Page 107 of Seduction in Spades

“Chapter two. Trey’s high school years.”

I reach across the center console and link my fingers with hers, resting our joined hands on my thigh.

“After our parents were arrested, we never talked about them again. Trey and I were always close, me acting as the parent, but we never hugged or had the hard conversations. Avoiding the shit and focusing on the positive seemed like the right approach at the time. Dwelling on our shitty upbringing wouldn’t change the situation we were in.”

I stroke my thumb across her knuckles, giving her the only comfort I can while driving.

“Since I didn’t go to college right away, I lost out on the scholarships I earned at graduation. My focus was to get Trey through high school and into the workforce, or even college if he wanted, and then I could work on my education and career.”

“You sacrificed a lot for him.”

“I wouldn’t call it sacrifice. I did what needed to be done, and I don’t regret it. If I went off to school or even took classes locally, we wouldn’t have been able to afford the apartment, and Trey would have ended up in foster care. He wouldn’t have survived. He’d already been hanging out with the wrong kids. I worried he’d end up like our parents.”

“You saved him.”

“I did what any family member would do.”

“Yet no one else was there to help.”

“Our parents burned all their familiar bridges back when we were young. They chose a life of drugs over family.”

“I’m sorry they weren’t able to save you and Trey.”

“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?”

I pick up our joined hands and bring hers to my lips. “You’re an incredible woman, Avery.”

She lets out a sigh and turns away from me, staring out the window. We’re quiet for a bit until she continues with her story.

“I don’t begrudge Trey. I never once did. All my hate and anger and rage was directed at our parents. My missing out on school and my scholarships was not Trey’s fault. At the time, I didn’t realize how much I’d given up. How not normal my life was. I liked taking care of him. It was all I knew. It wasn’t until he started working and was able to contribute to the bills that I could focus on myself. By then, I was twenty-five and figured I’d missed the boat on my pre-med degree. Ten years of schooling was not in the cards for me.”

“You wanted to be a doctor?”

“For a long time, yes. I mean, I was never thrilled with the prospect of being in school for ten to twelve years. But I love science and the medical field. I started taking classes at a community college in the mornings and I’d waitress at night. My biology professor asked if I’d be interested in doing a summer internship in a research lab. I loved it, and the perk was I only needed a four-year degree in biochemistry to work in a lab. Six years later, I got my degree, and here I am.”

She glossed over those six years, and for now, that’s okay. It’s more than she’s told me in the few months we’ve been seeing each other. I want to learn more about her relationships, the past boyfriends, her friendships, and how she’s dealing with her parents being in prison.

“If you ever miss not being a doctor, you’re more than welcome to experiment on my body.”

Avery turns to me and chuckles. “Thanks. Speaking of, how are your stitches?”

Shit. I didn’t mean to turn the conversation in that direction. I want to lighten the mood, not intensify it.

“I’ll let you take a look and give me a sponge bath when we get back to the penthouse.”

“Penthouse? I’m not going home?”

“Soon. I still want you to have security until everything is back to... normal.”

“Normal? I’m not sure I even know what that means.”

“I know.” I squeeze her hand.

“I can go back to work tomorrow, right?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“I do.”

---