Page 32 of Enemies to Lovers


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“Trust her with my life,” I said. “Because my brother trusts her with his.”

“You trust your brother that much?” she wondered.

“Don’t you?” I asked.

She thought about that for a long moment before she said, “I did. Before. But then they left me when I needed them the most, thinking that by them not talking to me, they’d force me to leave Joey. They punished me for going back by cutting me out of their lives. My dad was the only one that called daily for updates on how I was doing. Not even my mom called. None of them has been to visit Holt once since he was in the hospital, though.”

“Your dad hasn’t been by?” I asked, aghast.

Shad was never the type of person to ever let his family go.

Not even in prison did he miss a day writing them.

“Dad tried,” she admitted. “When he’d come to the door, I would turn the ringer off on the doorbell. He knocked, but Joey never heard him through his headphones. He always came by on a Wednesday, though, so it was easy enough to avoid him or plan ahead.”

That sounded like the man that I knew.

“So how’s it going to go living with your family?” I asked.

She grimaced. “I’m not going to.”

My brows rose. “Then what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to find a place soon, and hopefully sign a lease.” She shrugged. “But I’m certainly not living with my family. I love my dad, but I’m not ready to forgive my mom. It’s been a hard few months.”

I couldn’t imagine dropping my sister just because of a decision she’d made like that.

Would I have supported her decision had she been in Baker’s boat? Probably not. But I certainly wouldn’t have left her high and dry—especially with a new nephew. I would’ve been there, and shown my silent displeasure. I probably would’ve also beaten the shit out of Joey before he had much of a chance to hurt Baker, because I would’ve been bunking on their couch watching and waiting.

The moment he’d fucked up, I would’ve had him.

But I also didn’t have the same type of job that the Ritters had.

Speaking of jobs, Baker’s phone beeped, and she reached for it.

“Hold on,” she said. “Go get us another plate while I get this job figured out. It’s a big one I’ve been waiting for.”

I grinned and did as she said, filling the plate twice as high this time.

“Good, Silver. Y’all outdid yourselves,” I said as I refilled my plate.

“Agreed,” Webber murmured.

He was baby free, and I idly wondered where his kid had gone since Silver was still holding Holt, but I didn’t say anything.

Instead, I headed back outside, my lips twitching when I closed the door on Silver’s surprised look.

Webber never gave her compliments.

In fact, he tried hard not to acknowledge her at all.

“…You have to take this one. We’ve been working toward a company like this for years. They’re an easy, high-paying job. Plus, all of the job is through rural communities. No city-work at all.” Baker encouraged. “This would also be contractual as well. They guarantee four jobs a week, which we can put Kenny on. It’s guaranteed at-home-every-night, which he’ll need when his wife gives birth.”

I could hear Shad’s displeasure—he wanted to come home and help—but he understood her point.

I took the phone from her hand and said, “Take the jobs, Shad. I have her.”

I caught Baker’s eyes when I said that, and I watched something pass through them.