Eight Long Years (Heart of Hope 5)

“Don’t, April. Don’t you dare try to make me feel sorry for him. He knew what he was doing. He was selfish and cruel.”

“Yes. And I don’t want you to feel sorry for him. I’m just trying to explain his behavior.”

Jude leaned forward. “I don’t give a fuck about August.”

I flinched, as I realized I didn’t catch just how angry Jude was. I supposed he tamped it down for Maya’s sake.

“What I care about is Maya,” he finished.

I nodded, well aware that he didn’t include me in what he cared about. “Yes. Of course.”

He sat back. “Why are you here?”

“What?” His question caught me off guard.

“I thought I’d have the night with Maya, and then August and then you showed up. Why did you come here?”

“I’d gone home to talk to August. He wasn’t home so I went to the office, when he wasn’t there, the only other place he could be was here. So I took a chance and came here.”

Jude finished his wine and looked at his glass like he wished he had more or something stronger. “What were you going to talk to him about? Going back to work for him?”

There was no missing Jude’s bitterness.

“Yes. I was going to tell him that I’d go back to work for the firm, not for him. That I’d do it only as COO, and not as an employee.”

Jude’s brow arched.

“I was also going to tell him to move out of the house, and give it to me and Maya. It’s time he figured out how to have his own life.”

Jude’s lips twitched upward slightly, and I told myself he was proud of my new found assertiveness.

“Finally, I was going to tell him to give me control of my part of the trust or I’d take him to court.”

“Good for you, April.” His tone was flat. He understood that what I was going to give up my relationship with him as part of my negotiation with August.

Jude stood and went back to the kitchen. I sat, wondering what was going to happen next.

When he returned, he ha

d a glass filled with something more potent looking than wine.

“And that’s what you’ll do when August returns with Maya?” he asked, continuing the conversation.

I shrugged. “I’m not sure anymore.”

He frowned. “Why not?”

“Things have changed.”

He simply looked at me.

“For one, I have a job already.” I held my breath as I waited to see his reaction. Would he tell me I didn’t? That I’d forfeited it when I walked out on him at Petal’s?

His steely blue gaze held mine.

“But I will tell him to give me my trust. I need to take control so that he doesn’t have leverage over me. He needs to learn to trust that me and Maya care for him, and he doesn’t need the money and control to keep us close.”

Jude sipped his drink, his eyes going flat as he did. “Blood is thicker than water.”