Page 64 of The Monster I Loved
I wasn’t surprised he would think of this idea. It was the same sort of marriage he’d had with my mother. I stood in front of him so our eyes locked. “No amount of money is worth it. I don’t want a marriage like yours. My damn mother should’ve been home that?—”
When the words flew out of my mouth, I regretted them, but then realized we never had a frank conversation about this. “You never even cried when she died.”
He looked unmoved, and I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or furious. “Have you ever seen me cry any other time?” he asked in a dry and firm tone.
I stared at him.
“No.”
He shrugged. “Then I don’t get your point.”
My point is, you’re a heartless bastard!
“The men of my generation didn’t make a habit of running around crying. I am the head of this family. I don’t have the luxury of feelings. Unlike you.”
Damn right. I have a heart.
I couldn’t see myself losing my wife, the woman I should’ve loved more than anyone, and just going about business the nextday like nothing had happened. As I weighed the thought, the face of a certain woman flashed before my eyes. I quickly blinked it away.Why did I think of Summer?Just old feelings and memories tugging me back to the past, that was all. Obviously, if I had a marriage coming up with someone I was actually attached to, they’d have come to mind instead. Right?
“After my mother died, you just went on like nothing changed,” I finally said.
My dad didn’t waste a moment. “Oh, should I have turned into a raving madman and gunned down the daughter after you killed the dad?”
My breath hitched at his words. It was hard to picture Summer’s lifeless body. She was my sworn enemy, but something in me cracked at the thought of hurting her.
Seriously, what is up with me today?
“In life, you have to make hard decisions. You can’t just run off emotions alone. Look now, we’re in this situation because of you, and you won’t even help fix things.”
Damn it. I’d come in here certain I was right. Now, after a few minutes, I wasn’t sure.
“You’ve done a lot for your mother. Do me one favor for fucking once, marry the girl and make a baby.”
He didn’t hear a word I said. Frustrated, I turned around and left his office.
I spentthe rest of the day in my office thinking of a way to get out of the wedding. One idea that seemed to stand out to me was adopting a child, but Henry killed that idea when he reminded me that convicted murderers don’t make good prospective parents.
“Damn,” I hurled aloud.
A knock came at my door.
Jerking my head up, Summer standing in the doorframe shocked me. Typically, she avoided me unless I dragged her in here.
“We need to talk about the project.”
Her voice sounded different today. There wasn’t as much venom, and she wasn’t biting her lip as if she was worried she’d let it slip how much she hated me. There was also that glow I spotted about her, but as Henry pointed out, women nowadays can do amazing things with makeup.Glowingdidn’t mean she and the bartender were fucking like rabbits. Summer stood directly in front of my desk, her eyes lowered, and she flipped through a file she carried with her. She didn’t seem to notice me watching.
I examined her closely, even though I should’ve been listening to whatever she came to tell me. She frowned at me. A look I knew all too well.
“What do you think?” she said, waiting for something from me.
I stood and went to her side. “Let me see.”
More than likely, whatever she wanted my opinion about was in the file she’d been rummaging through.
Our fingers touched as I took the folder, sending a rush of electricity through my body. For just a second, neither of us moved. I looked at Summer’s face. She was cool as a cucumber, while my heart was racing.
What the hell is wrong with me? Wait, maybe I’m sick.
