Page 115 of Wicked Devotion
“I’m sorry for being snappy earlier,” Ruby says as we waitat a red light. “I really don’t like going behind Sam’s back, but I also know how the guys can be.”
“I know I’m asking for a lot,” I say, returning her smile. “Thank you for doing this with me. On top of all the other things you’ve been doing for me so far,” I add as Ruby searches for a parking spot.
“I just want you to be able to sleep soundly. And if they ever let Brady out, we can still take a trip to the Everglades,” she says as we get out of the car.
As we reach the coffee shop, I immediately spot a familiar face. Dario sits at a table for four in the back, busy sorting through a stack of documents that lies in front of him.
We haven’t had the chance to meet up in a good while. Money was tight since the move, and after the divorce from my aunt, Dario drowned himself in his work even more than he had before.
He looks a little more exhausted than I remember him, but he still wears his black hair slicked back with gel. It has gotten longer, though, but it suits him. The top buttons of his dress shirt are open, a tie lying on the bench next to him. As I notice the temperature inside the coffee shop, I understand why.
“Your aunt really divorced that guy?” Ruby whispers.
“Mom’s side of the family.”
From an early age, I knew not to question Aunt Monica’s life decisions, but apart from my mom, no one understood her reasons for divorcing Dario. That’s why everyone, apart from Mom and Monica, continues to treat him as family.
“Lilo,” Dario says, a bright smile appearing on his face as he sees me. He gets up to pull me into a hug, but the moment he realizes that Ruby isn’t just another customer, his smile disappears.
“Lillian, how do you know this woman?” he asks quietly, urging me and Ruby to sit down with him.
“This womanhas a name,” Ruby interrupts me before Ican even say anything. “Ruby Ryves,” she says, holding out her hand to Dario.
“I thought it was Barron?”
“Not anymore.”
“Dario, please.” This situation is another reminder that I need to ask Ruby whatexactlyshe does for work. “She’s my friend, she’s married to one of my—please don’t make me explain the details.”
“Your friend has quite the reputation.”
“I do my best,” Ruby says, thanking the waitress who brings her another one of those milkshake abominations she loves so much. “Get on with it. Her men don’t want her to leave the house.”
Dario eyes her and then me while I nervously scratch my neck.
“I think you meantman?”
“I know what I said, Mr. Dario.”
“Lillian, what kind of trouble are you in?”
“The big kind, if she’s not back home soon,” Ruby answers for me.
Breathing in deeply, Dario hands me a pen. “I need you to sign here, here, here…” Showing me document after document, he continues to explain his plans while I’m busy putting my signature everywhere.
“I’m going to try my best to make this work as an annulment case because Brady concealed his gambling addiction. If that doesn’t work, we’ll have to get a bit creative, but we don’t need to talk about the details right now.”
“Do we need Brady’s agreement for this to go through?” I ask once I’m done.
“Technically, we don’t. But Lillian—you know you need to tell your parents, right?”
“I will,” I reassure him. “Once the ink has dried. Don’t want my mom to interfere.”
“C’mon, we should get going,” Ruby says, tugging at my arm as Dario puts the documents back in his briefcase.
Dario checks his watch, groaning before he downs the rest of his coffee. “I need to get back to the office. I’ll call you as soon as I have good news.”
When he puts a few dollar bills on the table to pay for his and Ruby’s drinks, she shoves them back to him with a grin on her face.
