Page 107 of Counterfeit Connection

I snicker a little. “Don’t blame Griffin. He’s hurting too.”

Mika wraps her arms around me. “He cuts you loose and you’re still here defending him. You’re a bigger person than I am, that’s for sure.”

I wipe my face. “Even though I should be angry at him, I’m not. I want to scream and curse his name, but I can’t. Am I broken?”

Katarina tucks my hair behind my ear. “You’re not broken. You’re in love… and also, fuck him. He’s an asshole. I’ll curse his name for you.”

“Is it really bad here?” I ask. “Does everyone know?”

Mika speaks up. “Everyone in our circle knows, but I think that’s it. It’s blowing over pretty quickly.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Katarina continues. “You looked so good in those pictures. You should be proud.” She is trying to make light of it and I love her for it.

“This whole city feels tainted now,” I admit. “I just want to go home.”

“Honey, this is your home.”

“No.” I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “I want to be on the farm with my dad. I want to be away from feeling like I’m being looked at and judged. I need to be away from where I have history with him.”

“Babe,” Mika adds, “He was at the farm too.”

“I know. At least it’s filled with my father, Mom, and Gilly.”

“These are ghosts you’re going to have to deal with to move on.”

I look them both in the face, resolute. “I’ll move on eventually. Just not now or anytime soon.”

“Kait, what about your job? I mean you’re tied to him,” Kat adds.

“He turned me over to Tobias. He’s my boss now for all intents and purposes. Well, I mean, I guess his mom is, according to an Orion company memo. I know I should have known before that, but I think she was trying to spare me from having too much.” I look up at Kat. “You would have loved her. She reminded me of…” I fall into pieces once again.

One more day plus a generous offer from Mika to sublet my apartment, and I’m waiting for my suitcase at baggage claim in Virginia with Marilyn in tow.

It’s officially been slightly more than three days since I’ve spoken a single word to Griffin, and my resolve is starting to crack. I want to text him. I want to call him, but I know getting my fix of him would only make the entire healing process start over.

Between Gillian’s advice, Jason’s connections, his friend Tristan’s connections, and a few harshly worded cease and desist letters from my own attorney, a lot of the photos and videos have been scrubbed from the internet, at least the ones that focus heavily on me. That has helped in one compartment of my brain. The rest is still a bit of a mess. I hope with a hug from my father my heart can finally start to become less of an open wound.

I walk out toward the carousel at baggage claim, and I see my father standing tall and proud with his hands casually in his pockets. The wheels on my carry-on can barely keep up with me as I run toward him. The low meows from Marilyn in her soft carrier over my shoulder bounce with every step I take until his arms wrap around me.

With my head against his chest, it’s the first time I’ve truly felt warm in days. “Hey there, little Pixie. Everything’s all right now.”

“Is it though?” I breathe against his chest.

He gently pushes my body back away from him so he can look me in the eyes. “Do you trust me?”

I nod. “More than anyone.”

“Then that’s all we need. How many bags are we waiting for?” he asks as he takes my carry-on with my computer bag.

“Two.”

“Two? That’s a lot of things.”

“Yeah. Um. I think I’ll be staying for a while, time to be determined. Is that okay?”

“Whatever you need, sweetheart.”

Griffin

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