Hope walks into the lobby with a sense of purpose. I hope that’s a good sign. It’s better than I expect but then she glowers at me. “Dimitri…”
“You ready to leave?” I ask, unease settling in my chest.
Over her shoulder, I see her therapist watching me with something questioning in her face. It’s more than just a question. It’s a warning.
Of course, she fucking knows.
Jaxon always thinks he has shit under control. He thinks that he can control what people see, what they do, what they know. He thinks he can control all of it, but he can’t. How did he think that he’d get away with theft at an office like this?
“Let’s just go,” Hope finally huffs.
I offer her my hand and she takes it. She leads me out of the office and to the car.
Jaxon and Knox are busy apartment hunting, so it’s just the two of us at the moment. She glances at the backseat, pauses, then slides back into the passenger seat, just like she did on the way here.
“Buckle please,” I say as I get behind the wheel.
She does, but she shifts in the seat, leans back against the door and watches me like I’m a suspect in a crime. I’ve dealt with worse looks.
“Do you want to talk about what happened in counseling?”
“I don’t know,” she answers. “What do you already know?”
I sigh. “Jaxon.”
“So you know he stole my file. Did he share it with you? Did you read it?” she asks, obviously frustrated, flustered, and something else. It almost seems like she’s scared.
My brow furrows. “He showed us after your appointment. You know how he is. The mere idea that Dr. Grant knows more about you ticks him off.”
She narrows her eyes. “Did you read it?” she asks again.
I know she doesn’t want me to say yes. She’s practically begging me to say no. My throat goes dry, and I draw in a slow, steadying breath.
“Be honest, please,” she finally whispers.
This is going to bite me in the ass. “Yes. I read the file.”
“That’s personal. It’s all supposed to be personal! How could you all… One thing—one thing that you guys set up, a place where I’m supposed to be able to share everything without judgement, where I’m supposed to have control and you all just…”
“If she’s doubting you… or if she’s going to try to twist things, we want to know, Hope. I don’t want to miss something and loseyou again.” My last sentence is so soft, I’m not sure if she heard me.
Hope rubs her arms and looks out through the windshield. “I’m allowed to keep things from you.”
I clear my throat. “You are.”
“Without being bullied into giving up information. You guys don’t tell me everything. If you went to therapy, I wouldn’t break in to see if you talk about me or if you have regrets or nightmares or other things,” she insists.
“I know.”
“So please, please… I just… I need space. Not physically necessary, but I need to have something that’s just mine. I live with you guys, I… I’ve shared so much already,” she says, her anger slowly ebbing.
“If we would have known what Jax was doing, we would have stopped him. If you want my copy of the file, you can have it,” I offer.
“All of you read it?” Her face goes pale.
I nod once. “Jaxon might be the most impulsive. He might be the most willing to break the law or whatever but… but none of us want to lose you.”
JAXON
