Page 9 of Trust Me

“Don’t you dare blame her mother …” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Never mind, Wallace. Call your daughter sometime, okay? She doesn’t need anything. She’s taken care of, but the least you can do is let her hear your voice occasionally.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. I have to go.”

He hangs up without another word. I stare at my phone, wondering if I’m doing the right thing by encouraging him to reach out to her. Wallace is just like our father, Wallace Sr. All they know how to do is use people for their own gain and toss them aside when they’ve gotten what they want.

I believe that’s the real reason behind Eve’s mother’s death. She died during birth, but I’m sure it was from a broken heart and embarrassment once she found out my brother used her for the millions of dollars she’d inherited.

My niece is the only family I have. It was rare for me to make friends since I moved so much in my younger years. Also kind of hard to form genuine relationships when you’ve been taught to lie and withhold yourself from others unless they can do something for you. Hence the reason, I don’t have close friends or a family outside of my eleven-year-old niece.

I refuse to let Eve end up like that, which is why I can’t go to jail. She has no one but me, and I won’t let her go back to my brother so he can use her in whatever schemes he’s running.

Eve will never know the life I knew growing up.

CHAPTER3

Riley

The vibrating phone on my desk jolts my attention away from the email I’m typing. I purse my lips when I see the number that flashes across the screen. I go to press ignore, but I know the son of a bitch will keep calling … or worse, he’ll show up at my office again.

I press the app on my phone to record the call before answering.

“What?” I answer.

“This is the third time I’ve called you this morning,” Dean Walsh responds tersely.

“It’s the middle of the week, and I’m busy.”

“Too busy to stay out of jail?”

I clamp my jaw tightly, biting back the retort that wants to break free.

“The clock is ticking. I want regular updates. It’s been weeks, and you’ve given me jack shit. You’re not even working at Townsend yet. What the hell is going on?”

I press my back against my chair and stare at the ceiling. “These things take time.”

“It didn’t take time when you scammed Brendan.”

Guilt settles in the pit of my stomach. It took me months to work Dean’s friend—the same friend who must’ve told Dean everything. Now Dean not only had evidence from Brendan Chastain, but he also had the incentive to use it against me.

“What have you gotten on them so far?” he demands.

There’s a knock on my door. Charlotte, my assistant, pops her head in with an innocent smile. “I’m about to order lunch from Ralph’s. Do you want anything?”

“Turkey club.”

“Sure thing.” She pulls back to shut the door. Right when I release a breath, she sticks her head back in. “Oh, and don’t forget you have to finalize that report from that job a few weeks ago. The company’s asking for it.”

“Right after lunch.”

She nods and closes the door.

“Why are you calling me at work?” I demand in a hushed voice.

“Because you’ve been avoiding my calls and haven’t given me shit. I know those fucking Townsends are lowlife criminals, and you’ll prove it for me.”

“Look, Kyle Townsend is very private and controls whoever gets close to him. He’s not like your friend.”

Brendan Chastain is the son of a Hollywood director and a famous actress. He’d tried his hand at acting, but even the star power of his parents couldn’t overshadow his utter lack of talent for long. He spent most of his time getting paid for nightclub appearances based on his famous last name.

---