Page 109 of Never His Girl
“What the fuck are you talking about? Vin was here?”
Casey doesn’t speak, but that fearful look in her eyes tells me all I need to know.
“When?”
She’s fidgeting and maybe thinking about not answering.
“It was a couple days before your game.”
I fall back against my seat, trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
“He had me sign an NDA his lawyer drafted, agreeing not to disclose what happened between us. And… he also came with his checkbook,” she reveals.
She sounds ashamed admitting that she also took his money, but all I really care about is what the fuck is going on.
“None of this means Parker isn’t a problem,” I point out.
“Actually, it does,” Casey counters. “Your dad asked if she was the only person I told. When I said I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else, he said he’d already taken care of that, made her the same deal he made me.”
My head spins, and I’m thinking back to Friday, to Parker trying to tell me something at the club. I ignored her, but now I’m at least sure I know what was so urgent.
Pandora’s latestPrincessParkerupdate is also starting to make sense. The bitch hasn’t been at school these past two days. Instead, she’s been spotted spending some major cash. Guess I know where it came from.
Casey’s on edge now, fidgeting a bit. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to understand it all, and also trying to decide which of my many questions she’ll actually answer.
“I feel like the signs are all around me and I’m still missingeverything,” I admit
She’s grown visibly uncomfortable with how much she’s told me. I know as much when she sighs and starts gathering her things.
“This was a bad idea. Had I known you weren’t already aware of things, I wouldn’t have even—”
“Casey, please.”
I catch her wrist just as she stands, causing her eyes to land on me.
“I’ve been searching for answers about my dad for a long time and, no, that had nothing to do with coming to see you today, but if you think you know something—anything—that can help me, I’m kind of desperate at this point.”
There’s no immediate response, but I see her softening.
“Not here,” she says quietly. “Outside.”
Her eyes dart toward the door and, after I drop a twenty on the table to cover the cost of what we ordered and the tip, I follow her out to the sidewalk, shrugging into my coat.
“I know you don’t have all the answers, but do you knowanythingabout what my dad’s into?” I rush to say, breathing into the freezing cold air.
She lifts her eyes. “I’m sorry, West. I wish I knew more,” she sighs. “All I can tell you is that not many people scare me, but your father is definitely on that very short list.”
There isn’t even ahintshe’s joking about that.
“Ever since he came here, I swear I’m being watched. Granted, it’s entirely possible the man just gives me the creeps and I’m imagining it all,” she says with a faint laugh, “but something just feels… off.”
She leaves it at that, and I don’t doubt for one second that Vin’s capable of this shady shit. Sounds just like him, actually.
My brow tenses, thinking of something that doesn’t quite add up.
“No way he pulled the info about you and me out of thin air, so… how’d he know? About that? About Parker?” I ask these questions as my festering hatred for my father grows just a little more.
It doesn’t surprise me when Casey shrugs. I’m beginning to see she’s just as clueless about things as I am.