Justice For Juniper (Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 171

Juniper entered the ballroom, Beni, and Adil on either of her arms and Phineas at the rear. He was somehow more imposing than the two men on her side, despite him being behind her. It was as if he was commanding the entire room and he was staking a claim, not just on her but on Beni and Adil as well.

“Everyone is staring.”

“Fuck them,” Phineas said crudely. His voice carried around the room despite the music being played by a string quartet.

“Pretty sure every person in this room thinks you do that to all three of us,” Beni said shifting in his stance. “You’re acting very dom right now.”

“Is your masculinity threatened?” Phineas looked at Beni with a quirked lip.

“No. I’m just wondering if I’m supposed to bend over a table or the bar.”

Juniper giggled as Adil snorted.

Adil looked over his shoulder, “should I call you Daddy tonight?”

“Only if you want to be spanked in front of your parents who are already looking incredibly uncomfortable with the attention we’re garnering.”

“Now I want to open mouth kiss you,” Adil grinned at Phineas who smacked him in the back of the head.

“Let’s go great the guest of honor,” Phineas nodded to where his grandfather was holding court. 1

“You didn’t tell me he was in a wheelchair.” Juniper whispered to Phineas.

“He can walk but he’s unsteady on his feet after more than a few steps so this makes us all feel better. He’s been throwing an eightieth birthday party for too many years to count but there was one where he toppled over and he found it humiliating. Now he weaves through the crowd on his battery–operated chair like he’s Professor Xavier.”

Phineas Perez the I was watching them approach with a scowl. “There’s the reason my party got postponed two weeks. Where’s my alcohol? You promised you’d bring it back.”

“I gave it to Dad,” Phineas looked at his father who was nearby leaning against a bar his arms wrapped around his wife from behind as they ordered drinks. “He said he was seeing you yesterday and would give it to you. I was going to bring it today, but he commandeered it.” 2/6

“You!” he looked at Juniper, “you’re the girl.”

“I am the girl,” she couldn’t help but giggle at his forthrightness.

“You’re very pretty.”

“Thank you, Mr. Perez.”

“None of that,” he scolded her and held his hand out, “you can call me granddad.”

“Because you lied for years, Denise,” Sandra’s voice was cold as she placed herself right between her son and his ex–wife. “Why would he talk to you when all you ever saw him as was a wallet? You didn’t treat him as a person, Denise. You treated him as an ATM, and he saw through your bullshit. Instead of owning it, instead of taking responsibility for being a charlatan and making a mockery of your grandfather’s wishes, you continued to act like a psychopath. You don’t deserve to be here, as part of our family. Your own family disowned you.”

“You disown me for sleeping with someone else, but you 4/6 welcome her with open arms!” Denise screamed loudly, her delicate façade fading fast. “She fucks three men every single day and you all think she’s wonderful for it.”

“We think she’s wonderful because she is honest and truthful and loving.”

“She’s a whore who takes three cocks at once!” Denise wasn’t backing down and now many heads were turning in their direction.

“Perhaps we can take this to a more private location,” Phineas‘ grandfather spoke harshly.

“No.” Denise stomped her foot. “I get called a whore for sleeping with a man when my own husband didn’t touch me once after our wedding night. Most nights he didn’t come home. He was never there. He ignored me and treated me coldly and callously and so I went looking for comfort in the arms of someone who would make me feel like I wasn’t a mistake.”

People were whispering now as Denise aired her grievances very publicly.

“What is the difference between me and her? My husband treated me like shit, so I went looking for someone to make me feel better. Her husband treated her like a queen, and she left him for three men! I wasn’t spread eagled in a bed with three 5/6 men filling every hole. I was with one man and only one.

“Liar.” Sandra spoke up. “We know you cheated more than once on Phineas.”