Page 33 of The Enemy

Second, my mother married her father.

And third, I had a point to prove to my blood family, and she would end up being collateral damage.

Wanting Lourdes Riviere wasn’t just wrong. It was destruction for both of us.

NINE

LOURDES

In the sameway dreams could be motivating, thoughts could cripple. Thewhat-ifof what could have happened last night plagued my thoughts all night and this morning.

When I finally fell asleep, I did it at dawn and completely missed my alarm. My first week of work was going to end with a bang.

Was it all even worth it?

The thought got to me, and quitting held its appeal. Sometimes, it was easier to let go of things to save ourselves peace of mind.

I almost said fuck it and let everything go, but then my eyes landed on the necklace my father gave me, and all I could think about was my mother. The sacrifices she made, all her lessons, and the wisdom she passed on to me.

It was in her that I found strength.

Even though I didn’t feel like dressing up, I got out of bed and changed. After what happened yesterday, something about wearing a skirt made me feel slimy and gross. None of my dressy pants had been in my plans this week, so they weren’t ironed, and my power outfit I had saved just for Friday went back tothe closet. Instead, I donned clothes I found suitable for church. Something long, so I would feel protected.

By the time I got to my desk, Neo was already out and about.

I double-checked my email to make sure he had not tried to contact me. Neo ignored me like he always had, but this time, it stung.

It wasn’t Wesley whom I wanted to take me home yesterday, nor Clove’s arms around me as she hugged me goodbye. I had needed him, and he had stayed behind.

Marie had been asking me to come by and have lunch with her, and we had planned to go out to a nice restaurant today, but with everything going on in the company, she needed to be close to her phone so she could put out fires.

The last thing I expected was for Neo to be on the same floor and have lunch with his mother.

It was awkward at first. I didn’t know what to say. Thank you? It felt lame, but at the same time, it was not enough. Subconsciously, I had stepped closer to him; it was as if my body categorized him as safe.

Luckily, he broke the ice first, and he was soft toward me—but most importantly, he believed me.

Last night was still fresh in my mind. Some parts were vivid, others were blurred, so having his support meant everything to me.

He hurt you.

He cared. Neo cared about my pain, and maybe that shouldn’t matter as much as it did, but I couldn’t help making a big deal out of it.

Before he could say anything else, the lights on the elevator went off.

“I don’t think the emergency light is coming on,” I said after a good thirty seconds.

It was pitch black.

Had I been alone, I would have been terrified, but after yesterday, my body felt safe next to Neo.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark?”

His tone lacked the usual venom and instead was teasing.

“And if I was?” I asked.

He was quiet for a few seconds, as if he was thinking of how to reply. Would he go back to being cruel? Was last night a lapse in judgment?

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