Page 84 of Love Me

“It’s about time you went over to Townsend,” he says, surprising me.

If I’m not mistaken, there’s admiration in his voice.

“What took you so long to go over there?” he asks.

My mind flashes back to the aftermath of losing the job waiting for me after what happened junior year. I never gave my parents the full story of why I went after Slater. They supported me wholeheartedly, though, sparing no expense when it came to legal representation.

Even more in the aftermath I needed to prove myself to them. To let them know I wasn’t just a trust fund kid who got into trouble, fucked up with his shitty temper, and ran to his family when things got too hot to handle.

I decided to forge a way on my own. I worked at bullshit, small architect firms until a major firm in the city hired me five years ago. There I cut my teeth on real design work, worked long hours, and took extra classes to improve. All so I could be worthy of the weight of my last name.

“Life,” I say.

He raises a dark eyebrow. “And that five-year probation you were on?” he inquires.

“Four years,” I correct without an ounce of shame.

He grunts and folds his arms across his chest. “It’s been seven years and I still don’t know the entire story of what happened in that situation.”

And he won’t ever know.

Monique wanted it that way. I’m her secret keeper.

“I never liked him,” I say.

“Because you didn’t like him, you beat him to within an inch of his life.”

I slide my hands into my pockets because just thinking about that fucker makes my fingers itch. I want to dig him up from his grave and wrap my hands around his throat once again. The first time wasn’t enough.

But he eventually got what he deserved.

No one questioned how since he reportedly had a blood alcohol level two times the legal limit.

“Something like that,” I tell Mr. Richmond.

He takes a step closer. “Can I trust my daughter with you?”

There’s a hard edge in his voice. My defenses kick up. Not because of the question. But because any man—her father or not—asking if Monique is safe with me brings on that reaction. As far as I’m concerned, I’m theonlyman she’s ever been truly safe with.

“Uncle Damon, you know the answer to that question,” I reply.

He lets out a chuckle and then sighs. “I’ve always known it would be you two in the end.”

It’s my turn to raise my eyebrows.

“I’m no dummy.”

“Never thought you were.”

“When you were kids, you two had that secret language thing going on. I thought your friendship would grow apart as you got older.” He shrugs. “It happens. Kids grow up and make new friends. Not you two. Eventually, the way you started to look at her changed.”

He points at me.

I cock my head to the side because I’m interested in his take on things.

“I don’t remember exactly when, but late teens, twenties, something changed. I also felt the change in her. She started pulling away from all of us more.

“No matter how much I asked what was up, she insisted that nothing was the matter. That she was just growing up.”