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She lifts both shoulders in a helpless gesture. “Not really his fault. Everybody liked him more than me, so when we split up, they chose him. Can't blame them, really.”
Bullshit. “I very much can blame them. He sounds like a con man, a crook, which means he lured everyone in and they all fell for it.”
Her head jerks up and she stares at me as if I've just spoken her thoughts aloud.
“He's trying to extort you for money. How good of a person can he be? You're afraid of him. You're afraid when he texts you. Everything he does is an attempt to control you. He's not a good person, and if they can't see that, that's on them, not you.” I pat her hand with the final words, as if gently driving them home.
As her lips part and her brow furrows, I can see her trying to figure out how I know more than she’s told me. And I plan to be totally honest. “You winced when you got a text message. You look like you haven't slept since we were last together, and you came in here telling me that you're worried that your ex is going to try to extort me for money. Clearly he's making your life difficult and I'd like to help. You’re not in this alone; now you have me to back you up, if you’ll accept.”
I won't meddle in her life if she tells me to back off, but I'm absolutely here for her 100% if she asks me to be.
She seems to think about my words for a moment, then nods. “I accept.”
“Good girl,” I say, patting her hand once more. “And trust me, this isn’t the first time someone has tried to get money out of me.” I let a dark grin cross my lips. “It never goes well for them.”
Chapter Fourteen
Stacia
When he said “good girl” I swear my whole body ignited.
I can’t stop thinking about how kind he’d been at the cabin, or how starkly different he is from my ex. His serious expression as he offered to help me, the lack of judgment when I told him my ex will try to get money out of him, his absolute support in spite of everything I told him leave me stunned and feeling so very lucky.
I could fall in love with Nathan. The age gap doesn't bother me; he’s mature, loving, kind, and with how protective he got when I told him everything, I can’t help but feel warm and tingly every time I think of him. Of course, I was feeling that before, but there’s no denying it now.
Now, sitting on my bed in my crappy little motel room after leaving work for the day, is howmuch I wish Nathan was here. And how much I want him to call me “good girl” again.
My phone chimes and I pick it up, hoping it'll be a message from Nathan. But of course it's not. It's a message from Logan.
Did you think I wouldn't find out? Did you think you'd be able to keep this secret from me?
I've been careful not to respond, but of course that just goads him into sending me more messages, some of them increasingly threatening, others kind, like he's trying to reel me in and get me to trust him. Of course, there's no way I'll trust him, not ever again. I learned that lesson the hard way.
Of course it kills me because I'm curious what it is that he found out, what secret he knows. There's no way he knows about Nathan, we haven't said a word and nobody knows but his close family who’ve agreed to keep the secret until we’re willing and ready to announce things.
Instead of focusing on my ex and how much he's trying to ruin my life, how much he already has ruined my life, instead I think about the bills that I was able to pay with the extra money that Nathan had given me for a trip. He has no way of knowing it, but that extra cash helped me in ways that I could never have imagined. I finally managed to catch up on things I'd been behind on, and now I feel like I'm making progress. But that's not the best part. The best part is that I feel hope. I feel like there's a chance that I can dig my way out of this hole that Logan buried me in.
The conversation that I had with Nathan not only affirmed what I had already been thinking, but opened my eyes to how much control I've given Logan.
Logan doesn't get to run my life anymore. He lost that privilege with what he did and when he walked out of my life taking everyone I knew and loved with him. Of course, to be fair, he never should have had that power. Still, it's hard for me to not take some personal responsibility. I'd let him take over. Bit by bit, piece by piece, I relinquished control until he was running my life, telling me who I could see, where I could go, what I could wear, how much make up I was allowed to have on,everything.
Now the best he can do is send me vaguely threatening messages, as if he has some knowledge of my life that there's no way he has. And that thought makes me smile. He's got to be dying knowing that he has no control over me anymore. Of course, that's not going to stop him from trying. I just have to stay strong, keep my guard up and be prepared for whatever he does next, because Logan has never been one to give up, and I can't imagine he's going to start now.
I throw myself back on my bed, thinking again about Nathan, about how calm and controlled he'd been. About how instead of telling me how to deal with my problems, he offered help, gave advice, and was endlessly kind, gentle, and patient. He gave me an out if I wanted out of our deal, but made it very clear he was still here for me, even if I did back out.
How the heck is a girl not supposed to fall for a guy as amazing as Nathan?
Still, I can't quiet that little voice of doubt in the back of my head, wondering if he is just as much of a con man as Logan is. He's just doing everything in his power to put me at ease and calm me down so he can also take advantage of me.
With a snort, I roll over onto my side, curling into the fetal position. Take advantage of what? I don't have anything left. Logan made damn sure of that. Nathan has made it pretty clear that the only thing he wants from me is my help. And in return for my help, he's going to compensate me for my time. That's not the mark of someone trying to use me. I can tell myself all the lies that I want, but that doesn't make Nathan a bad guy.
My phone chimes again and I lift it off the bed from beside my head and look at the message.
I would highly recommend you stop ignoring me, Stacia.
Even as I read the threatening words, I don't feel any fear of what Logan might do to me. I'm safe. I have a support system. Even if it's only one man's strong, it's still a very strong man watching out for me.
I sit up trying to decide if I want to take a shower and wash off Logan's dirty words. But as I think about my shower, I remember the tub at Nathan's cabin, and I long to be relaxing in the jets again with him at my side, listening to me like I’m the only person in the world.
