I sat in on the impromptu meeting Nikita had with Devin. It was short because he seemed happy with everything she’d put together.
“If I was ten years younger, I’d jump him,” she said standing next to me as we watched him leave, walking through the office to the elevator.
“He’s a client.”
“I wouldn’t care.” She looked at me with a grin. “Some things are more important. I imagine he’s really good in the sack.”
You have no idea, I thought.
“I feel sorry for him though,” she said.
“Really? Why?”
“His life isn’t really his.”
I frowned at her. “What do you mean?”
“I bet no one asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up because his future was already decided. He had no choice but to go into the family business.”
He’d said similar things, but I’d gotten the impression that he was trying to carve his own life now. Didn’t he say he’d leave his family before he’d marry the woman they’d picked?
“Have you ever met his mother?”
I shook my head. I wondered what number of lie that was. I seemed to be telling them at an increasing pace.
“She’s a piece of work. We’re lucky she’s preoccupied with his father, because she was always a challenge. You’ll notice how happy I was that you were tapped for the anniversary party. She’s domineering and runs that family with a clenched fist.”
“I didn’t have to deal with her,” I said.
“Good. She’d have sent you running and screaming to a new career.”
Devin finally disappeared into the elevator.
“Whoever marries him will have earned her angel wings to put up with her.”
The image of Mrs. Roarke telling me not to go to Europe with Devin, and then later, how angry and cruel she’d been when I told her I was pregnant flashed in my brain. Just like I was unable to resist Devin when he was with me, the memory of his mother made my decision to keep Andrew from them easier.
14
Devin
As I rode the elevator down in Serena’s building, I didn’t feel any clearer about what the hell was up than when I arrived. She said her concern was with her job. It seemed like a legitimate concern, and yet, I couldn’t help the feeling that there was more to it. Or something else. She was still hiding something. The smart thing to do would be to give her an ultimatum; come clean or let me go. Yet every time I started to walk, inside I was hoping to hell she’d ask me to stay. When she’d reach for me, I felt like we were in a little piece of heaven. For a short time, the world was just made up of me and her and it was sweet perfection. And then, before I could even withdraw my body from hers, I’d see the walls rise in her eyes. It was fucking frustrating. I couldn’t figure out why I was bothering except that the idea of not seeing her was something I didn’t want to consider.
When I arrived home, I remembered that the origin of her running off was in thinking that I was engaged. It was one thing if my mother had said it, but apparently Bri had said something. It was time I cleared things up with her too.
“Oh Devin, good you’re home. Brianna is going to be here for dinner tonight for once. Will you join us?” my mother said from her sitting room as I headed through the foyer to the stairs.
“Yeah. I have a few things I need to talk to you all about.”
“Oh? Good news?”
“I suppose that depends.” I started taking the stairs up to my room. I changed into shorts and a t-shirt and then went to the gym at the back of the house. I ran on the treadmill, pushing myself to relieve the emotional tension building in my body. Afterward, I took a sauna and then a shower. My muscles were relaxed, but my brain was still ruminating on what the hell to do about Serena.
At dinner time, I walked into the formal dining room that felt a lot like a museum. That was the problem with my family, I thought. We were so focused on image that we lacked warmth, not just in how we interacted but in how we lived.
I pulled out my phone and texted my real estate agent about the sale of the apartment. While I was in Europe, I got the message that the seller accepted my offer. Now I just needed to close the deal and move.
Close Friday. I’ll be at your office at 10. Move in any time after that, my agent responded.