“You know what?”Avery took a deep breath.“Fuck off.”
I applauded her loudly and after a second, Logan joined in.The absolute insanity of this moment was doing in my head, but I couldn’t help grinning.
Chapter 5
Logan
Miles and I applauded his fiancée’s nerve, watching Mr.Winters’ face turn purple there on the grand, floodlit driveway.The unreality of this moment made me dizzy.This was so far from my imagined apology-meeting with Miles it felt inconceivable.Also felt way better than it should’ve, him and me working together to outsmart the man now sputtering and calling his daughter names.
“I’ll throw your clothes in the trash,” Winters blustered.“You’ll never see your mother’s diamonds again.”
“I don’t care,” Avery said.“Throw them in the trash too.”
“They’re worth over two hundred grand.Beautifully matched stones that took months to find.”Winters stared at her.
“What part of ‘I don’t care’ wasn’t clear?”Avery’s eyes glittered.I didn’t know her well enough to tell if that was hurt or anger.“You could give them to the golf charity.Apologize for making such a scene.”
“Ididn’t make a scene,” Winters bellowed.“You did.”
“Then you should be glad I’m leaving.”Avery pivoted away.“Goodbye, Dad.”
Miles fell in at her right shoulder, so I stuck close on her left.
“Don’t you walk away from me!”Winters shouted as Avery trudged down the drive between us.“Get back here!”He called herbitchandwhore, lunging after us.
Miles whirled and stepped between them.“Don’t you touch her.”I’d never seen Miles really angry before, but I’d have stopped as short as Winters did in the face of Miles’s fury.“Keep your fucking hands to yourself.”
“Your car’s not going anywhere,” Winters blustered.“I’ll have it towed.Don’t you dare walk away.”
Avery laughed without turning, sounding bitter.“I’d walk on broken glass for ten miles to get out of here.”
“You don’t have to,” I told her softly as she trudged on, leaving her father raging impotently behind us.“My car’s down on the street.I’ll give you a lift wherever you’re going.”
Miles added, “And I’ll carry you down there like a princess, if you like.Save those bare feet.”
“I’m not letting him see me weak,” Avery said.“But I’ll definitely take the ride.Sorry about your car, Miles.”
Miles shrugged.“Meh.I can afford to get it out of impound, and if he damages anything, his insurance will pay.No worries.”
Winters receded in the background as we strode toward the gate, still yelling slurs I’d punch someone for using about my family.
Miles said, “He’s repeating himself.No imagination.”
Avery’s snort sounded half laughter, half tears, but she jerked her head higher and kept going.As we neared the main gates, they swung shut, presumably triggered by a remote in Winters’ limo.Avery punched a code into the panel beside the human-sized door next to them and pulled it open.
Miles held the door for her and me to pass through, and swung it shut with a clang behind himself.“Where are you parked, Logan?”
I gestured left.“Next house that way.”
Miles said, “We’re far enough away now.You want a lift, Aves?I bench press twice your weight.”
The image of her cradled in his arms like some fantasy princess made me say, “I’ll go start the car and turn on the heater.”I sprinted the half block, popped the locks, and got in.A quick check of the back seat reassured me there wasn’t too much crap and I cranked the heat to seventy-five.
When I glanced in the rearview mirror, Avery was still limping along on her own two feet.She had more grit than I’d expected from those ethereal online photos.Miles opened a back door, and I twisted over the seat to say, “You should both get in back there.Miles, try to warm her up.I think there’s a blanket in the footwell somewhere.”
“Thanks.”Miles shut Avery’s door, jogged around, and climbed in beside her.“Here, Aves, wrap this around you.Come on.Turn sideways and you can put your feet in my lap.I’ll warm them.”
I faced forward resolutely.“Where to?”
