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When she’s gone, Taylor shakes her head as she takes another sip of wine. “If it makes you feel any better, Alistair’s been like that since I met him in law school.”
“Oh, he was like that before, too.”
The table goes quiet, awkwardly so. Taylor starts to open her mouth as if to change the subject. Then she pauses, her brow furrowing.
“Okay, screw it, I’m just going to say it so we can stop tiptoeing around the elephant in the room.” She glances over her shoulder, as if to make sure Fumi is out of earshot. Then she gives me a soft, sympathetic look. “I know you two…have a history.”
My face pales a little, and I swallow the lump that forms in my throat.
“No, hang on,” Taylor shakes her head. “I’m not interested in drama, it’s none of my business, and I don’t know any of the details. I don’t need to know. But…” Her brows knit.
“Massimo doesn’t know,” I say quietly. “If that’s what you’re getting at.”
She sighs. “Again, not trying to pry, it’s just…well, Massimo is…”
“Sure is,” I mutter.
“Eloise, if you don’t want to work with Alistair, that is completely fine. I get it. I can rearrange things—and I’m not saying that just to headhunt you for my team or anything. You could work under Gabriel, if you wanted.”
I smile wryly, shaking my head.
“It’s fine. Really. But I appreciate the offer.” My brows wrinkle. “Has he told you anything? Alistair, I mean. About?—”
“Your history with him?” Taylor finishes for me, shaking her head firmly. “Nothing that affects how I view you, either as an attorney or a person. That’s the truth.” She pauses. “Can I be honest, Eloise?”
“Please.”
“I’ve seen the way he is around you—yes, prickly, and I think we can both agree that that’s putting it mildly. And sure, some of it might be the history you two have from Knightsblood. But, do you think some of it might also be because of what happened with your sister?”
My stomach drops along with my jaw.
“He…he told you about that?”
She shrugs. “We’re close.”
I am not prepared for the sudden twist of…goddammit, is that jealousy swirling like venom inside? I’m still trying to shake it away when Taylor reaches across the table and places a hand on mine.
“Nothing like that, Eloise. I mean close like the brother I never had,” she says quietly. “He and Gabriel both are, actually. So, yeah, he told me about what happened. I mean, look, it’s not my place, but I really can’t help but wonder if some of the…friction you’re getting from him is because he’s now working closely with the sister of the woman who tried to assault him.”
It feels like a punch to the stomach.
Hang on, what?
I stare at Taylor, my pulse quickening.
“Sorry, what did you just say?”
Her face pales a little. “Forget it. This has nothing to do with me, and it is not my place to?—”
“Taylor, no, wait!”
She starts to stand, grabbing her bag and pulling out some cash to drop onto the table.
“Drinks are on me. I sincerely apologize for bringing this up?—”
“Please.” I grab her arm, stopping her. “Please, I need to…” I frown. “Look, I… I know they met at a bar here in the city one night and left together. I know they…” I swallow back the bile as horribly vivid images of Alistair and my sister fucking swirl through my head before focusing on Taylor again. “But why would you say she tried to…you know.”
Taylor bites her lip.
