“You can help.” I cut him off, not needing any excuses. “You’re the best at what you do. Believe me, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
He clasps his hands, his spine elongating. “So, you want to pay a retainer for a friend, and then what?”
“If they come to you or Kat seeking help, you do it pro bono. This stays between you and me.” Sarah would never let me do this.
“And you’ll foot the bill?” One dark gray eyebrow raises. “Son, you don’t need to pay—”
“I’m not your son.” I have no doubt he didn’t mean it that way, but he needs to reserve that word for when it fits. “I asked for your help once, and you hid behind your job and family instead. I’m long past wanting anything from you. This is a business arrangement, that’s it.”
He exhales, leaning back in his chair, his gaze dropping to his desk. “I tried to help her. I offered to pay medical bills, give her money for groceries, for your school, make arrangements for Krissy—”
“Stop.” My fists squeeze tight, not wanting to hear it. He didn’t do shit but let my mom spend her short life pining after a man who’d only loved her in the dark.
His eyes meet mine. “I cared about your mother very much.”
“Not even close to enough,” I spit back. “I’m not here to talk about her or whatever kind of messed-up arrangement the two of you had. You chose your family. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect mine.”
“Does Krissy know?”
I shake my head. “It’d only break her heart more than it already has been.”
“What if I’d like to—”
I scoff. “If you think for one second I will let you near her when we both know she’d just be another secret you’d have to figure out how to manipulate and control, you clearly don’t know me and what you’d be risking.” I don’t give a fuck who he is. He'd better stay far away from Krissy. “She and Mom deserved so much better than you.”
He nods, his jaw clenching, not liking my tone or the facts.
“Are you going to let me hire you or not?”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Does this have to do with Sarah?”
I stare at him, unwilling to give him any more information than he needs until I know where we stand.
His eyes drop to his desk. “I saw you leave the pub with her the other night. Is she having trouble with her ex?”
“How do you know anything?”
He leans back in his chair. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I don’t need specifics to know when someone has been pulled through the wringer.”
“If she comes to you, you help her.” I’m not asking this time. “I promised myself I’d never come to you for anything again, but Sarah needs your help.”
“I tried to help your mom, but she refused. I would’ve done anything I could.”
Except love her back.The truth is a hit square to the chest.
He inhales and lets it out. “I’ll do whatever I can to help Sarah.”
“I’ll expect an invoice fromyour assistant.”
He nods once, and that’s all I need. I’m ready to get out of here as fast as I can.
“Slade.”
I stop in his doorway, dragging my gaze to the man who chose his wife and other kids.
“Your mom did one hell of a job raising you. Far better than I ever could have.” His gaze locks with mine. “I know you don’t care, but I’m proud of the man you are. You’ve done an amazing job raising Krissy.”
I’d like to ask him how the hell he knows, but I don’t care enough. “You just stay on your side of the city, and we’ll stay on ours.”
