Page 55 of Wreckage of Me
I knew he was going to ask me out, but I am still surprised and don’t know what to say. My first instinct is to say no. I am not interested. I have too much going on in my life, and I just can’t handle anything more even if it is nothing bad.
Dylan’s face pops into my head, the way he told me so casually six months ago that he didn’t need me since he had Number One and Number Two on hand to lie under oath for him. Then him showing up last night, freaking out about a possible pregnancy, telling me he’s not staying…
Telling me he’s not staying.
That’s the most important part of this entire insane scenario. He doesn’t want to stay. He’s here just for some fun, and I’ll be left alone and sad once again when he takes off for parts unknown. How is that fair to me?
I set my shoulders back and look Dr. Nolan straight in the eyes. “I’d love it if you bought me dinner.”
I love the way his eyes light up at hearing my answer. “Really?”
“You sound surprised,” I start laughing. “Have you changed your mind about it already?
“What? No! I had this whole thing in my head about how I was going to change your mind,” he replies, sounding happy and upbeat.
This is what I need in my life, happy and upbeat, not criminal related.
“Well, Dr. Nolan, it’s a date then.” I feel so awkward now, I almost want to shake his hand, like we’re making a deal, but that doesn’t seem appropriate.
“For sure!” he confirms. “And it’s time for you to stop calling me Dr. Nolan.”
“What should I call you?”
“You mean, other than the best date you’ll ever have?” He is just too funny, this guy. “Call me Oliver from now on.”
“Got it,” I grin back. “Oliver.”
19
Dylan
“To what doI owe the pleasure of your presence today, Mr. Knight?” Devereaux’s shrewd eyes assess me as I’m standing in the doorway of yet another warehouse, this time in Montana.
I don’t say anything for a few seconds, my heavy boots on the hard concrete making the only noise in the room. I walk the perimeter of the large space we found ourselves in.
“I thought it was time you finally told me why you needed my father dead,” I finally tell him the reason why I’m here. Well, one of the reasons.
“Releasing you from that life is not good enough for you?” Devereaux lifts an eyebrow at me in amusement. “I did, after all, make sure that your son would be safe, away from the club.”
The fucker did do that. I had this cockamamie idea in my head about leaving the club, but the truth of the matter is that I would’ve never been able to do it had Devereaux not swooped in and taken over the mission.
“I will be forever in your debt for that,” I tell him now, even though the words taste bitter on my tongue. “But you never really said why.”
Devereaux stares at me for a few minutes, seeming to debate what the best course of action is. Finally, I see resolution in his eyes, and I brace myself for what he may tell me next.
“Your father and I, we went way back. Went to school together as a matter of fact.”
“Let me guess,” I smirk. “You were best friends until you fought over a girl.” I bet my last dollar that girl was my mother.
“Very good, Mr. Knight,” he smirks at me in response. “Yes, we were best friends, and yes, we did fight over a girl.”
“How did you let him win?”
I remember not too long ago me commenting to my mother that she should’ve picked a different sperm donor for her kids if she wanted to save them. The man in front of me was an alleged candidate back in the day.
“I met Arlene first,” he starts saying. It’s so weird hearing my mother’s name off his lips. “Things were going well, she wanted to be with me, but I had my doubts.”
Becca asking me if I’m staying suddenly pops into my head.
