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CHAPTER TWELVE
The following afternoon, after being unstrapped from the St. Andrew’s cross and passing out in Milton’s arms, I’m bathed and dressed. He had to order clothes for me since I don’t have any at the club. I’m wearing a beige sweater, black skirt, and tights to fend off the winter chill, and seeing as I have no other shoes, I’m in my heels from last night. My hair is up, and I’m even wearing makeup I found in the bathroom, resembling someone who looks prepared.
I’m far from it.
As we make the dreaded drive back to Fair Haven, I can’t stop reminiscing about the last time I was here and running for my life. I’m seated in one of Milton’s many cars—a black sporty one. It feels like you’re driving on a cloud.
I’m uneasy. Milton’s right—thisisa dumb plan. Seeing my mother with her many questions is the last thing I want. In fact, I’m sorry I even brought her up, though it’s not like I can back out now after Milton agreed this morning that I can see what she knows—ifshe knows anything.
I’d just woken from the deepest sleep when he told me the plan. I’m not entirely sure he slept. He had shadows beneath his eyes and evidence of tossing and turning. He’s not said much else since we left, which means this was the last thing he wanted.
But he’s trusting me. He’s allowing me to validate my argument last night about being helpful. And I want to impress him—show him that he can trust me.
I really am a stupid bitch.
Gabriella is in her business headquarters, a tall building just shy of a skyscraper. I’ve been once and was treated like I was about to throw myself off the top of it. I wasn’t even allowed in the elevator unaccompanied.
“I’ll wait for you in the garage. You can take the elevator up to the floor. Once you’ve spoken to her, you come straight back down to me. She might betray you.”
Betray me like my maybe father did.
“She won’t jeopardize Lawrence,” I mumble in thought as we drive over the bridge. “She loves the lifestyle he gives her too much.”
Reaching over, he grips my hand. Dropping my gaze from the window, I stare at our entwined fingers. It makes me feel warm. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a mother—but I know what it’s like not to.”
I smile sadly, turning to him. He looks enigmatic while driving and holding my hand. He’s opted for a jacket and dark jeans today—looking more like the old Milton. And I’m positively sure he has a gun stowed away somewhere. Maybe two. “I guess that’s why we’re both so screwed up. We had no chance, really.”
Lifting my hand to his mouth, his lips graze my knuckles. “But that’s why we found each other.”
The wipers come on, swatting away the drizzle. As always, it’s raining in the city that never stops crying. Breathing a laugh, I can’t stop staring at him. “The things you say sometimes… You’d swear you were a romantic. But you just enjoy strapping me to things and torturing me.”
He laughs, which drains some of the tension inside of me. “Areyoua romantic?”
“How can I be? I prefer to label whatever this is as insanity.”
He nods in agreement. “You’re definitely my insanity.”
“And you’re mine.” Silence falls over us, though it’s far from awkward. It’s weirdly peaceful. The distraction was nice while it lasted, but reality is never far away.
“Let’s go over this once more,” he says, referring to the plan. “If there’s a problem?”
“I call you.” We’ve been over this twice already. The main goal is to learn what Gabriella knows, but I’m already anticipating more. She will demand to know where I’ve been, and I’ll have to try and distract her by asking about Blake and where he is, that I want to return “home.” Hopefully, she will take the bait and spill. But she might not. And then what? Will she let me walk away without following? That’s even before I ask her about my dad.
Going into the underground parking lot, Milton parks up and gets out while I unbuckle my seatbelt. In a flash, he’s around to me, face tense as his eyes search the vacant lot. His hand clings to my waist tightly after I get out, and we head to the elevators. He presses the button, and I’m suddenly very nervous. “In and out.”
Nodding, I’m not expecting him to bend his head and kiss me on the lips. It’s brief, but my heart soars in my chest. The doors open.
“I’ll be back,” I say after walking inside.
It looks like he’s trying his hardest not to come in with me. “You better.”
The doors close, and the elevator climbs to the top where Gabriella’s office is. When the doors slide back open, I step into the brightly lit space with floor-to-ceiling windows and polished floors. Over by an oval desk, Gabriella’s secretary talks to a delivery man. I catch the end of their conversation. “—She’s not here right now to sign. But I’ll make sure she gets it.”
That’s strange. Milton triple-checked that she was here. There’s no way she could’ve left by the time we got here, and her Porsche is still parked in the garage.
Glancing in the direction of her office, all the blinds are drawn. Her secretary hasn’t noticed me yet, so I take the opportunity to slip past, hiding behind a tall plant before darting in the direction of her office. Thank God for her botanical plant obsession, or I wouldn’t have made it without being seen.
When I get to the door, I hear shuffling inside. Cracking it open as quietly as possible, my eyes widen with shock. Spread out on the desk, Dr. Ashley Rogue cries out in ecstasy. Her fingers are wrapped around Gabriella’s hair. My mother’s head is buried between her legs.
