Page 97 of Every Broken Piece
“Nothing. At least nothing I can think of. She was nervous about flying but seemed to love it. It’s like a totally different woman crossed the threshold when we walked in.”
“Ya’ll are being stupid,” Pax says. He’s still scrolling on his phone, not even looking at us, but apparently listening.
“Yeah, jerkface?” Jack says with warmth. “You’re so smart you got her figured out?”
He shrugs. “I definitely have more experience with women than you two combined.”
“That’s nothing to brag about.” I swear he says these things to mess with me. I don’t ever want to hear about his experience with women. I prefer to think of him as that messy, smelly little boy who thought girls were gross.
“Truth hurts, old man.”
“So, enlighten us old timers,” Jack says.
Pax drops his phone onto his chest and folds his hands over his stomach, ready to school us "old timers". “Jack said she had a tough life. In and out of foster care, drugs.”
“She didn’t take drugs. Her mother and sister did. Still do.” There’s a difference that I want everyone to be aware of.
“How many foster homes?” Pax asks.
“I...” Have no idea.
Pax nods. “How many homes took her in and treated her like shit? Made her feel like she was a burden? Maybe made her clean up after them? Serve them?”
Jack and I share a heavy glance.
“You think she thought she had to wait on us?” I feel sick.
“I think she’s reverting back to that little kid who too many times had to find her place in a new home.”
I stare at my son like I’m seeing him for the first time. “How’d you get so smart?”
He grins and taps his temple. “I study people. Well, mainly I study girls. I don’t know, it just makes sense to me. You took her from her home and brought her here.”
“I didn’t kidnap her. I gave her an option to come with me.” Didn’t I? I know I pressed my opinion on her as did Hardwick. We both thought Tess would be safer here, with me, in a secure apartment with doors that actually locked.
I need to talk to her. I push my chair back and stand.
Jack holds his hand up. “Give her time. Talk to her in the morning, when maybe she’s more comfortable. Besides, we have twelve hours to nail this Montrose thing down.”
I slowly lower myself back into the chair, but I’m pretty much useless the rest of the night thinking about Tess all alone up there in that big bed, in a strange room. In a strange apartment with two men she barely knows and me who practically forced her here.
Chapter forty-six
Tess
My back is pressed against the padded headboard, my knees tight against my chest and chin. The softest sheets I’ve ever felt surround me and my yellow blanket covers my legs. I’m in the most sumptuous bedroom I’ve ever been in, and I feel like that little girl who never truly belonged anywhere. Sure, I knew Gabe was rich, but knowing and seeing are two different things. Rich doesn’t even begin to define what this is. It’s so far out of my comfort zone that I’ve been fighting the urge to run all night.
I kissed a billionaire who lives in a penthouse apartment that’s six times the size of my apartment.
I’m sure he was laughing at me all night.
About an hour ago, just when the sun crested the top of the mountain outside my window, I heard Gabe’s bedroom door open. His soft footsteps made their way to my door while I held my breath, waiting for a knock. I don’t want to talk to him. I don’t want to see him. I can’t face him. I regret this stupidly impulsive decision to fly all the way out here to stay in an apartment I’ll never be able to afford in ten lifetimes. I thunk myforehead on my knees twice for good measure because maybe it will return my sanity, but all it does it make my head ache.
How laughable is it that I hadn’t been prepared for Gabe’s immense wealth. I feel like an idiot to have thought for even a small moment that maybe a guy like Gabriel Strong could want me.
Eventually, and to my great relief, he retreated and about twenty minutes later the front door opened and softly closed.
I don’t know how long he’ll be gone since he has his big meeting today. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or what his expectations are. It’s always different each house I’m placed in.
