Page 55 of Bad Influence
“I asked him the same question,” Gerry says.
“Ask him if he’s still seeing his assistant.”
Gerry laughs quietly. “I’m sure he needs someone to heal his wounds.”
“Did my parents say anything to him?” I ask.
Gerry’s sigh and silence are all the answers I need. Even now, they support him over me. All the guilt I’ve felt over running away suddenly evaporates. They actually think that Beckett is right and that I humiliated him by running away.
I’m their daughter. Do I mean so little to them? I survived years of their cruel silence and lived through their disappointment. I tried to better myself, to be the daughter they wanted me to be by suppressing all my instincts and desires. Forget love, they can’t even respect me.
“Gerry, I should go.”
“Alright, darling. Take care of yourself.”
I disconnect the call and walk back into the shop. I try todistract myself by doing some work, but there’s literally nothing to do. I don’t know the accounting system well enough to update it.
So I do something that I’ve been thinking about ever since Killian and I had our tour around Brooklyn. I pull out my laptop, and I start updating my résumé. If anything, my conversation with Gerry proves that I can’t return to California. There’s nothing left for me there. Which means I need to find a job here.
I’m just finishing up when Christina and Killian walk out.
Christina walks over to me, giving me air kisses. “Thank you for listening to me complain about my useless ex.”
“I have some experience in that department so I know exactly how you feel,” I reply.
Christina wrinkles her nose. “Let’s hope our future is a lot better.” She waves over her shoulder before walking out.
“What’s wrong?” Killian asks.
I turn to him in surprise. He’s looking at me with a watchful eye, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Why do you think something is wrong?” I ask.
“Your face says a lot more than you do.”
I frown at him. “What does my face say right now?”
“That something is wrong.” He turns, nodding over his shoulder. “Come with me.”
I follow him to the back. I’ve never been here before. He leads me to his station, which is as clean and organized as I expected. Grabbing an antibacterial spray, he starts cleaning his chair and equipment. I lean against the counter to watch him. He’s wearing a black T-shirt, which is pulled tight across the shoulders. I watch the muscles in his back jump as he cleans.
There’s something about Killian that’s…that’s…that makes it hard to sleep at night, knowing he’s right above me in his room. That makes it hard to think straight when he’s around me. That makes me wonder what his hands will feel like on my body.
“Feel free to tell me what’s wrong,” he says, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I’d honestly much rather focus on him.
“Beckett wants to sue me,” I say.
Killian pauses, the muscles of his back pulled taut. Slowly, he turns to face me.
“What are you talking about?”
“I was talking to Gerry, and apparently Beckett wants to sue me because I humiliated him by running away.” I wave my hands in the air because this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard and had to repeat in my life.
“Did he forget the part where he cheated on you?” Killian asks.
“That’s exactly what I said.”
