“Nah, more like stole one,” he says, closing the door behindthem.
Once we’re alone, Will places his palms flat on my desk. “Cary…”
I’m in no mood for a lecture. “Stay away from her,Will.”
He shakes his head. “Not possible. According to the state of California, I’m responsible for hersentence.”
I trap a sadistic laugh in mythroat.
And I’m responsible for herdestruction.
“She’s bad news. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to see her drag you downtoo.”
“I remember someone telling me the same thing about you five years ago,” he says, his dismissive chuckle pissing me off. “Look, I’m her probation officer, Cary. She’s not going to drag me down. We had a nice talk,” he admits, shrugging one shoulder. “She’s a little uppity, but she seemsharmless.”
“Yeah, so does a boa constrictor until it wraps itself around you and squeezes the life out of you.” The blatant contempt in my voice surprises me alittle.
So much for a pokerface.
“I don’t know what went on between you two or why you both looked like you’d seen a ghost when we walked in, but Shiloh West is my job now. I take my job very seriously,Cary.”
My head starts to pound. I’ve never considered a scenario where my best friend would run interference between a living nightmare and dead dream, but then again, anything’s possible when Shiloh isinvolved.
“Will, don’t insult my intelligence. I saw the way you looked at her. I know how every guy looks at her. For God’s sake, I thought Frankie was going to have to go jerk off just to redirect blood flow back to hishead.”
“Hell, man, I’m not blind. She’s Shiloh West. It doesn’t mean I can’t do my job and be professional. Besides, I can tell there’s something more to you two than you’re lettingon.”
He doesn’t ask what that something is, which gets under my skin even more. “Don’t worry aboutme.”
“I’m not. I’m worried abouther.”
“Shiloh can handle herself. She always has.” Then, just because he’s my friend, I offer a warning. “Be careful. That woman has a way of getting under your skin, and before you know it, she’s fucked you over. Then you’re ruined and you’ll spend your life dreaming how many different ways you can fuck herback.”
“Whatever she did, it’s over,” he says in a pitying tone I don’t appreciate. “She’s paying apenance.”
“There aren’t enough lifetimes for her to pay for all she’sdone.”
Dismissing me, Will glances at his watch. “I have to go. I need to track down a few deadbeat parolees. Don’t overschedule her, she has classes she has toattend.”
“Rehab, of course.” I smirk, settling back into mychair.
“You have no room to talk, Cary.” Reaching for the doorknob, he pauses and glances over his shoulder. “Don’t let a personal vendetta cloud your judgment onthis.”
“What the hell is that supposed tomean?”
“You told me you built this center from the ground up for your sister. Do you really think she’d approve of you using something bearing her name to hurt someoneelse?”
I should let it go, but hearing Ellie’s name stirs up unresolved bitterness. “Don’t drag old history intothis.”
“Yeah,” he counters, swinging the door open and turning his back to me. “Why don’t you listen to your ownadvice.”
* * *
Ten minutesof composing myself does nothing to quell the mix of opposing feelings swirling in my head. I stand up and sit down at least half a dozen times, trying to hold on to the hatred while ignoring any trace of affection I had forher.
I expected her to glide in here on her golden throne, and when she didn’t, something short-circuited in my brain. Something’s different about her, and it doesn’t fit in with my plans. I need that fragile look on her face to go away. Deep down, I know it’s fake. Nothing about Shiloh is genuine. It never hasbeen.
With a new resolve, I kick my office door open and head straight for her. I have to bite back a laugh when I find her huddled in the corner like some wounded animal, her palms pressed against the wall as the boys circle around her. She looks like a fish out of water—her mouth opening and closing like she’s gasping for air, just hoping someone pushes her back into familiarwaters.
