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“True, but-”
“Plus, from what you’ve said, she sounds just as invested in helping people as you are. I can’t see her ruining everything that you’ve built just because you asked her out on a date, Kill.”
While my sister was making some very valid points, this wasn’t about me. This was about Posie and what haunted her. I had no doubt that I could carry whatever baggage that came with dating Posie Tinley, but that wasn’t the issue. Whatever had a grip on Posie might not allow me to be the man for her, no matter what I wanted. Again, I could handle her baggage as long as I knew how much it weighed. However, if Posie thought that it was too heavy to hand over to me, I wasn’t sure that there was much I could do about that.
“She has secrets, Ellie,” I said, reminding her of my conversation with Posie.
“We all do, Killian,” she replied. “Granted, some matter more than others, but still.”
I knew better than most about hiding secrets, but that still didn’t stop me from being a hypocrite. “Relationships aren’t supposed to have secrets-”
“Stop it,” she chided. “Now you’re just looking for excuses not to ask her out.”
“Ellie-”
“Killian, sooner or later, you’re going to have to stop chasing ghosts,” she said softly but firmly. “I have an amazing husband, great kids, and a wonderful life. I’m happy, Killian. I really am.”
Her words hit my chest painfully. “I never said that you weren’t, Ellie.”
“Meet someone, Killian,” she continued. “Meet someone, date them, fall in love, have kids, and start living life. Even if you had killed Trent, it still wouldn’t have changed what happened to me, Kill. It’s not your responsibility to avenge the world’s victims.”
“If it’s not my responsibility, then whose is it?” I challenged.
“It’s their own, Killian,” she answered softly. “Ask Jamie if you don’t believe me.”
I let out a deep sigh. “Ellie-”
“Anyone can be the target of evil, but not everyone has to become a victim to it,” she went on. “I know it’s a lot easier said than done, but the bottom line is that you can’t save everyone, Killian. No matter how much you want to, some people need to help themselves.”
“Even if what you’re saying is true-”
“It is.”
“-there are far more suitable candidates than one of my employees,” I pointed out.
“I’d believe you if she wasn’t the first person that you’ve ever spoken about like this,” she replied.
Deciding to quit going around and around with her, I said, “It’s late.”
“Coward,” she chuckled.
“I love you, Ellie.”
“I know you do, Killian,” she said softly. “I love you, too.”
Chapter 7
Posie~
It was Friday morning, and I was back at it again, thankful that I actually had weekends off. The call center took calls twenty-four hours a day, so there were four shifts that worked seven days a week. We worked eight hours with an hour lunch, and I worked the day shift. The shifts were six to three, noon to nine, six in the evening to three in the morning, and ten at night to seven in the morning. The shifts were structured for a lot of double coverage, but mostly from the hours of seven in the evening to three in the morning. Nightfall had a way of bringing on depression, which often led to abuse.
When I had applied for this job, I’d been given a list of the shifts, and I’d been instructed to select which shift I preferred the most, then work my way down. Surprisingly, I had gotten the day shift with weekends off, but I suspected that was because the pay differential for working nights and weekends was significant enough that it almost doubled your paycheck. Whatever could be said about Killian Warrick, no one could call him stingy with his money, so a lot of people wanted those night shifts.
Nevertheless, I didn’t need the money, so the day shift had been an easy option for me. The sad part about my shift was that abuse was just as prevalent during the daytime hours as it was in the shadow of night. There were just too many different forms of abuse that none of us were ever going to be in danger of losing our jobs, and it was a heartbreaking thought.
Glancing down at the corner of my computer screen, I saw that it was time for my last break of the day, so I locked my workstation to go grab something from the breakroom. The breakroom had four different vending machines and they were always stocked with the good stuff. Whether you were a health nut or a glutton for punishment, you could find something to satisfy your snack cravings in the breakrooms.
When I walked into the breakroom, it was empty, but I wasn’t surprised. The cafeteria downstairs prepared great food, so most of the employees went there for their snacks and lunches. It was hard not to pack on the pounds while working here. Sure, we had a gym, but we still sat down for most of our shifts, and there was food and snacks available everywhere.
