Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dylan
The remaining scotch in my glass isn’t enough to crush the onslaught of emotions that hit me with the force of a hurricane.
I scrub a hand over my face.
I thought it was a broken ankle. It was so much worse.
I’d bet everything I have that she has no idea that I’m the cause of that suffering.
If she had a clue, she wouldn’t be sitting here sharing a drink with me. I cost her the chance to pursue a future in professional dance. I may have cost her more.
“Dylan?” Her voice lures my gaze back to her. “I just wanted you to know why my nose looks different, and my chin. It’s because of the accident.”
It’s because of me.
I was supposed to drive her home that night. I made that promise to her dad, but my arrogant immaturity got in the way, so she got in a car with her boyfriend.
“You still look like you,” I point out.
Her full lips tug up into a smile. “I know I do, but maybe I look different enough that you didn’t recognize me.”
“You know that’s bullshit.” I chuckle. “I looked at your yearbook photo earlier. You haven’t changed that much.”
“Earlier as in today?” Her brows peak with interest. “You were looking at the yearbook today?”
“For the first time since we graduated.” I lean back in my chair.
“I haven’t looked at mine.” Her voice softens. “I don’t look at pictures from that long ago.”
From before the accident.
Barrett first got word of the car wreck when he called home to tell his mom that we’d landed safely in Paris. She didn’t have any details beyond news of Eden’s broken ankle and Clark’s busted arm.
I called Eden’s dad, my high school football coach. I expected his rage because I hadn’t followed through with my promise to watch out for his daughter and see her home safely that night.
I didn’t get rage. I got silence.
He never called me back, and I never faulted him for that.
I let him down. Given everything he had done for me, it was unforgivable.
I sure as hell have never forgiven myself.
“I took us off topic.” She lets out a deep and exaggerated sigh. “I should have told you who I was when we were dancing.”
She should have, but she didn’t.
“I don’t know what came over me.” Her hand darts to her chin. “I got caught up in the moment.”
I glance at the bartender, but her attention is laser focused on a guy sitting in front of her at the bar.
“Can we put it behind us?” Hope edges her words. “The Alcester case is important to Kurt and I promised him I’d do right by his client… our client.”
“Your client doesn’t deserve you.”
“My client has faults, but he’s a good man,” she says with conviction.
“Your client is a cheating coward.” The words spill out of me without any thought.
Christ. I need to temper myself around her. Eden is not like every other attorney I go up against.
I know her heart. She’s compassionate and caring. She was that one soul in high school who would befriend the kid nobody wanted anything to do with.
She rescued injured cats and worked at a homeless shelter on the weekends.
She’s everything I’ll never be.
She leans her elbows on the table. “You don’t know your client as well as you think you do.”
I scratch my chin. That lures her gaze to the light beard that covers my jaw.
“She’s not perfect, Dylan.” Her finger taps the table between us.
“You’re itching to say something, counselor.” I pat my chest. “I’m dying to hear what you think you know about my client that I don’t know.”
“You want me to hand my advantage over to you?” She pushes back in her chair. “That’s not going to happen.”
Seeing Eden like this is new for me. I like it. My cock fucking loves it. I’m hard as stone.
“Give me a hint.” I smirk, because I know she’s got nothing.
Trudy Alcester is almost as good of a person as Eden is. She’s a philanthropist, a faithful wife, and a devoted mother.
One of her husband’s mistresses blindsided her with a visit to their doorstep to expose his sins.
I got a call from Trudy the next day.
Eden’s gaze darts around the bar. “Just between the two of us, when you saw me at Veil East the other night, I was there looking for someone who knows your client.”
I can’t contain a hearty laugh. “Who the hell in that club would know Trudy Alcester?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “You’re just going to have to wait until I call that witness to the stand.”
What the fuck is this? A bluff?
I had Trudy swear on everything dear to her that she wasn’t hiding anything from me. I trust her, but what sorcery is Eden trying to pull.
“She hasn’t fucked around.” I motion for the bartender to bring me another scotch, but she can’t take her eyes off the guy she’s flirting with.
My phone pings in my jacket pocket just as Eden’s starts ringing in her purse.
“Duty calls,” she quips as she fishes in her bag.
I slide my phone out and glance down at the text on the screen.
Gunner wants a minute of my time to go over a case that we’re closing out this week.
He can wait.
Apparently, Eden’s client can’t.
I listen as she answers the phone in a cheery tone. “Troy? How are you?”
She rises to her feet, tossing me a wave as she points at her watch.
Chatting to the bastard about their next meeting, she turns to walk away.
Some of my questions were answered tonight, but not all. I’ll get Eden alone again before week’s end and when I do, business will be the last thing on my mind.