Page 29 of Unhinged

Fuck, I wanted to scream my face off. I wanted to feel Greg Rodwell lose himself inside me.

I did not. He was just a huge, hard cock within screwing distance.

Shit. Maybe I need therapy.

“I see.”

“See what?”

Amos sighs. “Are you all right?”

I shrug. “I’m great. No worries here.”

“I doubt he wanted me to know his secret.”

“Secret? What kind of secret are you talking about?” Is Greg this pissed off at me for knowing about his rape, but he’s just fine with Amos knowing? He treated me like the town pariah for his confession. I want to find him so I can knee him in his lying balls—the very ones I held in my hands and wanted to drag my lips over.

As I quietly seethe, Amos says, “That he couldn’t hide how much he cared about you.” Stunned by his response, my thoughts jumble from thinking of Greg’s balls to Greg thinking about me, as Amos claims. No way. My mouth refuses to form words. “Simone, you there?”

“Zip it, Amos.” Greg only wanted me for a cum dumpster.

“And you…”

My silver hoop earrings smack my cheeks. “He could fall off the tallest building downtown, and I wouldn’t give a damn.”

“The James Monroe.”

“Him too.”

Amos laughs. “That’s the name of the building.”

“Oh. I’m a Delaware transplant.”

He laughs, but then the tone of his voice changes. “How is your internship going?”

“Shitty, but I graduate in the spring. It’s making me question what the hell I do next. Do I get my master’s in social work? Doctorate? In what? I don’t know if I want to counsel people about their drug habits. I want… I don’t know what I want. I don’t even like interning at this hospital here. They make me clean toilets and fetch coffee and the mail. I mean, I know I’m only an intern, and I’m getting credit, but it’s a waste of time. Maybe I should transfer back to Dover and finish my internship there. I have nothing here… Not that there was… I don’t…” My throat tightens, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

“You’re so damn pretty.”

I can’t get the asshole out of my head, no matter how much I hate him. Things could’ve been so different. I could be heading to Greg’s apartment to feed Birdy and then fuck her dad. As far as I know, I’ve never screwed anyone’s dad. How odd and eye-opening. My stuttered sigh fills the silence. I would’ve taken such good care of both of them.

“Are you still there?”

“Who? Me? Yeah. Why?”

“Well…” Amos laughs and then clears his throat. “It sounds like you’d be open to a change of venue. If you’re amenable to it, I have a proposition.”

I fall over my words, shocked. “Venue? A proposition? Is this a marriage proposal? We’re relatively new friends, so way too soon, and no offense, but you’re not my type. You’re super serious and an overachiever. And the tattoos. Just no. That’s a lot of pressure for me to be normal. Aren’t you old enough to be like my mom’s yoga instructor? Plus, I’m holding out for a prince. Or, at least, someone with a beach house. And not over the phone. Not cool, sir.”

Amos laughs again, and it’s the real deal, not the put-upon crap. “You’re one of the very few who makes me smile, Simone. However, a marriage proposal it is not. I agree. We aren’t compatible in that way. But it requires you to explore other options and embrace the unknown.”

“I’m all about that. Sign me up.”

“You don’t know what it is yet.”

“I don’t care. I need a change, or I’m going back to Dover. I’ll be okay with anything if you can help me figure out my fucking life.”

“Well, I can’t help you with that aspect of your life, but as for the rest, I’ll do what I can. In Raleigh, I’ll be working from our sister law firm, Camden, Ayers, and Stichick. I’m considering their offer of becoming a partner there. Perhaps I need a change too. This will work to your advantage. I have a friend down there who may steer you into an internship replacement. Full disclosure. I also know the head registrar at your school, so we can expedite this before school reconvenes after the break. You must submit the change in writing, while I must submit a recommendation. Your new internship supervisor will need to sign off. Done.” Greg is from North Carolina. I can’t run into him there. Ever.

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