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“You know you’re good, Hope,” he said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, I do. But do you have any idea what it is like to be browbeat by your coworkers every fucking day of your life?” I asked. “All for one mistake that I’ve been beating myself up about for years.”
“Hey,” he said, exhaling hard. “When have I ever browbeat you?” he asked.
My mouth opened, ready to spew a hundred examples.
But I had none.
Not one.
I mean, if we were talking about Mike, I’d have half a million examples. And even with Liam and Elijah, I could pinpoint times when they’d poked fun or piled on.
But not Vane.
The only person in the office who had a right to actively dislike me.
“Never,” I admitted. “But you won’t even speak to me,” I reminded him.
“Look. I’m not saying I haven’t been a complete fuck. I’ve got some shit to work out. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t seen how hard you’ve worked and how far you’ve come. And all that, all this shit you’ve taken, and you’re just… giving up?”
“I’m not giving up. I’m giving up this office. And I’m not doing it because I’m defeated. I’m doing it because I don’t need it anymore, because I finally see that there is more to life than proving something to people who will never see my worth because their own egos are blocking their vision.”
To that, Vane took a deep breath, then nodded on his exhale. “Good for you, Hope,” he said, holding my gaze. “Haven’t said shit to the others, but I have some suspicions about you and a certain cartel leader.”
“Was it the dog that gave me away?” I asked, giving Val a pat.
“That, maybe. But I dunno… you just seem different since he came into the office. Less tense and angry. It’s good. I’m happy for you. I wish you nothing but the best, Hope. And I’m sorry for my part in your unhappiness here.”
“Yeah, well, not as sorry as I am about your leg,” I told him. “And your face.”
“Chicks dig scars,” he said, shrugging it off.
With that, he turned and went back to the office, while I got Val and I into my car and drove home.
And there they were.
The girls.
Vi, sure. But all the others too. The cat was out of the bag. And they all wanted the details on me and a certain cartel leader.
So we all ate ungodly amounts of food.
Fussed over Val.
Talked about A.
All the while I pretended not to worry about him.
Not if he was alive.
I had no doubts about that.
But, I dunno, if he was going to come back for me.
I fretted about that as the girls all started to pick sleep spots and pass out.
Then, eventually, as I fell asleep sitting in my chair with Val passed out on my feet.
It wasn’t until I felt a hand brushing my hair out of my face that I jerked awake, finding a shadowy figure standing over me.
It took a second for my eyes to adjust, the apartment lit only by the glow of the television light.
But Val was calm, tail swishing across the floor.
So I knew before I could even make out his features who it was.
“You ready to come home now, mama?” A asked, voice soft as he extended a hand to me.
I let mine slip into it, feeling him pull me to my feet.
I hesitated for a second, not wanting to leave without talking to anyone.
“Don’t worry,” Layna said, stretching her long bare legs, since she only seemed capable of sleeping in underwear and a tank top. “I’ll tell them,” she said as she reached for the remote for the TV, turning on the show again to create a little noise in the apartment. “Go have lots of good, sweaty sex.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving her a smile as I let A lead me out of my apartment.
We were in the hallway outside of my apartment before he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tightly against him, and just holding on.
“So worried I was gonna lose you,” he admitted, squeezing me a little tighter. Did it hurt my ribs? Sure. But I liked the comfort of his arms around me too much to object.
“You made the right move calling my dad,” I told him. “It worked in your favor with his opinion of you.”
“Yeah?” he asked, pulling back a little. “Guess I gotta have an official meet the parents, huh?”
“And the aunts, uncles, and cousins,” I agreed. “Hope you don’t mind being a part of a big family.”
“Think I’m looking forward to it, ma,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
“Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
A - 1 week
It was different having her in my house without the guise of work.
First, I had her in my bed.
I walked in to her in my shower.
She was in my kitchen, drinking coffee, raising her brow at me like she was daring me to ask her what was for breakfast.
