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15
Griffin satacross from Bryce at Vinnie’s Diner, waiting for their orders.
“What just happened?”
Bryce stopped fiddling with the napkin in front of him and looked up. “Same thing Juliet did when the trial against Gerald started. She needs time, Grif. That man is pure evil. You could see it in his eyes.” Bryce leaned forward. “She’s never had anyone behind her, supporting her. She needs time to fully accept that.”
Griffin slumped on his side of the booth. “I want to be with her right now. I don’t like this distance between us. I don’t just mean in miles. There’s this…” He spread his arms out and blew out a breath. “Emotional distance that I feel keeps stretching farther and farther, no matter what I do.”
“I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to bridge that. I can’t even with Denise.”
Griffin nearly rolled his eyes at that statement but stopped himself. In the beginning, Denise hadn’t been so bad. They’d been happily in love. Over time, things deteriorated, and she turned into a monster. Griffin knew Bryce still loved her, otherwise he would’ve asked for a divorce.
“Do you think Juliet stayed with her? She hasn’t even called.” Griffin looked at his phone sitting on the table, wishing with all his heart it would ring.
“Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but it’s best Juliet took her home. She knows what Eve’s going through. What living with a monster is like.”
It didn’t make him feel any better.
“I love her, Bryce. I want her to move in with me. I want to build a life with her. Hell, kids even sound nice.” Griffin shook his head in defeat. “And I know she’s going to leave. I feel it in my bones.”
“Have you told her any of this?”
“Hell, no. You think I want her leaving today?” Griffin took a drink of water to stop the nasty words that wanted to spew from his mouth at the thought of her leaving. “One wrong word, and she’s gone. You heard her in the courtroom. She wants to be part of the business. How can she logically do that from here?”
“People do it all the time, work from home. Sometimes, she might have to travel, but then you go with her. Have some fun in the sun.” Bryce grinned, telling him how easy it could all be.
Question was, how did he convince Eve of that?
“Did you tell Judge Rider what you found out about the maid that died? What did he say about that?”
“He didn’t say much. What is there to say? We don’t have jurisdiction there. Cause of death was natural causes, according to the coroner. So he poisoned her with something that made it look like a heart attack. She was twenty-seven years old. Too young to have a heart attack.”
“Or the coroner lied on the report. We know this guy has his hands in too many pockets in that area.”
“Well, again, no jurisdiction. Can’t exactly get the body exhumed to have another autopsy done with accurate results this time.”
Bryce ran a hand over his chin. “I have faith in Judge Rider. If he says a neutral party will investigate Darrian’s wild claims, then we have to believe the truth will be revealed. We know those are lies. Even if Eve doubts that we believe that, we know the truth.”
“I can’t even be mad she doubts me. I get it. I really do.”
“And that, my dear brother,” Bryce replied, “is why she won’t leave you. It might seem like it right now, but she’s not going anywhere. I feel it in my gut.”
His gut took that opportunity to speak, grumbling in agreement.
“See.”
They both laughed, easing some of the tension that had been swirling like a tornado around them.
The food was great, as always. Griffin never doubted that. Not like the doubts that ticked away like a time bomb waiting to go off that Eve would leave him.
When they left the diner, Griffin wanted to go home and check on Eve. Bryce nixed the idea, urging him to let her have her space. He relented and headed to the office. Paperwork awaited him, not that he cared if it sat even longer.
The day dragged. Duke reported that Darrian and his lawyer had left town, which surprised Griffin. Leaving so soon. Though why not? Darrian thought he had won. That he would ultimately win in the end, even after an investigation was done. Griffin couldn’t do anything about it, as Judge Rider meant neutral in every sense. Not even he could step in and help.
Well, good. He didn’t want that man in his town or anywhere near Eve. She’d be happy to hear he’d left.
Or not.
