He shrugs, mischievous enjoyment pulling at his features. "If it works against me, it'll definitely work against anyone else. I have quite the reputation for getting into places I shouldn't be able to, you know."
And I do know.
One of the many things they've harped on about him over the last several months is how no one ever saw him coming or going. He was like a fucking ghost. I've seen the proof of it, how he moves through the apartment completely silently, appearing out of thin air.
“Let me help you."
The sincerity in his voice makes my chest feel heavy.
I can only imagine how many people around him right now allow him to be helpful, to be good. He's carrying a raincloud of violence above him, drowning in other people's opinions of him, without even enough information to really build his own.
If he needs this the way it sounds like he does, if heneedsto do something good to believe in himself in the sea of people who would run in terror from him, can't I give him this before I lock him out of my home and my life?
It doesn't mean forgiveness for what's happened, or that we're friends or anything. It's just mutually beneficial. He gets to do something that makes him feel better, and I get a security system that works.
"Fine."
He lights up, immediately getting to work pulling everything out of the boxes. He unfolds the extensive instruction sheet, flipping through it as he lays everything out methodically, perfectly aligned.
I settle into a stool, looking at every strange wire and unfamiliar contraption. In my haste, I basically just ordered an entire kit without paying attention to its contents.
For a few minutes, he works in silence, but then he looks up at me across the table and smiles viciously, "I think we should circle back to the whole jealousy thing."
I really, really don't want to talk about this.
I pretend gag, "Please. I'mnotjealous."
He laughs, situating something I don't even recognize. There's no way I could have put this together myself. "I don't believe, for even a single second, that you think I was somehow taking advantage of her."
"Cormac."
"She was never an employee," he continues anyway. "But an independent contractor. She had just as much power as I did when it came to our professional relationship. And from my records, our agreement was terminated back in October of 2021, which from myunderstanding, is before the business really turned into what it is now."
I don't answer, not sure what I could say even if I wanted to. October of 2021 was right around the time we met. So he would have been looking for a lawyer, and it just so happened he found me.
"So, now that you know it wasn't anything as malicious as you're pretending it might have been," he taunts, "do you feel better about it?"
No.
"Yup," I lie.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," I need him to drop this now. I can't stomach continuing this conversation.
He looks back down at his hands, working on the wired piece of metal, "I'm gonna let you keep thisonelie, just because I think you're so fucking cute right now with your face all red and the angry little lines running down your nose scrunched up."
"How big of you," I mutter.
He glances up again, smiling ear to ear, "Yup. Just like that. Adorable."
Chapter 18
Romeo and Romeo
CORMAC
Setting up the security system for her was either the worst idea I've ever had or the best.
