“Miss Holloway,” James smiles as she starts to get in.
“Claudia, you don’t have to?—”
“Shh, I can’t text and talk and think of two things at once,” she says, looking to James. “I’m coming.”
“Alright then,” he shuts the door.
“I don’t know what I’m going to be walking into. Larry never calls unless?—”
“The bruises?” She asks.
“He’s not usually physical. He’s only done that a few times.” James slides in. “And Larry never calls unless?—”
James speaks as he pulls away from the curb, “Your sister is demanding security let her in. She said she won’t leave until he lets her in, or she speaks to you face-to-face.”
“Claudia, this is going to put you on their radar even more.” I shake my head. “We can drop you off at?—”
“I’m going to be there for you, like you have been for me.”
“Deacon will?—”
She cuts me off. “I sent him a message. He knows I’m with you.”
“I—”
“Tonight, this, it’s … you’re my freaking sister.” Her voice quivers. “Neither of us asked for this, but you have to know how happy this makes me. You, whom I adore, are my blood? I’ve wished for that all my life; I pray Savannah has that one day. I have no reason to be upset.”
“You absolutely do, because same, but I needed a … moment.”And an Aleks to get through this.
“You’ve been carrying this, and one day I will lecture you on the fact that you should have come to me. That you didn’t have to carry this alone, but right now?” She shakes her head. “I have a lot of feelings that can wait to be sorted out. Until I can schedule a mini meltdown, I am going to be here for you.”
“I don’t want it to cause you any more issues than it —”
“If they already know or even if they haven’t a clue, either way I can go stand beside you.”
“If she has them with her still, Emma and Rathburn?”
“Bring it the fuck on,” she laughs.
James clears his throat, “It’s not my place to interject, but I’d suggest you keep that card in your back pocket. If they go to the board thinking it’s two against one, imagine their surprise when it’s not.”
“They will have the numbers either way if they have the board on their side, and my guess is they do.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself,” he chuckles. “If anyone can pull this off you can.”
“Stop being so… you. I’m still pissed at you.” I scold James.
“I’d rather you be pissed than go dark.” He states.
When James pulls up, Elena, Bianca, and Rathburn are standing at the door with an NYPD officer, beside them, and another in the squad car.
Eleven at night. My father is asleep by eight.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I mutter.
James exhales slowly. “This is procedural. Not an arrest. I will talk to them if you want.”
“No,” I say quietly. “I’ve got this.”
