Page 141 of Encounter

Smirking, I shifted my weight and carefully stretched my shoulders. The wound from the operation was small, but I still felt crappy, and like something was missing.

Probably my damn pride. Or the spleen...

Shortly after, the door handle clicked, and Gregory walked in. We met eyes immediately, and I didn’t like the emotion in his. He looked the same way he did that one time, when we were about to make a risky deal with that sketchy Swiss aristocrat—it was one of the very few times when Gregory was unsure of his decision.

Before I could even ask what the hell was going on, he stepped away and revealed another person in the door.

At first, I had to blink to make sure I wasn’t having another one of those weird, surrealistic nightmares that had been plaguing me for the past few days. What happened outside of Galen’s house kept playing in my head over and over again, getting progressively worse and more irrational. Seeing Richard De Clare in front of me, in Gregory’s house, was for sure the kind of bullshit my head would come up with to torture me.

“He waited in the bar,” Gregory said in a low voice, carefully studying my face, fully aware of how much this would take me aback.Would’ve been nice to have a heads up about this, you bastard.

Blinking again, I finally accepted the man was really here—facing me with that uptight, emotionless expression, wearing a fancy suit.

“What do you want?” I asked, tightening my fists into balls.I should’ve thought about how weird this was, but he already found me once. He hired me before, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility he waited for Gregory. Had to get a contact for us from somewhere.

“It’s not about a job. I need to speak with you.” His glance indicated he wanted me to step outside, but I barely felt my body. I kept seeing him in my head as he screamed at me, at Galen. The guilt and shame from how I acted in that situation didn’t help, either, not to mention the fact I never thought I would see that man again.

Gregory looked close to stepping in when I finally spoke. “Fine.” Peeling from the wall, I made a few long steps toward the door, making sure I straightened my back and presented as much confidence as I could possibly fake in my state. Giving Gregory an assuring nod, I closed the door behind us.

Richard stepped away on the porch, and even though his face was almost unreadable, his body language told me he was nervous. He kept adjusting the sleeves of his shirt and shifting his weight erratically. He didn’t meet my eyes for a while, making me anxious.

“Is-is he alright?”I couldn’t hold it in anymore—I didn’t care if he shouted at me again, or if I came off as weak and pathetic for asking. Why else would he come here? It must have been something about Galen.

“I suppose he is now,” Richard murmured, staring at his feet. My heart skipped a beat and a concerned, confused grimace found its way on my face. “Yourbusiness associateexplained you haven’t had the best time either recently,” he continued, like I was going to ignore what he just said about Galen. “Explains why you haven’t tried contacting him.”

“Why are you here?” I raised my voice and made a sharp step toward him, everything inside me tightening. “Is Galen okay?”God, this bastard won’t look me in the eye!

“He’s in a treatment facility right now. Tried to take his life after a... fight we had. After you left.”

“What?!”My heart sank, and I felt light-headed enough to have to grab the railing of the porch to steady myself. Panic rushed through me, followed by guilt. Even though he didn’t succeed, he attempted the thing I dreaded the most—and there was no doubt I was at least partially at fault for pushing him that far.

I wasn't there for him. I pushed him away, betrayed him, and then wasn’t there after.

“Here,” Richard said, getting my attention. He stepped toward me with a paper in his hand. Narrowing my eyes, I accepted it—expecting a restraining order or some other shit—but instead, it was a handwritten note with an address, date, and time. “It's the place and time of his planned release.” He sounded like he could barely force himself to say those words, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say there was pain behind them.

“What... What are you sayin’?” I whispered, staring at the paper in my hand while Richard rubbed his fingers together, as if the absence of it in his hand made him nervous.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Sighing deeply and turning his head to look over the garden—and away from my tense stare—he stayed quiet for a moment.

Galen has been in a hospital and treatment this whole time, too? God, it’s almost ironic, isn’t it?

“He’ll expect someone to pick him up. I—”Gulping, he quickly adjusted the tie around his neck and cleared his throat, still avoiding me.

I didn’t know him much, but I took him for the prideful, direct type, so that kind of behavior made me uneasy. I had no idea where he was going and what his intentions were. All I cared about was Galen.

“I don’t understandthis. And I am in no way... comfortable with it.” Finally, he met my gaze. He tried to hide his fear and discomfort, but it was loud and clear to me. “But... I’d rather him be with you than stay with me and end up like my wife.” As he pushed air through his nose, Richard faced away again, anxiously playing with the button on his sleeve.

Feeling the hot blood tingle in my cheeks, I stared at him.What?

With a deep exhale, he straightened his back and brushed his hands over his blazer. When he looked up at me, it was like he turned a page. Firm and with an emotional wall behind his eyes, he spoke again. “Galen has a key. He’s free to come any time and take more of his things or call my office and have them delivered. I’ll continue funding his education, as long as he isn’t failing any classes. I doubt that wherever you live,” he murmured, trying to suppress his judgy undertone, “would have enough space, but if it does, I’ll arrange to have his piano transported.”

Still floored, I tried to regain my bearing by blinking several times.Is he really giving me his blessing?

“Wh—” I wanted to ask questions and fight over the fact that Galen seemed to have no say in this, or even know about it from what it looked like, but I could barely muster any thoughts.Was itthatbad; their fight? The aftermath? What in god's name happened after I left?

What if he doesn’t want to see me? The two of us can’t decide about this—his old man can’t throw this on me and expect Galen to be okay with it.

“The doctor said he keeps talking about you in therapy,” he murmured, a tinge of melancholic jealousy resonating through his words. “How better his life has been around you. I hate... the thought of leaving my son with someone like you.” Richard’s eyes found me again, and this time there was fire, spark in them. As he clenched his teeth, I saw the muscles around his jaw constrict. “Someone dangerous and immoral, who could be killed or get Galen killed any m—” Sighing, he fell silent and shook his head like he reminded himself of something.

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