Page 48 of Crossroads of Love

Gavin is beside me, looking through a folder full of paperwork.

“Wait, this doesn’t make sense,” he interrupts. “Aaron’s life insurance policy hasn’t been paid out. It was supposed to have been a million-dollar policy combined. He had a military benefit as well as a law enforcement benefit. I helped him set the policy up.”

“A million-dollar policy?” I gasp. “He did not have another policy. It wasn’t in any of the paperwork I went through. He must have defaulted. I only received a very small amount from a personal policy, and that was to go into a trust for Jayla.”

“He didn’t default,” Mike says as he clears his throat. “The amount you were given wasn’t from the policy. It seems Henry took it upon himself to pay that out and told you it was the life insurance policy. Doing so put him in quite the pickle.”

“He did what?” I snap.

“My friend issued the policy. I’ll handle it,” Gavin offers as his hand rests on the back of my chair.

“I don’t understand,” I murmur.

Tears start falling down my cheeks as all the anger, grief, and betrayal I’ve felt over the past few years comes out like a volcano.

Why would Henry lie to me and pay me when the money wasn’t there?

Panic makes my chest tighten even more, and I’m finding it hard to breathe.

What did Aaron do? Why…why would there be a million-dollar policy that I didn’t know about and wasn’t paid out to me?

“I will take care of it, Lena. That’s what Dad and Aaron wanted, and I will step up to make sure that you and Jayla are provided for.”

“I’m capable…” I hiss.

I’m gripping the arm of the chair so tightly that my knuckles are white and my fingernails start hurting. It feels like the room is closing in on me, and I can’t get enough air in my lungs.

Gavin moves from his chair so that he’s on his knees in front of me, making certain he’s in my line of sight. I close my eyes.

“No one is doubting that. I’m going to take care of it. Please let me do that for you.”

His proximity is messing with my brain. I can’t think straight.

How did I not know there was a million-dollar policy?

I didn’t ask for Gavin’s help. I don't want it, but something about how he sits there, looking at me like I’m one step away from falling apart and will catch me when I do, makes me say yes. I hate that I need him, hate that I can’t handle this on my own. But even more than that, I hate the memories rushing back every time we’re in the same room together.

Gavin has always had an easy smile. He was always the one who could make me forget about the rough edges of the world.

“You’re such a smart, beautiful girl, Princess. Why do you let these people stress you out?” Gavin asked me one day in high school after Aaron and I had a fight. “People are always going to come after you, Lena. They see you as a threat, so the insecure women are going to try to knock you down. You can’t show them they’re winning.”

At that point, there hadn’t ever been anything physical between us, but he was always the one who talked me through the rough spots in high school and in my relationship with Aaron. That particular day, I found out a cheerleader had been flirting with Aaron, and he didn’t walk away from her.

I guess I should have seen the pattern then.

I shake my head and come back to the present moment.

Every time Gavin looks at me, I want to become a puddle at his feet.

“Okay, well, here are some things for the two of you to go through for now. Gavin, hopefully, you can work your magic.”

I nod numbly as the three of us stand. When Mike goes to hand the folder to me, Gavin immediately snatches it before I can even touch it.

“Gavin,” I gasp.

“I’ll be in touch,” he tells Mike.

He’s going to be frustrating as hell with all of this. I just know it. He’s going to take over and not keep me in the loop about anything. Typical Wells man.

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