Page 44 of The Monster I Loved
I scoffed.
Thaddeus didn’t look up.
“I want you to be safe, and this building isn’t safe.”
“I can’t leave,” Mr. Dorman muttered.
Thaddeus wrapped an arm around him. “I hear you keep saying you’re alone, but how about we safely collect all the memories you shared with the people who loved you? I don’t think you want them buried under the rubble. People should remember Miles, Heather, and Mariana.”
The use of Mr. Dorman’s dead family members’ names was a nice touch. Clenching my fingers into a fist, I looked at everyone watching the scene unfold. They all looked on affectionately. They were buying his bullshit. I was the only one unimpressed. I sighed, and from his place next to Mr. Dorman, Thaddeus locked eyes with mine.
I lost the ability to breathe properly.
He wouldn’t break eye contact with me. I couldn’t look away. Everything else melted around us. It was just the two of us, locked in a battle of wills. Olivia’s words finally pulled my gaze from Thaddeus. She wasn’t alone. All the others gathered were having a conversation, leaving Thaddeus and me to glare at each other.
Only after he broke eye contact did I feel like I could breathe again.
“Mr. Dorman, should we take those dishes?” Thaddeus asked. “Did your wife, Mariana, make delicious dinners on them?” Thaddeus rose up from beside him and gathered a few.
Mr. Dorman took the bait, slowly stood, and collected the rest. “She was the best cook.”
Olivia joined them in grabbing more items. Shit. Soon, even the officers were helping to arrange Mr. Dorman’s memories; like everyone else, they listened as he shared the stories of his family.
After they’d collected everything that was sentimental, and Thaddeus had decided to pay him a substantial amount of money to live out the rest of his days in a nearby house, Mr. Dorman left the building safely. While I was happy that he was safe, anger that the Fitzgeralds had managed to pay their way out of another situation engulfed me.
Anger so fierce I could barely see.
Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm down.
I stood outside the building, trying to gulp down fresh air and center myself. It was almost working until I watched Thaddeus standing in front of the reporters and cameras, taking questions.
“There are many people unhappy with today’s outcome,” he said. “They wanted that man stripped of his dignity for a press write-up. I suppose that’s why they called you respectable members of the press. However, we at Fitzgerald believe in the human approach. You wanted a story, but we wanted to save a life.”
The reporters began to bark questions at him. He ignored them and walked away.
When I realized he was approaching me, my hands curled into fists.
“Summer, it’s been almost a week. You disappoint me.” Amusement tinged his tone.
Genuinely confused, I stared and waited.
“After that sad excuse of a murder attempt, I’ve been expecting you. You haven’t jumped out from behind one pumpkin or bush with a knife in your hand. Never even triedto run me over with your car.” He paused, smirked, and said, “Wait, have you done the impossible, forgiven me?”
“Fuck forgiveness,” I hurled at him.
Thaddeus looked delighted. “Welcome to the fucking club.”
I couldn’t stand around and watch the building I loved being torn down like it meant nothing. I left Thaddeus there to bask in his heartless victory.
Thaddeus
I stood there,observing my latest victory: the team preparing to knock down the Starlight property. A knot formed in my throat. I’d managed to do Summer’s job for her and convince Mr. Dorman to leave. When she hurried away, she looked on the verge of tears. Anger or sadness? I didn’t know.
The foreman handed me a hard hat.
“We’re all set. In minutes, there will be nothing left of her,” he said.
A pit grew in my stomach. Nothing? Since I was a child, my father had taken me to these sites, celebrating each demolished building whenever they’d given Fitzgerald the opportunity to build better structures. This was the first time I had felt uncomfortable.
