Part 12 (1/2)

”Liv-”

I raised a brow as I interrupted her. ”I can't count on you to do that?”

Her mouth got tight before she forced out, ”It's done. I'll go with Gill personally.”

I made no reply.

I walked across the hall, trying to ignore Tommy leaning a broad shoulder against my doorjamb.

”Liv,” he said quietly as I moved his way.

I made no response.

He s.h.i.+fted as I got close so I could enter my office.

He entered it with me and closed the door behind him.

”Liv,” he repeated.

Stopping behind my desk, I did not sit. I turned and looked at him.

”Now is not a good time.”

Something flashed across his face I'd seen a lot over the years. Too much. He should have learned to hide it. If not for him, for me. I'd learned how to do it for him.

Now, I wondered if he didn't do that just so he could manipulate me.

That something was pain.

”She's pregnant.”

At his words, my throat closed.

”Georgia has recovery plans. They might work this time. That woman your dad gave me to coming up pregnant...” It seemed he was going to say something else but shut it down in order to say, ”I need to take care of my family. I needed to make that statement of loyalty. I-” he gave his explanation, much of which again I already knew.

But now he was in with Georgia and knew of her ”recovery plans?”

It was worse than I thought.

And...

His family?

”Please be quiet,” I requested.

The pain in his eyes deepened.

”We need to talk,” he said.

”I disagree,” I replied.

”It's always only been you,” he whispered.

”Funny,” I returned instantly. ”When I was getting thoroughly and satisfyingly f.u.c.ked against a wall last night, it wasn't even a little bit about you.”

He flinched.

I didn't feel that flinch.

I was over this.

All of it.

All of Tommy, our tragic history, or nonexistent future.

All of everything.

I couldn't let it hurt me anymore.

I had to move on.

”I'm sure you have work to do,” I noted leadingly.

”Liv-”

I knew my face shut down to the extent it shut him out because I made it so.

”You need to go and do it, Tommy,” I ordered.

His mouth went hard.

We stared at each other.

I tried to recall his face those days in Baja when we were happy. When we thought we'd made it. When we were sure we were free.

I couldn't pull up that first vision.

His wife, my cousin, was pregnant with his baby.

Yes, time to move on.

I watched as Tommy nodded and walked out the door.

I turned and bent to my computer, putting the files I needed on a flash drive.

While I was doing this, my cell sounded.