Page 97 of Playing With Secrets
“I was interning here and had my dad move me to work in the accounting department. It wasn’t far-fetched because I had moved around in the business a lot.”
“Why?”
“My dad wanted Jonah and me to know the ins and outs of it all. He had us intern so he could assess our strengths and determine what our duties would be when we took over.”
“Smart plan.”
“It was. Anyway, while I was working in that department, I found a way to siphon the money I needed into a dummy account.”
I run my hand over the back of my neck. “That’s how I paid Ava. Looking back, I should’ve just asked my dad for the money and made up some stupid reason I needed it, but I was young, dumb, and scared.”
Joe’s eyes widen. “Now Ava has the kid and the embezzlement held over your head. How does your mother tie into this?”
“When Ava found out about Jack, she demanded I pay for her to go on a trip to Europe the following summer. I didn’t think much about it. I agreed, thinking that was just another way to keep her quiet. When she came back, shit hit the fan.”
“What happened then?”
“All this time, I thought Ava found my mother and got her on Ava’s side to kick me while I was down. My mother left us, so I knew she didn’t harbor any lost love for me.”
“And you figured because of that, she would help Ava?”
“Correct. I thought Ava buttered my mother up and got her to back Ava up on the next part of this fucked-up story.” I hang my head and try to ground myself.
Spilling my guts over this is something I never thought I’d have to do. My chest tightens, threatening a heart attack. It’s taking its toll.
“It gets worse?” Joe asks.
“Yes. When Ava came back, the terms had changed. Ava said she met with my mother, and they came up with a better plan.”
“Why do I get the feeling it was in their best interest, not yours?”
“Because it was. Not only was I to fund Ava’s lifestyle until she got married, but it was now me she would marry. In addition to that, we would have a baby of our own by the time I turn thirty-five.”
I push out of my chair and trudge back to the window. “As a young boy, I was stuck with no way out. I agreed to Ava’s terms.”
“Forgive me for asking, but why would you do that?”
“I figured she’d meet someone, fall in love, and have their own kid. Ava and my mother seemed to be close, so I figured Ava would tell my mother to back off of me and focus on Ava and her new family.”
“I’m getting a sick feeling where I think you’re going with this.” He joins me at my side.
“You and me both. I’ve had it backward this entire time. Ava recently came clean about how it actually went down. The first trip Ava took to Europe was because my mother summoned her there. Dear old mom came up with the plan to the very last detail.”
“And Ava?”
“She just wanted to have fun with my money to rub it in my face until she got married. She wasn’t even going to go to rat me out, but now my mother is holding her to the fire, which means I’m burning too.”
I fold my arms over my chest and watch the wind blow tiny snowflakes around.
He pats me on the shoulder. “This is bad, Hunter. If your mother is married to someone in a crime family and wants Ava and you to have a child by the time you’re thirty-five, there’s a reason for it.”
“You don’t say,” I deadpan. “There’s more you need to know.”
“Fuck, Hunter. You must have pissed your mother off something fierce.”
“Obviously, but I don’t know what or how I did that.”
Joe returns to the couch and sits. “Why Ava?”
