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That was a blow to the sternum.
And it made the vision of Elsa surface. The vision of her wearing her beautiful, blue, sequined dress, pain and fear in her eyes, blood all over her, sitting on a men’s room basin.
As he had hundreds of fucking times since he saw her that way, he forced that vision down.
He then took an uneven breath to get his wind back, and repeated, “We’re not doing this.”
“I get it,” Tom said. “I saw her in that bathroom with blood all over her. If I were you, that would gut me too. It would make me ask questions about how safe the ones I love are with me. It might make me do something totally, fucking stupid in an effort to keep them safe. So I get it.”
Hale knew when Tom got this way, when Genny did, he had no choice but to ride it out.
This was why he crossed his arms on his chest and settled in.
“However, once I had those thoughts,” Tom continued like Hale knew he would, “I’d look at the woman I loved, the woman who loved me, and I’d make note to rip my security a new one, and then I’d look after my woman.”
Hale turned his attention to Duncan. “Any chance you can get those two out of here?”
“I don’t agree about the box,” Duncan replied. “I think it should be your choice when you open it. I do agree with you getting your ass reamed about dumping Elsa. What were you thinking?”
Hale clenched his teeth.
“Sit down, Hale,” Genny ordered.
“Nope,” he denied. “Say what you gotta say and go.”
She tipped her head to the coffee table. “Where did that frame come from?”
She wanted to know?
“Dad was holding it when he shot himself.”
Her shoulders went up, her chest caved in, she looked to the side and down, and he saw the tears fill her eyes.
She loved his dad. He’d been a supreme dick to her, done the unforgiveable.
And she still loved his dad.
Hale felt like shit he put it out there like that, but they’d ambushed him, what did she expect?
“Open the box, Hale,” Tom ordered.
“You wanna open it so fucking bad, open it,” Hale offered.
Tom stood. “Who am I listening to? Who am I looking at? This is not my son.”
“You’re right,” Hale bit. “I’m not. You’re looking at Corey Szabo’s son, so don’t act fucking surprised.”
Tom didn’t miss a beat.
“Then I’ll repeat, who am I listening to? Who am I looking at? Because I always had your father’s respect, Gen always had your father’s love, so he’d be pissed as shit to see you standing there, speaking to us like this,” Tom spat. “Open the fucking box.”
“Why?” Hale demanded to know.
“Because you’re clearly intent on fucking up your life. You had the woman you needed, maybe the only one on this entire planet who fit you perfectly. She was right by your side, right in your bed, deep in your life, and you threw her away. Blake called her. She told Blake. Blake told us. You did it the morning after she got cut.”
So, that meant Blake was out.
That stung. He liked her. She’d been a good friend.
