AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s not his fault.”
“It is. Everything he touches gets ruined, everything he does has consequences that you’re not prepared for. Don’t debate me on this, Gemma.”
“That’s not fair. I know him better than you, just like you claim to know Camilla better than me. Where’s the boundary here?”
“You know him better?” he asked. “So I’m supposed to ignore all the case filings I’ve read about him, just because youthinkyou know the actor whopretendsfor a living?”
“Real mature… So his profession is below being a lawyer, the job where sneaky men in suits free criminals who have enough money?”
“Oh, so I’m sneaky?”
“Yes!” I shouted. “You broke into my room. You called the cops.”
Parker stepped forward, backing me into a corner, pinning me against the wall before slamming his hand above my head. It scared me, but not as much as his incredulous stare, as he suddenly leaned in so close, so tempered that I thought I’d scream from surprise.
“So now I’m the bad guy?” he asked, his abs catching rays of sunlight, glistening like his chest that heaved like pliable stone. I dropped my chin, caught by the unkempt curl of lose hair that fell over his face. “I am bad: bad at hiding the fact that I’d do anything for you, that I’m one fucking straw away from breaking through any misconceptions youthinkyou have about what I’m willing to do to keep you safe. Gemma, they evacuated the building, everyone thought there was a fire. I shouted for you. I banged on your door so many times; and each fucking second got worse, worse because the idea that something—anything—terrible could ever happen to you kills me. So yes, I kicked that fucking door down, and I’d do it again, and again. They couldn’t get me out of here without you, and I’d rather burn than not know you were safe.” He fought himself from leaning further, as if the weight of his words were too much to carry, a unique position I’d never seen or felt in the twenty some years we’d known each other.
Who was he right now? Yes, he was Parker the protector, he always had been, but this was different. There was fear in his choking voice, and I didn’t know anyone who treated a sister like this, let alone a close friend.
“But I was ok…” I whispered.
“I didn’t know that. I saw your window open and thought the worst, because if I ever lost you, Gemma, I don’t know if I could live with myself,” he dipped his nose lower, brushing against the bridge of my own. My knees began to shake, realizing his stare had become focused on my lips. I didn’t know if I wanted to cry, if I felt anger or remorse, or maybe both.
“Parker—” I calmed myself.
“Don’t… don’t say my name like that. You have no idea what it does to me… goddamn it, Gemma, I can’t even think straight.” He turned to rest his hands on the counter, his knuckles white. “All I see is you being taken, and I—” he stopped himself, reliving whatever he felt as he massaged his forehead. I was too nervous to move, to feel anything that could make me more vulnerable than I already was around him.
“What is it that you see? What are you afraid of?” I asserted, demanding an answer. “If something is happening then you need to tell me, because I’m done guessing. And yes, I’m sorry. Had I known this would happen, had I known…”How you felt, was what I wanted to say, but wasn’t sure how. I was nervous about what my assumption would do, what it would cause, if not frustration within me. Parker reached up, his large hand nearing mine but stopping short of actually touching me.
“Don’t apologize forhim.” He peeked up, stiffening his shoulders. “This isn’t your fault. This is just who he is; a burden… a problem that has been in my way for too long now. I won’t rest or stop until you’re safe, till you’re protected, Gemma, I… I don’t know how else to say it. This is what I’m supposed to do. And that’s it.” Parker shook his head as he pushed himself away, seemingly annoyed at me or the situation as a whole. “I have no choice. No options or regards other than one. I need to meet him.”
“Parker—”
“No,” he warned me. “You’ll arrange this, or I’ll go find him myself, and it won’t be good. Either way, I’ll meet him face to face, and we’ll see if he’s half the man you think he his.” Parker lifted the tea I brought, placing it back in my direction. “Gemma… I warned you if he did anything like this again, that I’d ruin him. And just like any other case, I’ll win.” Parker combed back his hair, then reached for my phone to swipe it open. “I’m expecting us to meet and have this settled. I won’t accept no for an answer.”
I scoffed, “Like another third wheel date?” The idea was priceless, almost inconceivable. I couldn’t imagine the three of us in the same room, let alone at dinner or a bar. Why did he insist on this, if not to assert himself in my life? I felt embarrassed. I felt like a child.
“Thisisn’ta date,” he emphasized. “It’s a meeting to set expectations and to draw the line between where he begins and where I say he ends.”
“Then settle that in court, Park. That’s where your relationship begins and ends with him. What I do, what I have, is mine and mine alone, and it doesn’t concern you.”
“You have no idea what this guy has even done… He’ll never do right by you, he’ll never sacrifice what I’ve sacrificed to keep you safe.”
“Don’t talk to me about sacrifice. I’ve been vulnerable, Park, I’ve taken chances when no one else would. Have you? Alejandro has, or at least he’s trying.”
“I’ve given everything!” he shouted. “You think he’s someone great? Fine. Make this meeting happen, and we’ll see if you can change my mind.” He slid my phone across the table, “Tell him we’re meeting.”
“He’s a busy man. He’s finishing his movie, when do you expect this to happen?”
“He’s got till the end of this month. That’s his fucking deadline,” he waved his hand, short and quick. No exception. I hesitated for a moment, lifting my phone from the table.
If there was anything I learned from Alejandro thus far, it was that the character of a person could be molded by the actions they took, or possibly the ones they didn’t. I had to know, in my own way, the limits of this new Parker and as much as he wanted to push, I could push back too.
“We’ll be there.” I stood my ground, “And believe me, Parker, I do agree with you about expectations being made. Not just for Alejandro, but for you.” This sparked his attention.
“In what capacity?”
“You breaking down my door, your interest in me and my life. On Alejandro. How does that make Camilla feel? What does she think of you and me?” Parker ignored me, his focus shifting away, passing me and out the window.
