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Then I send her a zipped-lip emoji, and she sends a laughing one in return.
Thankfully, Everleigh isn’t home, so I can have some privacy. I don’t want her knowing the details of what’s going on just yet.
Right on time, I get on the call and introduce myself and Serena to the prosecutor. Eric chimes in and re-explains the situation for Serena’s sake and the prosecutor confirms everything he says. As Serena asks questions, I stay quiet and listen. She knows more about the risks of agreeing to this than I do and drills them for thirty minutes straight. They answer everything without hesitation.
“When would you need me to come there?” I ask. I might need to request a day or two off work to fly there and back.
“These things take time, so about a month. I’d like to get a few more on board before we commit to a date, but as soon as I find out, I’ll send you the final paperwork if you’re in,” the prosecutor explains.
“Alright, I should be able to do that. Gives me enough time to tell my boss. How long do I have to decide?”
“We’ll need to know as soon as possible, but if you and Serena need to discuss, then I’d just ask that you let me or Eric know within forty-eight hours.”
“Alright, I can do that.”
“Please understand that this is a long process, and it’s going to be a while before everything is in motion, but this is one step toward justice,” he explains.
“I’ll never stop fighting for justice for Amara,” Eric grinds out. “So you’d really be helping me out.”
“I understand, man. I’ll let you know soon.”
Once the conference call is over, Serena calls me and tells me her thoughts. She explains the cons—getting involved with anything that has to do with the O’Learys again could always lead to backlash—and the pros—helping that bitch get what she finally deserves.
“It’s settled then,” I confirm. “I’m gonna text Eric and tell him I’m in.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
GEMMA
This morning,Robert invited me to have dinner at his house tonight. Ever since I agreed, I’ve been a nervous wreck. On the way to his house after work, I grow more anxious, but I don’t know why. We spoke a little yesterday about what happened Saturday night and mostly cleared the air, though if my pounding heart is any indication, some lingering tension remains between us. It doesn’t help that Tyler and I had a weird moment today. My head is still spinning from it all.
When I walk through the front door, I find Robert in the kitchen, preparing lemon pepper chicken and roasted potatoes. Over his shoulder, he gives me a smile, but it looks forced. Maybe it’s just me, though, because I’ve been restless the past two nights.
“Hi, darling. Dinner’s almost ready. Can you pour the wine?” he asks as I set my things down.
“Sure. Which kind do you want?” I ask. Robert’s a wine snob, and I never pick the one that pairs correctly with our food.
After grabbing the white wine he requests, I set the table, then take a seat to wait. As soon as it’s all ready, he brings my plate and glass of Sauvignon Blanc, then kisses my head.
“Eat up, sweetheart.”
“Thank you. This looks delicious.”
Robert’s a great cook. In fact, he’s good at everything he does, or at least, it seems that way. I don’t think he’s bad at anything. He always gets what he wants and works hard to make sure it stays that way. It can be intimidating because compared to him, I always feel as though I’m lacking.
We make small talk while we eat but don’t chat about anything in particular. His responses are quick and to the point, which is odd, considering he loves to talk in depth about work. I can tell something is off, but I’m not sure if I should bring it up.
After our plates are empty, I thank him again for cooking, then I clear the table. I rinse the dishes and soak the pans, then Robert mentions we should watch a movie as I suggested last Thursday.
As I snuggle against him while a war movie plays, he wraps his arm around me and squeezes me closer to his body. “So, I was thinking it’s time for you to quit your job.”
When I look at him, a lump forms in my throat. He’s dead serious.
“What did you say?”
“There’s no reason for you to work, Gemma. I’ll be taking care of you.”
My mouth falls open, and I’m almost at a loss for words. “Robert, I can’t justquitmy job. I work for myfamily’sbusiness.”
