I stare into his pretty green eyes. “Leave that to me.”
Saskia and Dino are waiting outside the hospital room when I exit.
“He wants to see you,” I say to Dino. While he enters, I take out my phone and research the meaning of Venus out of boredom. I’m pleased when I see the result…
‘a primordial creature encapsulating war, death and destruction as well as the life-giving powers of sex, born out of an endless black night before the beginning of the fucking world.’
Sounds about right.
“The money is in your account,” says Saskia, making me look up. “For the job.”
“It was botched,” I say, closing my phone up and putting it away. I had already decided not to charge her.
“Done is done,” she shrugs.
I stare at her. “Alright.”
“And I wanted to give you my blessing.”
“Blessing?”
“For the boys. I’ve seen the way they look at you, and you them. I know they asked you to make a choice, but let me give you a piece of advice, woman to woman. Pick them all.”
“I’m not sure it works like that,” I say, frowning at her.
She laughs. “Since when have you given a fuck what you’re supposed to do.”
I don’t get to reply because Dino is coming out of Lorcan’s room with murder written on his face. Saskia rolls her eyes and walks toward Lor’s room just as Dino storms off.
She looks back. “Well, go after him. The puppy’s probably crying, thinking no one loves him. Prove him wrong.”
“We’re here. Want me to come in with you?” Dino asks as we pull up outside St Michael’s.
The building used to be a grand stately home. Except for the board outside welcoming you to the community, pointing in the direction of clinics, offices, wards and rooms, and the electric fence surrounding the fifty acres, you’d think this was an exclusive holiday resort for the rich.
In a way, I guess it is.
I shake my head at Dino. If I’m going to see Jude one last time, I want to do it alone. Funny how things turn out. Jude was the last one I’d ever thought would make me notice his absence. But it’s like a black hole in my soul. The bastard has somehow wormed his way under my skin and won’t go away.
The receptionist takes my name and the security guard takes my phone and keys. Along one side of the wall as you walk in is frosted glass, separating the main reception from the crazies and addicts. I walk next to that frosted glass as an orderly shows me to a room. It’s a lounge room with two sofas, fake plants, and an imitation fireplace.
Two minutes later, Jude enters. He’s in normal clothes, a t-shirt and jeans. But he doesn’t have a belt or even any styling product for his blond hair. I smile sweetly and greet him, playing the part of his girlfriend. It was the only way they would let me visit him.
“You’re in so much trouble,” I hiss at him under my breath, keeping the smile plastered on my face as I walk up to him.
He grabs my waist and pulls me to him, much to the frown of the orderly standing at the door. He gives her a finger and then seals his lips on mine. He tastes of chemicals and smells like soap. He doesn’t smell like Jude. What drugs are they giving you?
“Relax, it’s my choice,” he sneers as he pulls away, pupils larger than normal.
A choice I still don’t fucking understand. “I still don’t get why you’re doing this.”
“Prison will break Dino. You don’t know him like I do. He’ll never recover.”
“And you will?”
“My life was over before it even started, babe.”
Fucking rich boys. Why are they always so fucking dramatic. I snort. “When will they let you out?”