are working together to interfere with our relationship." He was holding back his anger but I could still see it was there as he gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles went white.

"Wow. So did you find out more about him? Why did Justin want him to attack me?" I needed to know more.

"His real name is Xavier Nash. He was an MMA fighter but was kicked out after being arrested and charged with multiple counts of rape. They hired him in hopes of you being so upset by the picture you were sent that you would run into his arms and that would get you away from me. When that didn't go as planned it seems by accessing texts and emails that he was instructed by Ava to deal with you however he felt was necessary. That's why he attacked you." Damon explained further.

I could only nod in response. I was speechless.

"That's why I brought up talking to my father. Because with the evidence I have against Ava this whole mess would be shut down by him. She and Justin would rather die than upset my father. Trust me he would care more about his daughter and grandson being so cruel than he would about your past. But I won't bring it up again. I have my own ways to deal with it and that's what I'll do." He glanced at me and then back to the road.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, watching his facial expressions.

A devilish smirk crossed his lips. "Don't worry about it. Just know that if they want to play this dirty then I can too. She doesn't have the Tipton last name, it's significantly easier for me to get people to do the things I want."

We pulled into the garage of the house. Once inside I headed for the deep purple room I stayed in last night. Even though he proved his innocence things were still tense between us. I didn't know where to begin to get the tension to dissipate.

"So you still refuse to be in the same room?" He asked, catching my attention.

"I just-" I started but he interrupted.

"You just what Kaydence? Even after I prove myself you seem indifferent to me. If that's how you want to be then I'll go spend my time where it's needed." His voice was filled with frustration, he was beginning to lose his temper.

"Where are you going to be?" I asked quietly. We may be frustrated with each other over this but I still didn't want to be here by myself.

"I'll be at the office. I have some work I need to catch up on from being gone anyway. I'll have Spencer and Max stand guard again. I won't be back tonight so you don't have to go into the other room." He informed me.

I didn't get the chance to respond before he left back into the garage. I was a mix of emotions. We should be back to our normal relationship, but we just weren't there right now.