Page 18 of Raff
“Sure.”
“Why not just sell it?”
“The land?”
“Yeah.”
“Because it’s mine. Because I worked hard for that. Because I want to build a home there. Because he sparked an interest, and now I want to see it through.”
“I get that. How in the hole are you?”
“The market isn’t as good as it was when I bought, but I made back a decent chunk. Enough to keep anyone from coming afterme for money they were owed. But… but there’s nothing left. I even sold furniture and some handbags, jewelry, and shoes that I didn’t really need.”
“I hate to point this out,” Raff started.
“But why am I chasing him so hard? When he has probably already spent or hidden all of my money?”
“Look at us, thinking the same way.”
“I want him to know he didn’t win. That I could find him. I want him confused and scared and frustrated. I want him to pay.”
“I get that. He should pay. Though, my kind of payment comes in a shade of red you might not be comfortable with.”
“I just… he can’t get away with this. Especially not another time. If me tracking him down prevents him from ruining someone else’s life by running this scam again, that would be worth it all.”
“Plus, to see the look on his face when he sees you’ve tracked him down, am I right?”
“You’re not wrong,” I said, giving Raff a small smile.
“Alright. I have another question.”
“I expected no less.”
“Why are you keeping this a secret? Are you really that embarrassed about getting scammed? It could have happened to anyone.”
“But it shouldn’t have happened to me. My job is money. How the hell did I miss that it was happening?”
“I don’t think you’re giving Cillian enough credit.”
That was also true.
Cillian was fiercely loyal to those closest to him. And as the one who controlled his money, I was considered close. In fact, I was the one who placed and reinforced any of the walls and boundaries there were between us. He was the one who invitedme to all his family functions. I was the one who turned them down.
When one of the bartenders broke their leg and couldn’t tend bar for months and was freaking out about their college loan payments, Cillian quietly covered them. When he caught a teen trying to rob the place, he gave him a job. When the dishwasher’s wife got sick, he hired a temporary replacement for him while paying him his full salary so he could be home with her for the months she was seeking treatment.
Cillian was a good man.
He wouldn’t judge me.
He wouldn’t even think twice about helping me if I asked.
It was my own pride that was in the way.
“I don’t want anyone to know. I know it’s stupid and prideful, but I just don’t. I don’t want them to know I got in bed with someone without vetting them enough. Or that I got screwed over. Or that I’m living like… this.” I waved out at the room.
“For the record, there’s nothing wrong with living like this. But I can see how far of a fall this must feel like. Even if it’s only temporary.” He paused, looking me over. “It’s got to be hard. All the lying.”
“Harder than I imagined,” I agreed. “And all the sneaking around, trying not to be seen. I know, financially, I should just sell the car…”
