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“Good morning, Sunshine.” He smiled across at me, but it looked forced, his eyes not holding their usual twinkle.
“Thanks for coming for me Coop.” I said while pulling on my seatbelt before he pulled away from Oak lake.
I had called Cooper when I’d stormed away from Adonis, luckily managing to catch him on his way to the house. He agreed to swing by and pick me up. No way was I going to be getting back in Adonis’s car. I was too angry with him. Where the hell did he get off telling me what I can and can’t do. Lorenzo’s death will be mine. Not his. I’d done what I needed to do, I’d forgiven him for what he had done to Toby, but I couldn’t forgive anything else. Even if a small part of me felt something else, something that I was sure wasn’t just guilt or pity. I could squash her down and continue to hate him.
We drove in silence for a while, and the closer we got to the house the more on edge I began to feel. I knew that Lorenzo wouldn’t punish me for my little outing this morning, if anyone would feel his wrath it would be Adonis. But Ihadsnuck out last night. If I wanted to stay out of the firing line I would have to continue to hold up the story that had been fabricated for me and hope that he did believe it.
“Coop,” I twisted in my seat to face him, taking in the hard set of his jaw, something was on his mind, and I needed a distraction.
“Coop.” I said a little more firmly and he unclenched his jaw and sighed.
“Yeah.” he said on a long breath.
“What’s going on? I’veneverseen you look like this.” I reached out and brushed my hand down his arm and he relaxed a fraction, leaning into my touch.
“Things have been really difficult the last couple of weeks, months actually, but worse recently,” he confessed, and I squeezed his arm, urging him to go on. “I’ve left Sam, she’s not well, likereallynot well.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued.
“It’s not what you think though, this isn’t me leaving because it’s too hard, you know I’m not like that,” He glanced at me, checking to see if I believed him, I nodded slowly. “It’s complicated. It’s for the best, for everyone.” he said, pulling his attention back to the road.
We were approaching the gate for Lorenzo’s home.Not my home.I stiffened in my seat, feeling that the short explanation was all I was going to get from my friend, and readying myself for what lay ahead.
“If you want to tell me more, you know you always can, Coop, I’m always here, no matter what.” I said as we drove through the gate and up the long driveway.
“I know. And Sunshine, don’t think that I don’t know what you’re doing for me.” my head snapped around at his words.
“What?” I asked quietly.He didn’t know, did he?
“He threatened my life didn’t he?”Oh, he does know.
“Among others.” I said on an exhale and turned to look up towards the house.
“That’s why you’re back, isn’t it? I can handle myself M, please don’t put yourself through this for me.” he pleaded, but kept his face neutral. No doubt Lorenzo would be somewhere, watching us.
“Tough shit sweetheart,” I said, keeping my own face composed in a bored mask. “It isn’t just you that I’m protecting, but even if it was, you wouldn’t be able to convince me to stop.”
Cooper let out a slow, frustrated groan, “Fine. Try to stay safe though, I’m quite fond of you.” he said, and a grin slid across my mouth.
I quickly swiped it away, murmuring ‘love you too’ before stepping out of his car. And I did, I did love him.Besties for life and all that shit.
I waited for Cooper to get out of the car, and we walked side by side to the front door. Clive let us in and directed me to my,our, office. Apparently, the Boss didn’t feel the need to talk to me about last night.
He told Cooper to stay in the foyer, so I refused to move. I knew Clive wouldn’t fight me on it, instead he went to inform Lorenzo that I was being stubborn and left us to wait.
Lorenzo’s office door crashed open a moment later and he stormed towards us.
“You,” he pointed a finger in Coopers face. “My office. Now.”
Cooper didn’t flinch and stepped past our boss to do as he was told.
“And you,” He stepped into my personal space.
I fought against stepping backwards, every time I was close to him my skin begun to crawl, but I couldn’t let him see that he was bothering me. I looked up at him and gave him a cold, blank stare.
“You will go to your office, get on with your work, and later you will explain to me why the fuck you thought it was a good idea to leave this house without my consent. Twice.”
I wrinkled my nose and used a tactic that I’d found to be quite effective. I didn’t say a word.
