Page 112 of Rush of Jealousy

Dad: I need to borrow $75,000 to pay for some bills.

I stare at the amount. Surely it is a typo. And for bills? He is lying to me.

Angie: I already gave you my entire inheritance to get you out of trouble before. I can’t keep doing this.

Dad: I have no one else to lean on. Just you.

Angie: I don’t have that kind of money.

Angie: I can’t keep enabling your bad habits.

I am still bitter over him using my money that mom left me in her will. What a waste. This is how our messages over the past three years have gone. He asks for money. I give in. Then, I don’t hear from him again until he needs more.

Dad: But I am your father.

But I am your daughter. Someone you should have taken care of. And loved. This is manipulation.

“Everything okay?”

The sound of Graham’s voice startles me, and I drop my phone onto the mat on the floor of the car. I reach for it and then place it in the holder on the door.

“Yeah, everything will be fine.”

He eyes me suspiciously but doesn’t press. Why he cuts me slack now, I have no idea. I am relieved, nonetheless.

“Here, give me your feet, and I’ll rub them.”

I move the pastry bag and prop my feet up on his lap, leaning against the window. “You know the pathway to my heart.”

He smiles as I moan in pleasure while his fingers pull the tension from my body.

“What does your week look like?”

“I have classes and my final paper to work on before I can graduate. Nothing really going on this week other than that.” And talking with Zander tomorrow. “Maybe go to a workout class with Claire. She used to peer pressure me to attend with her, but this time I may go willingly because I do have a lot of fun.”

He listens intently and shows interest without interrupting me. We sip on our coffees and just enjoy each other’s company. It’s hard to go back to normal life after coming off of a much-needed weekend with Graham. I will have more down time which means I’ll have ample time to think about how bad things could have gotten with Mark and have a chance to fully freak out. Graham might want revenge—but I do too. No woman deserves to be treated the way he treated me.

And I plan to make him pay.

21

“What’s your biggest regret?”

We are about an hour from the city, and Graham is taking full advantage of me being confined in the backseat of his car with him. I can’t run away or escape his interrogating questions.

I don’t need much time to think—these emotions have been weighing on my mind for years. “I have two,” I answer hesitantly. My natural instinct is to avoid.

He waits patiently for me to continue. His hands have moved up to my calves and knees. I relax into his comforting touch.

“My first one is not saying goodbye.”

His lips straighten into a hard line and his mind seems to deposit the information into its bank. “Please explain.”

“I’m sure you did an extensive search on my past. You probably have a lot of the information already.”

“Tell me anyway.” His hands run up my legs, kneading my flesh.

If we are going to be in an actual relationship with each other, then I have to open up some, even if just the slightest amount.

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