Page 35 of Runaway Girl
“That’s the truth.”
His attention pitched to Ethan, who looked on the verge of crumbling to his knees. “I’d never hurt her on purpose, Dad. You know this.”
“Again, you mean,” I said with the right amount of sass. “You wouldn’t hurt meagain.”
Ethan flinched as his dad offered a charming smile and handshake. “You can call me Rudy.”
“I’m Alicia.”
“I know who you are—my idiot son’s one true love who he let get away.”
Well…shit.
Rudy drove me home alone.
Ethan wasn’t happy, but we gave him no choice. I wanted space, and it seemed like Rudy needed the same.
He kept on whispering a dialogue under his breath. From the few words I did catch, there were a lot of threats and expletives involved. As he pulled up to a set of lights, I caught the tail end of his latest tirade.
“Fucking report him to the police… take him for all he’s worth… and he’d bloody deserve it too…”
“Mr Harris?” I interrupted, but the call didn’t penetrate.
So I reached out and touched his forearm. “Rudy,” I said more assertively. His attention swung to me, his features softening in apology.
I gave a light smile. “Although I’m frustrated at Ethan, it really was an accident. He didn’t mean to hurt me.”
Rudy rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m scared for him, that’s all. He’s been working so hard to become a better man, someoneworthyof you.”
I sat silent and dumbstruck, unsure of how to reply—or even if I should.
He read my hesitance and decided to fill the space. “I’m sorry if that’s unfair to say, and I know you don’t owe him anything. I may be selfish in asking this of you, but I’m going to ask anyway… Please wait for him, Alicia.”
My gaze was locked outside the window, but I didn’t process a thing. Instead, my ears perked, waiting on his very breath so I didn’t miss whatever else he had to say.
“He’s hanging on by a thread, and this legal trial is taking a heavy toll. All he ever wanted was to be loved by her, by his own mother. And she didn’t even give him that.”
Rudy shook his head. “Ethan has dismantled his world as he knows it and is now currently trying to rebuild it up, one brick at a time. It’s hard labour, the most torturous kind, but he’s willing to do all of that to improve himself.”
I sighed. “He’s never confided in me. He doesn’t tell me anything. He doesn’ttrustme.”
“He’s ashamed. Ethan has many issues, and I know he lashed out and hurt you because of them. But you’re all he wants and thinks about.”
I scoffed.And that’s about enough of that.“He has bigger issues to worry about right now,” I said. “Let him focus on the trial. I refuse to make false promises.”
Rudy chuckled. “I apologise for my forwardness. I’ve heard so much about you that I feel like I know you already,” he said with a chuffed air as if he was impressed by my scathing reply.
“You are right, though, Alicia. Ethan must preserve his energy. ’Cause if I know anything about Audrey Collins, the worst is yet to come.”
Chapter 21
ETHAN
I stood on the outskirts of the conference room, making myself scarce, hiding in the shadows.
There was only one reason I chose to attend the event at Stella Financial Management. And that reason happened to be up on stage, expressing her gratitude into the microphone as she accepted her well-deserved promotion.
Alicia had worked hard to close the deal for Curtis Wright, legendary ex-major league baseball player. And now he’d be wiping his ass with one-hundred-dollar bills for the rest of his life.
