Page 27 of Silver Edge
I gritted my teeth, deciding to call him out. What could he do all those miles away? “I found my own job and I love it.”
“Listen, Scarlet, I don’t want you to end up in trouble, or lost again. My ex-friend wouldn’t tell me where you went after you left the diner.”
“I know you want what’s best for me, and that you like to be in control, but I needed to do this on my own. You should support me. That’s what big brothers do. They lift their little sisters up, support them. At least that’s what some wise person told me once when I tried to go back to my foster father.”
Ton growled on the other end. “Yes, well, if you had gone back, I would’ve dragged you home by your long purple hair and locked you in a closet after beating that prick senseless. Child-molesting bastard. He should be shot.”
“Don’t hold back. You’ve called him worse than a child-molesting bastard before. You must be going soft on me.” I laughed, but he didn’t join me. “Listen, I borrowed a phone to call you. I’ll try to get one of my own soon.”
He cleared his throat. “Whose phone are you using? What’s Bands?”
For a moment, I considered telling him about Drake and my job but decided it was best not to, since he’d only jump to conclusions. “I borrowed it from my boss, so I should get off now. I’ll call you soon, okay?”
“If you don’t, I’ll call this number. If you don’t answer, I’ll find you and drag you back to New York. You got that?”
“Yes, sir,” I mocked before I hung up, shutting down the rest of his reprimand.
Following the back stairwell up to his office, I found Drake waiting at the top of the stairs with a strange look on his face. His eyes were downcast and his lips pressed together.
“What’s wrong?” I shuffled to the last step then leaned back against the wall opposite him.
Drake scrubbed his face and took a long breath. “I came down to see if Walter had gotten everything cleaned up when I overheard part of your conversation. Scarlet, I know it’s none of my business, but can I ask you something?”
“I guess…” Warning bells sounded in my head that I should avoid what was coming, but I didn’t know how to stop it.
He inhaled once more and dropped his hands to his side. “Did your foster father abuse you?” His hand gripped his jeans as if he was trying not to punch something. I’d seen the way his shoulders would slump, yet his arms would tense as if wanting to hit something. Ton had looked that way when he found out about my foster father, too, but this was worse. I saw the sorrow in his eyes. The look of disgust.
I knew someday I’d have to tell him the truth. Better now before things became too complicated. Once he knew, he’d no doubt send me away and never want to look at me again.
I toed the step, as if thinking I’d find courage in the scuffmarks on the black-painted wood. “It’s not what you think.”
“You can tell me the truth. I can handle it.” He nudged forward, sending me back against the handrail. With one more step he blocked the stairs and my exit path.
I looked over the balcony at the stage below and considered whether I’d break my ankle if I jumped to get away. “You say that now, but you’re imagining some sweet and innocent little girl that was abused, who should be cuddled and reassured that there’s nothing wrong with her. News flash. It didn’t go down that way. I’m not sweet, and I’m certainly not innocent.”
Chapter Twelve
Drake’s finger grazed my upper arm, startling me. I wasn’t able to process physical contact while confessing about a past I would rather stay hidden.
He held his hands in front of him, palms facing me. “I won’t crowd you. I just want to assure you, there’s nothing you can tell me that will send me running.”
I whipped my head from side to side, strands of hair lashing my cheeks. “No, you’ll throw me out. I know you will.”
“You don’t believe that. And if you do, then you don’t give me enough credit.” Drake rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. The room remained silent for several loud heartbeats before he released the last bit of flesh from its prison. “Come on.” He tilted his head toward the hall. “If it’s that serious, then let’s sit down. I’ll even consider sharing something about myself that would makeyouwant to run screaming from the room.”
I angled my feet toward the stairs, but my curiosity won out. With a hesitant step, I followed a few feet behind him. While he took a seat at his desk, I remained in the doorway. How could the perfect Drake Markham have anything to confess near the level of my epic slutdom?
“I promise I won’t send you away. Look.” He sat on his hands. Even with that goofy smile and weird ape-like posture, he still appeared confident and gorgeous.
With a deep breath, I inched over to the chair by his side. While my body managed to remain in the seat, my gaze lunged to his hands.
“I’ll keep them there, okay? I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
I didn’t need to look to see him wink. His dark lashes always lowered when his words did a jig.
“Fine. You want the truth?” I lifted my chin and pushed my shoulders so far back the blades nearly touched. “I fucked my foster father because I wanted to, not because he forced me.” I waited a long moment then dared to lower my chin enough to see something besides the ceiling tiles.
Drake sat stone straight. “You’re still trying to shock me. It won’t work. Continue.”
