Page 50 of All I Ask
“That!” Derek says with a growl. “You answer questions with a question—still. I figured you would’ve grown out of it by now.”
I grin, liking that it irritates him. I don’t even realize I do it. It’s just easier than trying to guess and be wrong. If people were more forward and didn’t beat around the bush, I wouldn’t have to keep asking them to clarify.
“It’s a habit.” I shrug.
“Yeah, it’s annoying.”
“So is you pointing it out.”
Derek huffs but I catch his grin. “Well…too bad.”
This is the first time it feels a little like old times. He’s giving me shit and I’m giving it right back.
“So what did Everly do that is making you question your life choices?” I ask as he stands in front of one painting for too long.
“I don’t stand for bullying and I heard her”—he shifts uncomfortably—“on the phone…making plans.”
It’s not hard to guess what—or who—the plans are for. “She’s trying to make her place in the pack.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re a vet, you should get what I’m saying.”
Derek rubs his temples and I try not to laugh at him. “You mean they’re a pack of animals?”
He has no idea. “Wolves would’ve been my first choice of words, but yes. Teenage girls, well, the bitchy ones, tend to live in a pack mentality. Remember me with Lori and Kelly?”
“Oh, how I wish I could forget.”
We were truly awful and I hate when I look back at myself during that time. I can only hope that Everly is more like me and less like Kelly. She was the orchestrator of it all. Each horrible thing came from her devious mind.
“Well, what were the plans for Chastity?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, the best way to beat them is to know the plan. Can you imagine if every person Kelly wanted to destroy knew beforehand? They could’ve taken countermeasures.”
Derek takes a step closer. “I squashed it. You don’t have to worry.”
“That’s not likely.”
“Seriously, I wouldn’t let it happen.”
He is cute that he thinks he has that type of control. “Still, I think the more information the better. Do you want to see Chastity caught up in this? Don’t you think she’s endured enough?”
Whether he tells me or not, I’m going to prepare my daughter.
“Of course she has.” He sighs and moves back. “It’s just that so has my daughter and I’m not going to betray her.”
I can understand that, but I’m in the same boat. “And what about protecting my daughter?”
“I would never hurt your daughter or let Everly hurt her,” Derek says with conviction. “I need you to trust me.”
Trust.That word means so much. “Once upon a time I did trust you, and we’re a long way from that right now.”
“I know and I’m sorry. I think you need to have some blind faith then. I really like Chastity. She’s a smart girl, by the way. Way smarter than even you were back then. I enjoyed having her assist me today.”
I forgot that today was the first time she worked with him. She’s been going over there, doing tasks for his father, but she told me that Derek was who she shadowed today. I had to bite my tongue to keep from asking a million questions.
