Page 12 of The Hate We Breathe
Abel leans back in the metal folding chair and eyes me. “Not exactly,” he says. “But that was one of her reasons for saying yes. I married her, though, because she was mine and I needed her and everyone else to know it.”
I nod, not even put off by the ‘mine’ comment. The Scorpion Kings are the same. There’s a lot of possessiveness in the menthat surround me. “How many kids do you have?” I ask. “I realize you’re the one dealing with all of the legalities of the investigation and everything else that’s tied up with Morpheus’ will and the business and stuff, but I don’t hardly know a thing about you.”
“We’ve got two right now and one on the way,” he admits with a grin.
“Jesus,” I mutter with a shake of my head. “Three in ten years?”
“I wanted more, but my girl keeps putting me off,” he says. Then, he sighs and his next words nearly make my eyes bulge out of my head. “I’d replace her birth control with placebos if I didn’t think she’d tear my head off.”
“You’dwhat?” I gape at him. Holy shit.He’s just as fucking crazy as Lex, I realize.
“Oh yeah.” Either Abel doesn’t realize my horror, or he just doesn’t care. He continues. “I want to keep her pregnant and barefoot for as long as possible. She can’t run away if she’s got another baby in her.”
Psycho.Absolutely crazy. I edge away from him. “I… see…” I glance around, wondering where the hell I left my bag and my cell because I need to call Gio to come pick me up and get me the hell out of here.
“Anyway…” Abel groans and lumbers up from the chair, putting one hand on the small of his back and stretching. “I should probably head back to Viks’ place for the time being, I’ve got a meeting with the board of directors of Donovan-Calloway Industries later this afternoon.”
I stop moving and sharpen my gaze on him. “Do I need to be there?” I ask.
Abel snorts. “No, kiddo.” He shakes his head. “You won’t even be allowed to touch this shit until everything is all figured out. You just worry about getting back to school and graduatingand I’ll take care of the legal shit.” He waves me off. “Go on, there’s probably no one in the shower room right now, so you should shower as fast as you can before one of your guys gets here.”
I don’t need to be told a second time. I bob my head and turn, speed walking towards the row of lock boxes to grab my stuff, and head for the small dingy shower room that Cory’s Gym has. Normally, I wouldn’t even think to shower here, but a quick glance over my texts and the one from Gio that says he’s already on his way over to get me and I decide that now is as good a time as any.
I quickly rush through a rinse down before changing into a second pair of clean stretchy pants and a t-shirt. My phone pings with Gio’s announcement that he’s waiting in the parking lot as I finish tugging on my sneakers.
On my way outside, I run into Abel who’d apparently been waiting for his ride as well since he’d gotten dropped off the same time I had earlier in the morning. Together, we wave goodbye to Cory and walk outside, rounding the building towards the alley that leads to the back parking area.
As we walk, I tip my head back and glance at the man next to me. He’s a handsome man. Taller than me, though not as tall as some men. Rich, from what I understand. But there’s something that’s been bugging me for a while now.
“Can I ask you a question?” I blurt, slowing my gait so that we don’t hit the parking lot too quickly.
“You just did,” Abel comments, but he, too, slows down.
“Why are you helping me?” I forge ahead. “Acting as my lawyer and going through the business and dealing with everything. I’m not paying you and you’re…” I drift off, but I don’t need to say it. Abel is fuck-you wealthy and even if I was once a part of that class, I’m no longer that person. Even if I do end up as the only viable inheritor of the business with my dadin jail, I’m broke as fuck right now. I have no money to pay him and he has no reason to help me.
“Well, to be honest, I never use my law degree,” Abel says with a chuckle. “Did all of that work, got the degree, passed the bar, and don’t do shit with it because my time is taken up by my own businesses. I take a few cases here and there for friends of friends—that’s what I’m doing now. Your boy is part of Viks’ family and Viks is part of mine.” He casts me a look. “Family is important to me.”
“I know that Viks thinks Lex is his nephew or something, but it’s not like Lex and I are… well,wearen’t related or anything.”
Abel snorts. “Yeah, that’s probably a good thing. I doubt the shit the four of y’all get up to is something anyone would be comfy with if you were related.”
“That’s—” I stop walking just before we come into full view of the parking lot and turn to him. “That’s not what I meant,” I say. “I just meant?—”
“When I said family is important to me,” Abel cuts me off, turning to face me. “I didn’t say it had to be blood.” A beat passes before he continues. “In fact, I don’t give a shit, really, about my blood family—other than my kids. You should know that pretty well by now. After everything you’ve been through.”
The muscles beneath my shoulder blades clench. “What do you know of what I’ve been through?” I demand.
“Everything.” That lone word is a knife to my gut. He can’t meaneverythingeverything… can he? “I’m your lawyer, Juliet. Viks had to give me as much information as possible. So did Nolan. If there’s anyone you shouldn’t lie to—it’s your lawyer. So, yes, I know all about you. I know about your father. Your mother. Your relationship with the recently departed Morpheus Calloway…” He drifts off as a dark gray sedan pulls across the opening of the alleyway and parks a few feet away.
“You’ve had a rough time of it,” Abel continues, absently glancing at the waiting car. He starts walking again, moving out of the alley and into the lot. I can’t see who’s inside, the windows are too tinted, but the shape of the figure is male and broad.
“This town is small and contained. Places like Silverwood are behind the times when it comes to justice or protecting those who deserve and need it. I know—well, I guessknewbecause they’re different now—a few girls just like you. They needed the kind of family that could survive the fire.” He turns back to me. “Those boys? They’ll die for you. I gotta respect men like that because I’d do the same for my Rylie.”
I don’t respond. I don’t know what to say.
He smiles as if he’s not surprised by my lack of a reply.
“I said in the gym that you remind me of some of the other women in my life, and I meant it,” he says. “You remind me of my wife back when I first met her,” he admits. “Chip on your shoulder. Protective. Distrusting.”
