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“Of course,” I say, walking to my bar and beginning to pour her a glass. “When did you last talk to Austin?”
“Earlier tonight. He was going to some scavenger hunt thing for his school,” she says, taking a seat on the sofa.
“That’s probably where he still is then. He’s just having too much fun and hasn’t looked at his phone. I’m sure he’ll call you back when it’s over.”
“Maybe,” she says, shrugging. “Something is off, though. Something just doesn’t feel right. Roman, whoever went through my apartment wasn’t there to steal things. Nothing was taken. It looked like they were looking for something, or they wanted to scare us.”
As I pass her the glass of vodka, I deliberately brush my hand over hers just like I do at the office. A simple touch that sends static throughout my body, pulsing every nerve ending, pumping blood to my veins, and drowning my soul with it. Indie’s touch is undeniably the single most favorite part of every day.
“Not even your diamond necklace?”
“No, but I was wearing it, so that doesn’t really count.” I smile when she admits this. I know she was wearing it because she has worn it every day since I gave it to her. It's such a male primitive thing. It’s such satisfaction knowing she wears something I gave her. It is the only mark I can put on her without getting slapped in the face.
I sit down across from her, taking a sip from my own glass. “I’m looking into it. Whoever was at your apartment, I will find them. Trust me when I say, this is right up my alley.”
She laughs a little. “That’s ironic, considering we met in an alley.”
“No, we didn’t. We met at the mayor’s function,” I correct her.
Taking a sip from her glass, she appears to be distant in thought for a moment, staring into nothingness. “Oh right, we did, didn’t we? That seems like such a long time ago when only it’s just been a few months.”
“A lot can happen in a small amount of time.”
She seems to ponder on this for way too long. Our silence is awkward; it’s never awkward between us. Something has shifted. Maybe it’s the fact we are not in the office. Maybe it’s because she needs my help, or perhaps it's because she is sitting on my sofa drinking vodka naked underneath my bathrobe.
“How has Austin been? He is getting ready to graduate, right?” I break the silence and try to reconnect with her.
“Austin is not going to graduate.” She sighs, shaking her head. “He’s missed way too much school and failed too many tests, not to mention the assignments he never did.”
I raise a brow. “He knows this?”
“He sure does. He was expecting it. I think he’s just trying to have as much fun and normalcy before school ends, before he has to face the reality of what he will do next. I mean, what kind of a job will he be able to get now? All I wanted was for him to have a better life, and I know in the end it’s his own fault for not trying enough. Yet, I can’t help but think if our circumstances had been different, how different the outcome would’ve been. Damn my mom and dad for doing this to him. Fuck them both for doing this to me.”
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink.”
“That is not helpful.” She glares at me. Those baby blue eyes are sad, but they hold a hint of mischief. I’m enjoying this almost normal conversation we’re having.
I watch her as she sits back a little into the sofa, looking more relaxed with every sip of her vodka. It makes me wonder what she’d be like intoxicated. Would she be a clumsy, sloppy wreck of a drunk? An angry pick-a-fight-with-everyone kind of drunk, or a happy, funny drunk?
“I can make a few calls and get him his diploma.”
“I don’t want your help, or your fake documents from your sketchy friends.”
I chuckle at her insult. “You’re always such a contradiction, Indie. Those same sketchy friends you referring to are the very ones out there tonight looking for your brother, and the ones who are trying to find out who ransacked your apartment. Besides,” I smirk. “I’m pretty damn certain you’re in MY apartment tonight, wearing MY robe, drinking MY vodka because you need MY help.”
She sits forward, placing her glass on the coffee table, careful not to look at me.
“I’m sorry. I sound so ungrateful. I do appreciate your help, but I don’t want Austin any more involved than he already is.”
She’s talking about me. She doesn’t want Austin involved with ME. That should hurt, but I understand where she’s coming from. She’s just being the protective sister.
“Let me do this for you then. That way he can apply for better jobs. Better yet, I can arrange for him to get an internship at one of my...” I pause and make finger quotes. “Not so sketchy clients.”
She smiles at this. Like actually full-face smiles, like she’s about to laugh, but then she stops herself.
“Thank you for the offer, but I can’t be saving Austin from his mistakes all his life. or he will never learn from them. It was his choice to not attend school when he should have; his choice to run around with his friends when he should have been studying. I gave him every opportunity and made so many sacrifices for him. I can’t do it anymore. He’ll be eighteen in a week. He needs to start making his own way in life and fixing his own mistakes.”
“I think that’s the smartest thing you have ever said to me.” I wink at her.
