Page 115 of Riot

“Yes. I. Am.”

She leans forward, unafraid of me. “Did I just hear four hundred?”

“You’ve got some nerve,” I tell her. “Halo’s a grown woman capable of makin’ her own choices in life, and you think you can just buy me off with your dirty money?”

“Dirty?”

“I know what your husband did to get money like this.”

She pales. “I— I don’t know what you mean.”

Oh, honey, I do my research too. “Pretty big deal that went down when Halo was four. Your husband and his brother ripped a lot of good people off. Was it Missouri where you used to live?”

Her face goes from pale to bright red. I’ve known her dad was a crook from a while back. He ripped off some people to make his fortune, promising them shares in the company, then stole the money and declared bankruptcy. He started a new business under a new name when they moved to the Parish. I had hoped I didn’t need to divulge this information, but in for a penny, in for a pound.

“You don’t know anything about that.” She literally clutches her pearls. “It had nothing to do with Rowley. I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but I think you’ve outstayed your welcome.”

She can say what she wants, but her husband was part of it, whether she wants to lay blame or not.

“How about a million dollars?” I throw back at her.

Cookie lifts his head at my tone, then he stands. I pull him toward me so his sore leg is resting on my knee, relieving the weight.

She’s like a fuckin’ snake. I’ve no idea how my precious, beautiful Halo can be related to this woman. “You’d leave her alone for a million dollars?”

I shrug. “I guess we’ll see if you write that check out, won’t we?”

She looks ashen, unsure, and then to my surprise, she flips the check book open and slides the little pen out. I watch in fascination as she scribbles out a check. She glances up at me. “Your real name, for banking purposes?”

“Myles Curtis.”

She goes back to signing. I shake my head. I can’t take any more of this woman. I go to stand, letting Cookie down gently as I scruff his head.

She tears the check off and hands it to me. I take it, the soft paper between my fingers doesn’t feel like freedom; it feels like complete betrayal. This is the meaning of dirty money.

My eyes meet hers. “You have a wonderful daughter, Genevieve. It’s a pity that you will never truly understand what it means to love something wholeheartedly. There are some things that money just can’t buy.” I tear the paper in half and let it fall to the floor. I whistle for Cookie to follow as I head to the front door, ready to sit in my truck and wait for my girl to be done here.

Now I know exactly what Halo’s had to deal with, and none of this is okay.

Her mom was so ridiculously insecure, thinking she knows what’s best for her daughter that she’d pay me a million dollars to stay out of her life? Because she really gives that much of a fuck what the neighbors think? Her daughter being independent and happy on her own accord isn't enough?

I know I’m not good enough for her, I know that she can do better than me, but that doesn’t mean that I’m willing to walk away. I can’t. She’s my family.

I shake my head.

Love and control are two different things, and one thing I will never do is try to control her.

I leave the house, picking up my dog as I put him on the passenger seat of the car. The second I’m outside, I feel the fog lifting. I glance back at the house. The feeling washes over me that something just isn’t right here. Not just her mom offering me an obscene amount of money to just walk away and find somebody else, like it’s that easy. Like I would take a million dollar check and be on my way. Cookie woofs in my face, like he can sense that all is not well here. I kiss him on the head. “I know,” I say with a sigh. “I don’t like her either.”

Halo

I can’t believe the things I heard. When I knew I shouldn’t be listening, I listened harder.

My mom is completely insane. I went to get Dad a glass of water and then heard the conversation between her and Riot.

A million dollars?

I try to calm myself, but I’m livid. The fact she’d try to sabotage my happiness and pretend like it’s all some kind of game makes me not just mad, but raging.

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