Page 10 of Reckless Love

“Yeah, cute. You’re both so stylish and does his tie match your lipstick?”

“And my shoes.” I held out my foot. “He saw me pick them out this morning. He must have chosen his tie whenI wasn’t looking.”

“That’s sweet.”

I ordered a Blanton’s on the rocks while she ordered another merlot. I’d never really known Marie as an adult so this was weird. In my head she was still my brother’s friend from down the street, a mysterious, rebellious role model. In so many ways we were alike. We both came from privileged families with overbearing parents. We both pushed backagainst the expectations. For me that meant shocking my father in every way possible. For Marie, it meant having a child in high school.

“How’s Natalie?”

Marie beamed. “Awesome. She’s in France working for her father for a few months then she’s scheduled to be back here at the university for grad school.”

“Really?” I drew the word out more than necessary but come on, I hadno idea Natalie was part of my world.

“Yep. She’s moving on to her master’s degree already. I can’t believe it!”

“No kidding. She was a baby yesterday, wasn’t she?”

“Yes she was,” Marie sighed. “And you were the kid sister next door. I’ve really got to get it through my head that you aren’t that little girl anymore.”

I kind of wanted to be that girl again. Back thenmy father hadn’t figured out he could use my brain. I hadn’t started making choices solely because they were the opposite of what was expected. In many ways Ilikedthat Marie saw me that way.

“You don’t want me dating Leo.”

Her eyes darted away and her shoulders stiffened. “It’s not that. Not exactly.”

“Your fears are justified.” So incredibly justified. “The fact that I’mstanding here, inside this house, is proof.”

“Esme.” She put her hand on my arm and looked around the room, her gaze landing on a quiet corner near the patio. “Let’s talk.”

The evening breeze was light tonight and the doors were open letting the salty scent of the bay inside. “I tried breaking up with him. Several times. He’s just so...stubborn.” I honestly felt like if I kepttalking she’d eventually understand.

“I don’t think he knows any other way to be. You’re his first. And men like Leo, they have tunnel vision. They find their woman and that’s it. There is no other option.”

“He’s...determined.”

Marie smiled. “And probably thinks he can solve every problem. That’s a man for you.”

Some of my nervous energy dissipated. Maybe Marieand I could start a brand new relationship after all. “He definitely thinks some persistence and action will fix everything.” In so many ways I was relieved he finally knew everything, but every so often his tenacity exhausted me. There was only so much I could do. I had the data, I knew what was happening, but until I put the pieces together or some new piece of information came forward, I couldn’tdo anything else.

We both felt tonight held a great deal of opportunity. I was exhausted but determined. Leo was fresh faced and ready to fight.

“I understand,” she smiled across the room at her husband. “I’m married to a persistent man. They can be a handful but they’re worth it.” Then she blinked back at me. “I do worry what it will mean for Leo to have Edmund in his life, evenif it is from a distance. I warned him to avoid you.”

“I don’t blame you. I would have done the same.” If William appeared with a woman on his arm that I genuinely thought wanted to be with him, I’d warn her away too.

“I know you would have,” she said quietly. “There are things Greg and Leo will never understand. Maybe that’s why we need them.”

Did I love Leo just a littlebit more because of that? Yes, I probably did. Being with him meant being completely freed of my past and that was addictive. “You know what I want?” I waited for Marie to meet my gaze. “I want to close the book on this part of my life entirely, even if it means never speaking to William again. I want to be free to fully embrace my life at the university. My research is my life. I never want to bedragged down again simply because of my name or who my father is. I want to be with someone and not worry my past will ruin their future.”

That was what really ate at me. It was one thing to take the punishments I deserved. I committed crimes and acted out. Those choices were on me. But the idea that so much was out of my control, that I had no way of knowing how or if or when everythingmight come crashing back down, was unacceptable.

Marie’s gaze sharpened and Iknewshe’d heard at least some of the rumors. “I heard a few things about you. I had a kid so I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention but...they’re true, aren’t they?” She studied me and I could see her dawning realization as things clicked into place. “If you did ruin your father’s business I don’t blameyou. You always were a smart kid.”

The way Edmund dropped everything and appeared at my college was well known in our circles, but with no facts the rumor mills took the information and created their own stories. The gossip involved everything from me gaining access to my trust and burning through it, to hacking into my father’s servers and destroying one of his companies, to faking myown kidnapping for ransom money. I really enjoyed that one because it was almost as ludicrous as the truth.

“And I never knew what to think of the other rumors.” She cocked her head to the side, her gaze unfocusing with thought. “Does Leo know?”

“Yes,” I said simply. My heart started pounding in my chest because this part was true and if Marie judged me for it there was nothing Icould do. The truth was the truth.

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