“He died, Luna.”
“That’s not my issue,” she snapped, shoving back in her chair and standing.
“Itis,” I said, staying seated, hands clenched in my lap.
“It’snot,” she barked as she paced around the room.
“Luna, it’s inyourname.”
She froze mid-step, spinning on her heel. “Whatis?”
“The fucking house,” I said. “Arthur left it to you and me somehow. The only way I can legally close out the estate is if you come down there and sign the damn paperwork.”
“Beat his house?” She barked out a laugh. “Get the fuck outta here, Jer. Not happening.”
“I’m serious, Luna.”
“Just take the L on this one, Jeremy. I’m not setting foot in that shithole.”
“Ican’t!” I stood up, the chair groaning with the sudden movement. “Ican’tsimply take the L, Luna.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Youcan.You just don’t want to.”
“No. You have no fucking idea what I’ve been through these past almost five goddamn years.”
“Oh, here we go?—”
“I’mbroke,” I shouted, louder than I meant to. “I haveno money.I spent everything I had trying to keep that bastard alive. On his chemo, on his pills, on the hospital beds and wheelchairs. I gaveeverythingto a man who never gave a shit about me, and then he goes and dumps the one thing he had leftto both of us.”
Luna blinked at me, mouth parting, but nothing came out.
“Ineedthat house sold. I need the money. Not for drugs, not for a bottle, not to disappear again,” I added quickly. “I need it to live. To fucking survive. So yeah, thisisyour problem.”
“Jeremy . . . ”
“No, you don’t get to ‘Jeremy’ me,” I snapped, dragging a hand through my hair. “I came here with paperwork, not a goddamn proposal. I’m not trying to win you back. I need your signature and your time.”
She crossed her arms, robe slipping off her shoulder. “My time?” She scoffed. “You think Iwantto walk back into that house?”
“I’m asking foronefucking favor. One. Come down there. Walk back into that house and help me close it out. That’s all.”
She shook her head, jaw clenched, like she was ready to throw something at me. “Don’t do that. Don’t twist this like I haven’t already given you everything.”
“Yourippedmy heart out, Luna.”
“No. I fucking helped you. I helped youseeyou were at your lowest and needed help. You’re sober now.”
... Okay. That one hit and hard because she had a valid point.
I blinked and took a step back, scrubbing my face with both hands. “Fine. Fair. I’ll give you that. But I needonemore thing from you. One thing, and then I’ll be out of your life forever.”
She stilled. “What?”
I met her eyes, let the silence stretch until it hurt. “You and Dirks. I’ll leave and never come back.”
She sucked in a breath. “B-but... what if I don’t want you out of my life?”
I shook my head, pressing my back against what looked like the back door. “I can’t do this again. I need this. Don’t change the subject.”
