Knox
* * *
My father and I are driving down to see my brothers at the University of Delaware. It’s about an hour’s drive and we use it to catch up with each other since I've seen little of him since I’ve been back in town.
“Kat is chomping at the bit to have you come back down to Florida,” he tells me.
“She called you?”
“We were talking about a client and she asked how you enjoyed being home which was code for when is Knox coming back?”
“I never really gave her any specifics about this visit. She doesn't like not knowing what my plan is. It's funny, I think you two have a lot in common.”
“You must have been doing your thing down there for her to be acting like this.”
“Yeah, I guess so. She liked how I handled certain clients.”
“Did you have to knock some heads around down there?” He asks and I think he's almost afraid to hear the answer. If I had to guess, I think my father is conflicted about having me in the family business.
“A little bit, but not that much. Aunt Kat says I have the gift of persuasion, which makes her life a lot easier. Less complications. Less clean up.”
“Understood. I could probably use a little of that magic dust you possess up here too if you decide to stay. Your Uncle Cutter is usually my persuader, but he’s busy with other projects right now. It could be the perfect fit for you. You know, if that's what you want to do.”
I think about how torturous it would be for me to live in the same city as Gigi. I couldn't do it and not be with her.
“I haven’t lived in Philly for a long time, Dad. I think my life might be back in Miami.”
I keep checking the screen of my phone to see if Gigi has tried calling me but she hasn’t. I don’t know if I’m sad about it or fucking pissed.
“Your uncle tells me that Gigi was in some sort of danger at work.”
My head pops up and over to my father who’s at the wheel.
“Who told him that?”
“Gigi told him.”
Dammit, she threw me under the bus again. I was supposed to be the one to tell my uncle about Jake but she begged me not to.
“He was planning on talking to you about it at the meeting last night but you left.”
“I handled it,” I assure my father. “She’s fine.”
“You handled it, but you didn’t tell any of us about it? I taught you better than that, Knox. We don’t keep things from each other in this line of work. Secrets can get you killed.”
“It wasn't a dangerous situation and she didn’t want me to say anything. She knew Aunt Jade would have made her come home. I had to respect that.”
“So, you listened to the client instead of sticking to the code of this work?”
“She’s not a client, Dad. It’s Gigi.”
“I don’t give a good goddamn who it was. I sent you to that apartment to protect her.”
“And I did!”
I slam my fist against the body of the passenger side door.
“What’s going on, Knox?” Dad asks in an accusatory manner.
