Page 69
Sixteen
Amethyst
“Here? In Zürich?”I asked.
I’d been reluctant to speak, wanting to enjoy being in his arms. But the question I wanted to ask burned at the tip of my tongue, and I needed to get it out.
Looking at him now, I regretted it. Hated that my father was impeding on this special moment, but knowing knew deep in my heart that I couldn’t move ahead, couldn’t look forward to more moments like this, until I settled the past.
I stared at him. “Here?” I asked again.
“Yes,” he said.
There was a darkness to his eyes that I hadn’t seen for a very long time, and as I stared at him, I tried to figure out what lay behind that expression.
But I saw nothing.
“How do you know?” I said.
I stared at him for a moment longer, and when he didn’t answer, I did.
“It’s because you saw him,” I said.
“Yes,” he responded.
“When? Why?”
He didn’t answer, and I sat up taller, my gaze not leaving his.
“Davit,” I said.
His eyes flashed, and I knew that he wasn’t going to tell me. Could see from the stubborn, determined expression on his face.
“Amethyst, I have always been as forthcoming with you as I could be,” he said.
I let out a snort-laugh, and he had the nerve to look wounded.
“You may not believe that,” he continued, “but I have.”
“But?” I said, trying to keep my temper in check.
“But, there are certain things I can’t discuss with you,” he said.
That he sounded apologetic, and also patient, which only annoyed me.
“You mean there are certain things that you won’t discuss with me,” I said.
He shrugged. “As you like.”
“I’m willing to assume that those matters involve your ‘business,’” I added, making air quotes.
He didn’t respond, not that I had expected him to.
“I’m going to further assume that means that my father had something to do with your business.”
I knew that, but somehow thought it was isolated, a one-off.
And didn’t know what to say, now that I knew that wasn’t true.
