Page 67 of Crucified By the Dark
“I can’t. I’ll just throw it back up,” Morry said. Stopping, she did jumping jacks and then dropped to do burpees. Fuck, she hated these things.
“Would you like me to count you down?” Trev drawled, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“You’re an ass, but I love you.” Jumping to her feet, she stared at Trev. He went through as much or more than she had and stood as strong and unwavering as any oak tree.
“You know that, don’t you? That we all love you?”
Ifshewasn’t good with emotions, then Trev avoided them altogether. He shifted uncomfortably and looked away from her eyes.
“The gratitude you all want to place at my feet is unneeded. You all got yourselves out of that desert. I did nothing special.”
She scoffed and let out a sarcastic laugh. “Trev, if you truly believe that, then you’re not as smart as you think you are.”
Whatever smart comment he was about to say was put on hold as the door opened again, and Jeremy came out. She stared into his eyes, and he nodded his head.
“Are you kidding me right now,” she asked, taking a tentative step toward him. “Please don’t nod yes if you just want to mess with me or don’t plan on helping, even if you are a match. I can’t handle that.” The pounding of her heart was second only to the sound of blood whooshing in her ears.
“I wouldn’t mess with you like that, and I’ve already told Henry I’ll do it. He’s in there calling the specialist right now,” he said, walking to meet her in the middle of the hallway. Relief washed over her in a tsunami of emotion she couldn’t bottle. The tears she’d been holding back broke free.
Jeremy pulled her into a hug, and she gripped him like he was a ghost who might disappear. Her body shook with relief, and she wondered at how the world worked. Dean had almost killed Jeremy and instead chose to help him by bringing him to her. What would’ve happened if Jeremy hadn’t gotten caught up with Dean that day? What if she hadn’t been able to get him straight and off drugs? What if he’d walked out the door the day he was given his get-out-jail-free card and never looked back?
“I love you, Morry. Of course, I’ll help Kyle,” he whispered in her ear. “For once, I can be the hero in our story.”
“Thank you,” was all she could get out around the lump in her throat.
Pulling back from the hug, she wiped at her eyes and realized that Trev had disappeared, giving them this moment alone.
“I need to call my father and see if he was able to help my cause,” she said, then started to laugh.
Jeremy’s eyebrows shot up as he stared at her, but she couldn’t seem to make herself stop and only laughed harder until she was gripping her stomach and unable to get a breath in.
“Um…,” Jeremy said, and his confusion only made the hysterical laughter worse.
She managed to get control of herself enough to shake off the spontaneous insanity. “I can’t wait until Andrew finds out you’re the donor. Oh, the look on his face. He’s going to be pissed.” Her eyes flicked up to Jeremy. “And I fucking love it.”
Morry was enjoying this moment more than she should. There was no telling what her father had said or done, and she would owe him big at some point because a favor from her father never came without a price. She might have to make his favorite cookies, or it could be something else, but there was always a tradeoff.
Morry leaned back in the office chair, watching Andrew pace the perimeter as he screamed and ranted like he’d lost his mind. She asked Trev to be here for this conversation, and he dressed up for the occasion. He looked suave in his suit and tie, and his eyes laser-focused on Andrew. There was nothing he would miss, and that was why she needed him here. Her emotions always ran hot when it came to Andrew, and not in a good way.
“I can’t fucking believe this.” Andrew faced her and shook his finger, which only added to the crazed tomato look he had going on. His normally neat hair was flopping around on his head, and she was sure he would give himself a stroke with how worked up he was.
“How did you do it? Who did you fucking buy off? Because you and I both know that judge was going to rule in my favor,” Andrew yelled and placed his hands on his chest.
“Why are you always so dramatic, Andrew?”
“Dramatic? I’m entitled to be pissed off.”
She stood and slammed her fists down on the desk. The rage Andrew brought out in her was like a living, breathing creature. More than anything, she wanted to leap over the desk and strangle him to death.
“Entitled. You’re fucking right you’re entitled. You’re an entitled prick. Kyle is also my son, not just yours. I’ve done nothing wrong as a parent, and twice now, you have attacked me and tried to take him away.”
Andrew took a step back as she yelled. She didn’t lose her temper like this often, but when she did, you’d better watch out. All the anger pent up during the past few months was boiling over. Her face was hot, and her body was shaking. Trev gripped her arm, and she took a deep breath.
“Let’s get one thing very clear. I will never let you take my son from me, and if I have to do things I’m not proud of to make that happen, that is exactly what I will do.”
“Are you admitting you did something shady?” He huffed like he was a paragon of sainthood and put his hands on his hips. “Of course you are. The great Morianna Waters can do no wrong, anyway, so what does it matter, right?”
Trev squeezed her arm, and as she met his cool gaze, she knew she needed to calm down. Whatever her father had done wouldn’t hold if she gave Andrew more ammunition.
