Page 29 of Intrigued
“How so?” she asked.
I was happy she cared to know. “Well, my dad had warrants for his arrest in three states, so he changed our names and used fake report cards to get me enrolled in a top private school. But I think Principal Carlisle knew and took pity on me.”
“Was your principal a he or a she?”
“He was actually a he,” I said.
She seemed conflicted by that revelation.
“Like I said, some men are pigs, and some are not.”
She went inward again. I recognized that place. It was the dark part of her soul where criticism and shame resided.
“But really, I think you’re a great swim teacher.”
Gina appeared conflicted as she studied my smile. “Thanks, but… You know what I am, right?” She kept her voice low.
“I know what you are to Asher and Spencer, but that’s not who you are to the rest of the world. You know what?” I asked in a more enthusiastic tone. “I know a lot of people. Ever heard of Dan Folks?”
She narrowed an eye. “Of course I have.”
“He has swim programs for kids all across the country. I can see if he has a spot for you as a coach. I can set that up. Not pressuring you, but if you choose, I’ll make it happen.”
She watched me as though she were determining my credibility. “What do you want in return?”
It was time to be honest. “I’m not going to lie. I came out here with an agenda. I’m doing all this research for Bryn’s book, and I thought I could learn something from you that the boys won’t reveal to me. But I feel like we’ve connected. You’ve given me a great afternoon”—I held up my sandwich—“the chef’s given me this, and that’s all I need.” I took a bite and relished the taste as I chewed.
“Well…” She got a tad bit more comfortable in her chair. That was a good sign. “There’s not much to the Christmases other than that they’re rich. The men like fucking prostitutes. I mean, Jasper doesn’t. We tried it once, and that was it.”
Do not frown,I told myself as I felt a slight bit of hurt. Plus, I wondered how often he had tried to sleep with prostitutes.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“He just couldn’t get it up.”
I worked like hell not to expose my surprise on my face. He’d been fucking me at every turn.
“Everyone knows he can’t keep it up,” she said. “That’s why he’s a miserable asshole. But Asher is like the Energizer Bunny, and Spencer—he’s one of those guys who has to degrade women to get off. You know, whip, hit, strangle, bite… He’s a sick asshole, so I wouldn’t go there if I were you.”
Wow.She was singing now, and thank goodness she’d chosen to. “What I learned about sick behavior is that it’s passed down.”
“Oh, yes.” She nodded emphatically. “The old man is the sickest of them all.”
“What do you mean?”
She sat up straight. I could see her mind working behind her eyes, trying to assess if it was safe to go a step further. After a moment, she checked over her shoulder then inclined her body closer to me. “I’m twenty-three, which makes me too old for that old man.”
“Well, how old does he like them?”
Suddenly, she rubbed her eyes as she groaned loudly. “You know what? I can’t coach kids. I’m damaged goods.”
My expression cradled her emphatically. “No, you’re not, Gina. You’re a survivor. And this moment is all that matters, and the next and the next. We learn from our past, but we don’t let it fucking haunt us and deter us. Got it?” I watched her intensely. I wanted her to know how much I meant what I said.
She swallowed then nodded.
“And I will never take back my offer,” I said. “Absolutely never.”
Gina smiled pensively then looked down and scratched her thigh. I wondered what she was thinking and was about to ask when she said, “They are hiding lots of secrets, though.” She searched past me then looked over her shoulder. “I think it has something to do with Amelia. I don’t think she was ever married to him.”
