Page 74 of Prey for You

“Because I care about Bridget and she wants me to help you. Sadly, I don’t think I can.”

“Then why the fuck are you here?”

“Because I had high hopes that she’dfinallyfound a good one. And I’m reminding myself that hope is a fart in the wind.”

“Get out.” Both my lawyers shot their feet, but Gerald put his hands up in surrender.

“I will in a minute, I give you my word. But… first tell me: Do you know her dad?”

“Don’t answer that,” my lawyer said quickly. I rolled my jaw, uncertain whether to answer him or not.

Gerald’s face grew grim. “I’ve met him. Spoken with him twice. At the same prison where you served time.”

I nodded. “I met him. More than once. I could say hi. But we were never friends.”

Gerald stared.

I stared back. “I’m telling you the truth. I don’t care if you believe me or not.”

He leaned forward. “You know she wants me to recommend that you two be able to see each other.”

“You should.”

“Why?”

“So I can help her get through this. If you haven’t noticed, she’s coming apart at the seams. You all stand around her,shouting and swearing and telling her what to do, meanwhile she’s in fuckingpieces,and no one seems to notice.”

“Oh, I notice. I assure you.”

“Then fuckingwake up!I’m good for her. When you didn’t have your head stuck up your ass, you saw it. Now she’s trusting you to see it again—she’s beating herself up over this and you’re going to make it worse if you decide to be blind.”

“She’s only scared because she thinks she put you in danger.”

“She did.”

“That must piss you off?” he said, brows up.

“She didn’t know it was me.”

Then the asshole smiled. “I forgot. She was out there running around with another guy at the same time you two were falling in love—apparently.”

Fuck.“It’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand.”

“If there’s one thing in this world I understand, it’s complex relationships and how they affect the psyche.”

“Really?” I huffed.

“Really.”

“Okay, then,Doctor.You tell me how a good guy helps her in this. You tell me what I do that won’t hurt her, will only help.”

“If you were actually a good guy?”

“Yeah.”

“A really good husband does what she needs, even if it’s hard onhim. A man with actual integrity fights for his innocence, but doesn’t getherin trouble to do it. A really good guy cares more about what happens to her, than to himself.”

“I agree, Doctor. So keep your eyes open. You might learn something.”