Page 18 of Promise Kept

After you give the driver your address.

She manages to do just that.

Then she topples toward me.

I turn a little and make sure her head lands on my shoulder and not in my lap.

I stare forward and block out any thoughts and images of her on my lap…

“It’s so crazy to think about,” she whispers. “Here. Then gone. You know?”

“I know,” I whisper, then touch her hair. “I know. It’s awful. It’s sad.”

She doesn’t respond to me.

In fact, she doesn’t say another word on the rest of the ride to her apartment.

For some reason I find myself almost eager to see where she lives.

I have no clue why.

I don’t know if she functions on her own or if she’s been living off Heston’s money.

And, hey, with the way things are in the world, no shame for someone spoiling their daughter or anything.

Their daughter.

Remember that, Ellis.

She’s your best friend’s daughter.

“Wait here,” I say to the driver.

“What?” Larissa asks. “You’re not staying?”

“I didn’t say that,” I say to her. “He’ll sit here all night if I need him to.”

I open the door and slide out.

I offer my hand and Larissa takes it.

She has a little more grace exiting the car than she did getting into it.

She’s still stumbling though, crashing into me.

I place my hand in the safe zone once more and lead the way into an all-brick apartment building.

There’s no door man.

No fancy doors.

No security.

Nobody behind a large desk to see who is coming or going.

She takes care of herself.

Fuck.

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