Page 105 of In Love and Revenge

‘Try me.’

‘I don’t think—’

‘Tell me,’ I urge.

She shakes her head with a sigh. ‘Okay, fine. You want to know what it’s like to have the one family member you have taken from you? And what it’s like to have the press make out the person you love more than anything in the world is a criminal? Or that people will tell you how disgusting he is and look at you like they expect you to agree with them? You want to know all of that?’

I hold her eyes, and her chest rises with angry breaths as she continues. ‘And you want to know what it’s like to fight every day since he was convicted, searching for something that will help him? Something that will finally bring him home, where he belongs. But getting nowhere because you’re not smart enough? You don’t ... you don’t understand what it’s like to lose your father.’

Guilt bites low and vicious at my gut as her face falls.

‘You’ve been looking into his case?’ I ask.

Her expression hardens and she presses her lips together before nodding.

‘And how’s that going?’

She grimaces.

‘You’re resourceful. Not to be underestimated. You’ll be making progress, even if you think you’re not,’ I say.

Her expression softens from my compliment, even though I can tell she’s fighting against it. She’s a beautiful thorn that they won’t see coming. Sideline them with beauty, then slash them at the knees. She doesn’t realise the power she has.

‘Stop being nice to me, it’s weird.’

‘You’d rather I was an arsehole?’

‘I’d rather you told the truth.’

‘The truth is I thought your father was guilty, and now I don’t. It’s as simple as that.’

She falls into silence as she processes my words, then finally she whispers, ‘Thank you. I appreciate that. And for you to finally believe in him gives me hope that other people will too. I thought you were a lost cause because, yeah, I agree, you are an arsehole at times.’

‘I like to think I have some redeeming traits.’

‘Debatable.’ A tiny smile plays on her lips as she returns to watching her programme.

I chuckle, then carry on answering work emails until the closing credits roll.

Groaning, I roll my neck out.

‘You okay?’ Aurora asks.

‘Fine. I just don’t understand why you want to sit on the floor when there’s a perfectly good sofa behind us.’

‘Aww, is it making your old bones hurt?’

The return of her usual snarkiness has heat spreading through my chest.

‘Thirty-nine isn’t prehistoric, and my bones are fine. But I appreciate your concern.’

Her eyes catch mine and she smirks, making my own lips twitch. She looks at me for a few seconds, then returns her attention to the TV.

‘Means you do like me,’ I murmur quietly, returning to my work.

‘Tolerate,’ she corrects. ‘And that’s being generous.’

This time my lips curl into a smile. ‘I’ll take it,’ I say, opening up another email.