Page 28 of Hush Money
I take a step toward him, but I feel a small hand press between me and him, where she is now trying to intervene.
“Stop!” she says, her little frame wedged between all of us. She looks at me, her eyes boring into mine. “Don’t do this. You need to separate yourself from him.”
I know she’s right.
I know she’s talking about the case.
My family can’t afford this right now. Just as I’m slowing down my breathing and unclenching my jaw, the idiot speaks up again.
“You know what else is crazy?” he asks with a sadistic smile on his face. “When they say money can’t buy everything, well, that’s true. Because the only way for her to have a baby is withme.”
It feels like I’ve been punched in the stomach. I look at him then at her. She also looks like someone gut-punched her.
“Tanner!” she warns, but it’s too late. He can tell he’s got her.
“Ah, so she didn’t mention that during your little playtime, huh?” he goes on. “They said the eggs they harvested were probably the last viable ones four years ago when we started trying. All she has left are a few frozen embryos.Ourembryos. Can’t buy that, can you?”
My heart is beating so hard that I feel lightheaded. My stomach is turning so much that I feel nauseated.
I walked into this with so much confidence, thinking I could break him. But instead, he broke me.
EVIE
My heart is beating so hard that I feel like I might faint. But I have to keep it together for Keaton. And for me.
I can’t believe everything that just happened in the last ninety seconds.
I can’t believe that after everything Tanner has put me through, he’s still doing it.
Something clicks inside my head.
The disgust I feel toward him. The resentment I have for him. The anger.
It was one thing when he was only hurting me.
But now, he’s hurting the most important person in my life, and I just won’t have it anymore.
Once I see that Keaton is at a safe enough distance, I turn back to Tanner. Todd is still in my peripheral, so I know I’m okay.
“Maybe it wasn’t clear enough when I left the other night,” I say, “but don’t contact me again, Tanner.”
“Genny—” he starts, but I hold up my hand. Ick. I have alwayshatedthat nickname.
“Don’t come back here. Don’t call me. Don’t text me.”
I turn on my heel, toward the direction where Mac has now escorted Keaton, when I hear him.
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. You didn’t choose him then,” Tanner says from behind me.Fuck.“You’ll remember why soon enough. But don’t take too much time. I won’t wait around forever.”
His audacity stops me dead in my tracks.
“We’re all young and dumb at some point, Tanner. And the truth is, I should have chosenme.I should have chosen to be alone rather than choose someone who makes me wish I was. And if you think a couple of frozen embryos are enough to put myself through that again, you are more delusional than I ever could have imagined.”
I don’t even linger to see how big the blow is to his fragile ego. I just hurry along the sidewalk. But I see the black Escalade peeling out.
Keaton.
A few more hours pass asI finish up some paperwork for the day. No calls or texts from Keaton, although I do know he’s still keeping tabs on me through Todd. I want to get to him. I want to talk to him. Find out how much damage Tanner did. Find out how much hurt he dug back up.
