I shake my head. “I’m not going anywhere, so you might as well learn to deal now.”
His body stiffens and he crosses his arms. “I don’t have to learn to deal with anything. Now, I suggest you walk your ass out of my office before I call the police.”
“Tell me—” I stop mid-sentence as he picks up the phone. The police coming here after I’ve made a scene won’t be a good thing. It’s bad enough that the press will probably catch wind of my father’s overdose, so I don’t need to add fuel to the fucking fire. “Fine. I’ll drive around until I find her on my own.”
I turn and storm out of the room just as fast as I entered. I thread my fingers around the back of my head and growl in sheer frustration. My voice echoes through the large foyer, making me sound like some kind of rabid beast. More than anything I want to punch something hard. It takes every ounce of my strength not to turn march back in there and shove my fist in The Judge’s smug face.
I fling the front door open and once I’m outside, inhale deeply through my nostrils. “Fuck!”
“Yo, bro. Everything alright?” I jerk my head toward Gabe’s voice. He stands in his driveway with a sponge and bucket beside what I assume to be his car.
I shake my head. “I need to find Aubrey.”
He sets this bucket down. “She’s not with you?”
“No. She’s with Brady at some restaurant, and your father won’t tell me where to find them. I have to speak with her. It’s an emergency,” I say.
“Do you know which restaurant it is?”
I nod. “Some place they used to go to all the time in high school.”
Recognition registers on his face, and Gabe rubs his hands together, dusting them free of a few soap bubbles. “I haven’t started to wash her yet. Come on. I’ll show you how to get there.”
Finally I have someone willing to help me. Relief washes through me. “Thank you.”
Gabe nods curtly. “Let’s go.”
Once we’re a couple miles down the road, I allow my mind to wonder about my father and what his last few moments on this earth was like—if our family was the last thought he had. A familiar pang of guilt fills me as I allow the blame of his death to fall on my shoulders as well as my mother and sister’s.
I grip the steering wheel so tight my knuckles start turning white. Gabe glances over at my hands and then up to my face. “Everything okay, Riff? You seem tense. Did you and Aubrey have a fight?”
A sigh escapes me. It’s so fucking hard to talk about my family. Aubrey is the only person that’s got me to open up. That’s why I need her right now. I need her with me. I have to hang on to the last thing I have left in this world with both hands—to hell with the Judge. If wants to destroy me, let him fucking bring it.
I finally shake my head. “No. Aubrey and I are great. There’s just been a…death in the family. I need to leave right away.”
“Oh, man. I’m really sorry. Were you close to the person?” Gabe questions, genuine concern in his voice.
I swallow hard and feel it’s best to be honest as I can be with him. “Not really, but I’m the next of kin and I have to identify the body.”
“Ouch, that’s rough. Were they your uncle or something?”
I keep my eyes focused on the road in front of me and concentrate on keeping my emotions in check. “My father.”
I’m glad when Gabe doesn’t press me any more on the topic, and he continues directing me to the restaurant. “Pull in the valet station. It’s the only way to park in this city.”
I hop out and toss the valet the keys. “Leave it here and keep it running. I’m not staying.”
Soft piano music and the smell of fine Italian food waft through the air, while the over-dressed wait staff scurries about with trays of food. Jesus, this is where they hung out in high school? That shit-stain Brady must have a loaded family too.
I crane my neck around the hostess podium to get a good look at the dining room. My eyes sweep the room, landing on the back of Kitten’s red hair. I take a couple of steps in her direction, but the tall, slender hostess with long dark hair steps in front of me. “Can I help you, sir? Do you have a reservation?”
There’s no way she’s stopping me from getting to my girl. “This will only take a second. I’m not staying.”
“I can’t let you go in there looking like that.” The woman rakes her eyes down my body with a sneer of disgust.
I glance down at the t-shirt and jeans I’m wearing and roll my eyes. “I said I’m not fucking staying, so move.”
I don’t stick around to argue with this chick. Nothing she says is going to stop me from walking the last ten feet before me to get to Aubrey.
“Sir…you can’t. Please, sir—” I hear the woman’s voice behind me fade into the distance. All that matters now is getting to my world.
Two seconds later I pause mid-step as I get close enough to see Brady’s hand resting on top of Kitten’s. Brady’s arm stretches across the table and he’s massaging the side of her hand with his thumb. My blood boils instantly. How the fuck can she do this to me? Doesn’t she know she’s my fucking world? How can she let that ass-wipe paw her like that?
We’ve been apart less than a fucking hour and she’s allowing this to happen? How am I going to trust her when I’m on the road for months on end? I can’t believe I was stupid enough to believe this relationship was fucking real.