He gives me a sideways look as I tell him to head toward Allie’s place. “You really care about her?” he asks, sounding surprised.
I grunt because I don’t have to justify my feelings for her to him.
He parks across the street from the mansion where she lives, and I recline my seat and settle in to wait. A glance at the clock shows me we have some time before she gets home. Henderson turns off the car and the silence between us stretches, becoming awkward.
“We ever gonna talk about—’
I cut him off. “No. There’s nothing to talk about.”
He sighs. “I fucked up.”
“That’s the understatement of the century.”
He turns toward me in his seat, nostrils flaring. “You’ve fucked up too, Rome. Don’t pretend like you’re some saint.”
“Never said I was,” I tell him. “But I’m learning from my mistakes. Trying to fix them. Can you say the same?”
His face tightens and he looks away, staring out the windshield. “I was in a bad place back then.”
I nod. I’m aware. I might not have been at the time. He was good at covering his tracks, keeping his nose clean, but I found out later what he’d been going through. “We made a deal,” I remind him. “You help me, we wipe the slate clean. But, Henderson.” I wait until he meets my gaze again, wanting him to see just how serious I am. “I won’t make this deal again. Whatever shit you still need to clean up, be sure that you do.”
He nods, not denying that he’s still in some shit he shouldn’t be.
Knowing I shouldn’t I ask, “You still doing?”
He shakes his head.
“Dealing?”
A pause and then a single sharp nod.
“Keep that shit away from her. Got it? She likes you. She doesn’t have many people here and she’s been through too much. Don’t let whatever you’re into rub off on her life.”
“I won’t. I would never—”
I snort. “Because it didn’t fuck up our lives either, right?” That quiets him and he exhales a harsh breath.
“I’m getting my shit in order. I just … need time.”
“It’s been a year and a half.”
“I know.” His jaw tightens. “But I have my reasons, and I’m working on it.”
I nod, letting the subject drop. We wait in silence for a few more minutes before Allie’s Audi comes into view.
“So, what’s your plan here?”
I turn to him and shrug. “I don’t have a plan. I’m winging it. If she’s okay to talk to me, make yourself scarce. I’ll find a ride back later. If she struggles, stick around and try not to listen as I pour my heart out on the fucking pavement.”
He frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, okay. I guess I can go with that.”
FORTY-ONE
Allie
I’ve been thinking about what Emilio said all day. I want to believe him. Believe that Roman misses me. It’s just so hard to do that when it was so easy for him to push me away.
I pull into my driveway and get out, my mind distracted, when I hear a voice behind me say, “Allie?”
