Page 78 of By His Vow
Fuck. I was right earlier.
This man is beyond dangerous.
20
KINGSTON
Tatum is stoic as we stand beside the grave, waiting for her father to be lowered into the ground.
Since the moment we arrived at her parents’ house, she’s barely said a word.
It’s the first time I’ve appreciated the change in her.
In her apartment, she was more than happy to give me shit—although the coffee delivery certainly softened the worst of that.
Any other day, I’d have stuck with the juice and a bottle of water, but she deserved the pick-me-up this morning.
And looking at her now, I’m so glad I did.
The second Lewis turned into her family’s estate, her mood completely changed.
She shut down.
Most would probably assume it’s because of what the day represents, but something tells me that it runs much deeper than that. I’d hazard a guess to say it has a lot to do with the reason she’s a marketing manager for Warner Group and nowhere near the CMO, which is where she should be—and not just because of her name.
Before storming into her office yesterday and disrupting her meeting, I spent most of the afternoon digging into everything Tatum has ever done for Warner Group.
Now, I may not be a marketing expert, but I know good campaigns when I see them. The increase in sales that quickly followed are more proof I don’t need that Tatum has been seriously undervalued in Warner Group.
Because of her father and his old-fashioned ways? Quite possibly.
That realization doesn’t sit right with me.
How does Miles get to graduate college and walk straight onto the senior management team but she doesn’t?
She is equally as talented and as good at her job as Miles. Hell, possibly more so.
He’s never had to prove himself. She does every single fucking day.
Helena continues to cry as we stand listening to the minister as he says his final words. Miles and my father stand on either side of her, helping to hold her up, while Tatum stands beside me with Lorelei on her other side.
She hasn’t shed one tear. Hasn’t even looked close.
Her expression is hard. Completely closed off.
To an outsider, she might look like she doesn’t care that they’re burying her father. But they’d be wrong. She cares. Possibly too much. And a hell of a lot more than she’s letting on. It’s just in a very different way from everyone else here.
Only Tatum can understand the relationship she had with Jonathan. Sure, she could attempt to explain it, but we’d never understand. We couldn’t. And she doesn’t need us to. She just needs us to be here.
She draws in a deep breath as the coffin is slowly lowered into the ground.
Helena wails, turning everyone’s attention to her. Just in case anyone missed her grieving widow status.
She’s hurting, I get it. But she has two children.
They may be adults, but they have lost their father. Doesn’t she want to think about that, and support them, instead of expecting them to hold her up?
Not that Tatum is making much of an effort.