Page 23 of Part of Me
“Please come back home.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I am not willing to back down on this. I see Luke clench his jaw before he responds.
“Believe me, I want to tell you.”
“Then just say it.”
“No. I told you last night that I can’t. It’s not safe for you to know.”
“Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? You work in construction, Luke. How bloody dangerous can it actually be?” I still don’t understand why he needs to keep up the secrecy between us.
“Please, Charlie, don’t make this harder than it already is.”
“Me? I’m making it harder?” It is taking all of my willpower to keep calm right now.
“Just come home and we can work this out.”
“Work out what, Luke? You won’t tell me anything, so how the hell are we meant to work it out?” I don’t feel like I am being unreasonable here, so to me, my questions are justified. “Do you not think that I have a right to know if my safety is compromised?”
“It would only make it worse if I told you.” I scoff at his answer. This talk is not going to get me anywhere.
“Do you not trust me?” I ask him.
“Of course I do. I trust you more than anyone else that I know.”
“Well you have a funny way of showing it,” I retort sarcastically. “I meant what I said last night. If you don’t tell me, then there really is nothing more that we have to say to one another.”
“Don’t do this––”
“I’m not doing anything,” I say, cutting Luke off mid-sentence. “You’re the one keeping secrets. You’re the one who has fake policemen wanting to talk about you. You’re the one who is ruining what we have together.”
“I know,” he says so quietly that I have to strain my ears to hear him. A long silence stretches between us as, clearly, neither of us knows what to say. “I’m sorry,” Luke says, his eyes pleading with me.
“Me too.” It’s the last thing that I say to him before I go back inside, and I let the pain from last night wash over me all over again.
Chapter Seventeen
This week has dragged by at a painfully slow rate. I thank God that it’s Friday as I pack up my stuff at work and leave everything tidy, ready for Monday morning. I let Deana know that I am leaving and then I take the lift down to the ground floor. Maggie is striding towards me as I make my way through the lobby.
“You ready to go?” she asks.
“Hell yes.”
I link my arm through hers and then we hail a taxi before both getting in. Tonight, I am going back to Maggie’s place, and we are going to have a night out on the town. A night that I definitely need after my week from hell.
I haven’t spoken to Luke since Sunday––when he came to my parent’s house. Sure, I’ve had messages from him, but apart from the odd response, I haven’t engaged much. I still feel gutted that he can’t be open with me, but I made a promise to myself that I would let myself forget about it for tonight. And by forget about it, I mean that I am going to get drunk. I’m determined to enjoy a night out with my work mate.
Maggie only lives five minutes away from our offices, so it isn’t long before we are pulling up outside a beautiful building that houses several apartments. I haven’t been here before, so when I see where she lives, it takes my breath away. Maggie pays the taxi fare as I stand outside the car and let my eyes take in the building before me. The white brick work almost makes the place shine, and big white pillars adorn the revolving front doors.
“Jesus,” I say on a breath.
“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Maggie says as I look to see her grinning at me.
“Amazing doesn’t even come close,” I exclaim. “Why have you never brought me here before?” Maggie just shrugs and then takes my hand in hers.
“Come on,” she says as she starts to lead me to the revolving doors. “If you think this is nice, then wait until you see the inside.” There is a doorman waiting to greet us as we walk up the steps, dressed in an immaculate suit.
“Good evening, ladies,” the doorman says as Maggie gives him a wave. My mouth hangs open at the glamour of it all. I manage a nod of my head as Maggie pulls me through the revolving doors. My eyes take in the main lobby, and I see that Maggie was right––the outside looks amazing, but the interior is incredible. With spacious ceilings and delicate furnishings, this place really is something else. I don’t have time to take it all in as Maggie continues to pull me through the lobby and up a set of grand, mahogany stairs. We get to the top of the first flight and then Maggie takes me down a spacious corridor until we reach door number six.
