Page 46 of Endgame
The people, though… I couldn’t stand them.
Underhanded deals were conducted behind closed doors down the hall. Respectful men and women from all across the country revealed their true character—thieves, liars, and manipulators.
All in the name of power. Of wealth.
Of greed.
What made me hate them the most was that they acted as if my situation were perfectly normal. A girl who hardly ever lefther home. Who hadn’t attended college. Who’d done time, for fuck’s sake.
Not one of them had ever asked me why. I wasn’t allowed to tell them, anyway.
Nevertheless. Being noticed as more than thedaughter ofwould’ve been nice.
Even Stafford, who always seemed kind, never bothered to ask.
He wasn’t the one watching me now though. Nothing about Stafford screamedintense.
“Thank you.” Numb as ever, I accepted the drink from the gray-haired bartender.
“You’re very welcome.” Quickly, he moved on to Susanna Hale, Stafford’s mom. A blonde woman with feline-looking gray eyes. She was about my parents’ age and wouldn’t spare a glance my way.
No surprise there.
I took a sip of my whiskey, refusing to wallow. The expensive drink tasted rancid on my tongue. Burned down my throat.
And the eyes at my back were still there.
The feeling of being watched, I couldn’t shake it off.
The person staring at me did so intently. I knew without seeing them that they did.
Their glare was like hands running over my pale blue gown. Like having someone fist my chignon and pull.
I let the whiskey roll on my tongue again.
Nottheir hands.His.
The only person who hadn’t approached me with a polite hello before dismissing me—or ahey there!like Ivy Bernard would greet me with—was Everett Alder.
Judge Everett Alder, as Mom mocked his title behind closed doors. She’d thought he was being ridiculous. That there wasmore power and prestige in running his multi-million-dollar law firm than being a so-called public servant.
As if locking me up hadn’t been the most ridiculous thing anyone had ever done.
There was no point in telling her that.
No point in mentioning that at least Everett wasn’t hurting his children, since he didn’t have any.
But the differences between them didn’t end there.
As cold and sullen as he was over the few times I’d seen him, I could tell he was a better man than she and Dad could ever be.
My stomach fluttered whenever his name was mentioned. My pulse skittered.
He wasn’t as bad as the rest of them. The man who must’ve been staring at me that day.
I let my eyes close as I imagined what he looked like, then and there.
His thick eyebrows lowered. Sculpted jaw clenched. Skin taut over high, mouthwatering cheekbones.
