Page 48 of Pushed Through The Dark
"I know." Finishing the food, I placed my plate in the sink. "Leave the dishes. You cooked, I'll clean up later." Checking the time on my watch, I tapped the glass surface. "But I need to get ready, the meeting is in an hour. I'll come to find you when it's done. Alright?"
"So, you're hiding me like Cinderella? You want me to stay out of sight?"
"That's not what I said, but you know the people I work with. I'm assuming you'd rather not be a part of it. I'm sure you've had enough."
"You're just realizing that now?" Huffing under her breath, she scraped her fork against her plate as her eyes were down. "Why do you work with people like that?"
"Because those people pay the bills. I don't get involved in their lives, it's none of my business."
Standing up, her back snapped straight as she strolled past me, purposely brushing her shoulder against mine. "The second you bought me, you got involved. You're one of them now, I hope you realize this." She walked away, taking one last look at me over her shoulder. "I'll be in my room."
She's wrong about that. I'm not one of them.
I didn't buy her for the same reasons men go to those auctions. I couldn't save all the girls, but saving one. . . Saving her was the one thing I could do.
The doorbell rang, forcing me back into work mode. Adjusting the cuffs on my sleeve, I pulled the door open.
"Gerry, you made it."
"Yeah, with no thanks to the dumb ass driver!" he yelled out to the silver car in my driveway. "The guy can't even follow simple fucking instructions." He stepped into my house before I even invited him inside. "I mean shit if you can't follow basic directions from a fucking computer, what good are you to me?" He laughed to himself as he pulled off his jacket and looked around. "Nice place, are we set to begin?"
"We are, Knox is already inside, so let's go." Holding out my arm, I directed him down the hall.
"Man," he said, folding his jacket over his arm as he looked around. "Looks like the plane business treats you well."
"I can't complain." Fanning out my arm, I said, "Right in here."
Knox was sitting back in one of the recliner chairs, sipping scotch on the rocks.
"Gerry, you remember Knox."
"Yes, Knox, good to see you again."
My brother nodded, slouching deeper into his seat as he took another full swig from his glass. He was still pissed about Alek. It was easy for me to see, my brother wasn't very good at hiding his feelings.
"I don't remember you being so quiet," Gerry said as he took the seat across from my brother.
"Yeah, well, not every day is the same," Knox answered as he stood briskly and walked to the bar. "Drink?" he asked Gerry.
"Sure."
"I'll take one too," I said, grabbing my folder with the plans I drew up for our prospective client.
"I bet you will." His voice was low, but I caught what he meant.
The second he got there, he started grilling me about the girl. He wanted to see her, borderline demanding me to serve her up on a silver platter, but I refused.
She wasn't some sideshow freak I was going to put on display for him or anyone else. That wasn't why I bought her.
Knox passed Gerry a drink, slamming the other one down on the table in front of me. "Here."
"Thanks," I said. Knox just grunted, dropping back into his chair with a full glass of his own. "So," Turning my attention back to Gerry, I asked, "You're looking for a small, two-seater, is that right?"
Opening the folder, I flipped through the loose pages.
"Yeah, something small, but I need room underneath." Gerry hissed as he took a sip, letting out a loud rush of air. "Woo, that's strong."
"Aged for the burn," I said. "What's the plane for?"
