I made a promise to myself that day.
I would get into law school.
I would do what I could to fix the system.
And I would forever work my ass off to repay what Patrick Wheat did for me.
He saved me from dying, and I would not forget that. I would not allow his sacrifice to be in vain.
CHAPTER 4
Sometimes I think to myself, why am I such a bitch? Then I just laugh hysterically and carry on with my bitchy self.
-Swayze’s secret thoughts
SWAYZE
Six weeks later
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t help you,” he said. “The people in this town…”
The people in this town were corrupt.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” my stepdad asked.
Trick’s eyes flicked from the table to Errick’s eyes. “Take care of my sister.”
“I’m appealing it,” Errick promised. “I’ll get it fixed.”
Trick didn’t look like he believed that my stepfather could make it happen.
He might not be able to. But he would try. He would never stop trying.
As long as he had breath in his body, he would fight for Trick. Because Trick had saved me. And I may not be his blood, but I mattered to my mom. And Errick worshipped the ground my mother walked on. In turn, that devotion extended to me by default.
“Don’t bother.” Trick stood up, his eyes meeting mine for a full thirty seconds. “It won’t matter.”
With that, he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving us reeling.
“I won’t stop.” Errick patted my shoulder.
I felt like crying.
“I won’t,” Errick promised.
I stood up, too, feeling sick to my stomach.
That was a constant feeling over the last year. One that I was trying to come to terms with and not accomplishing it.
By the time we got home, he went immediately to work.
I went to my room and researched places to stay in South Royalton, Vermont where I could go to college, then start law school during my last semester.
That would be within driving distance of Montpelier, which was where Trick’s sister was.
Therefore, I could always be close if she needed me.
That was the only way at this point that I could make it work. For Trick.
PART II
CHAPTER 5
I either give too many fucks, or no fucks at all. I cannot find a middle ground of fucks.
-Swayze to Trick
SWAYZE
“Who is that?”
I stiffened at the intrusion of my personal space.
I narrowed my eyes and glanced over my shoulder. “I’m sorry, did I not hear you knock?”
The man behind me, my assistant Jayco, shrugged. “No.”
“Then why are you in my office?” I asked.
Still, to this day, I was intimidated by powerful men. And Jayco was big, built, and could swat me down like a fly if he wanted to.
Still, he’d come highly recommended and I’d needed an assistant that I wouldn’t have to train.
I’d been slammed with business after a high-profile case that I’d defended, and ever since, I hadn’t been able to rest a single second.
Hence the reason Jayco was there, even though he was a pain in the ass and I wasn’t sure that I liked him as of right now.
“Why is there a mugshot of a hot guy on your computer?” he pushed.
Because that hot guy made my days worth living.
“Because it’s a reminder,” I mumbled. “Now, next time, please knock. I’m busy here.”
I wasn’t busy. I was daydreaming.
Why?
Because Trick Wheat was out of prison.
I wasn’t sure how. I wasn’t sure why. But I knew he was out.
I made it a point to always know where Patrick Wheat was.
Trick.
The man that had changed my life twelve years ago.
The man that had saved me.
The man that was…
“He’s hot as hell,” Jayco admitted. “Rawr.”
I gritted my teeth, pinching my nose with annoyance. “Jayco.”
“Oh.” Jayco bounced over to me. “There is a phone call for you on line one.”
Son of a bitch.
I reached for the phone and placed it to my ear, then hit the button for line one.
“This is Swayze Marrin.”
“Swayze,” the deep, rough voice said. “Why is my sister in Texas?”
Because she asked me to come.
I hadn’t heard the voice in twelve years. Twelve long, frustrating years.
But I knew that it was Trick without him having to announce himself.
That voice.
God, it’d done something to me the moment that I’d heard it thirteen years ago, too.
I cleared my throat, trying to control my heart rate.
“There’s a home that she wanted to live in,” I explained. “It is a community-type of living. Somewhere where she can be independent, take college classes, do whatever she wants pretty much.”
There was a long pause as he digested my words.
“I don’t want her down here,” he growled.
I knew what he meant by that.
“Your mother didn’t come with her,” I expounded.
His mother was a piece of work.
The moment that I’d met her when I’d moved to Vermont, I’d known why Trick had resigned his commission.
She was awful.
She hadn’t questioned my sudden appearance in her daughter’s life.
“That’s good to know,” Trick growled. “I want you to stay away from my sister. I’m home now. I got this.”
My heart dropped in my chest.
“O-okay,” I said. “I’ll stay away.”
It would be hard, but I could do it. For Trick.
I’d do anything for Trick.
“She calls, you don’t answer,” he pushed.
I closed my eyes. “I’ll explain that you don’t want me around anymore.”
“You do that,” he said. “Make her leave you alone.”
I looked at Trick’s mugshot on my laptop.
“Okay,” I replied softly.
He hung up without saying goodbye.
I gently placed the phone in its cradle.
“Who was that?” Jayco asked, sounding curious.
Why was he still in my office?
I ignored him and went back to work. Eventually he got the hint and left.
But not before placing a stack full of file folders on the corner of my desk.
I glared at them, then got back to work.
But my heart wasn’t in it.
Not today.
I pretended to work for another hour before I decided that it just wasn’t going to happen today.
Tomorrow, I would start over fresh.
Tomorrow, I would make this work.
But today? Well, today I was going to feel my sadness.
I went to my favorite bar to drown my sorrows.
CHAPTER 6
I really have a good heart. I’m just a little mean.
-Swayze to Trick
TRICK
Living without structure was weird.
I didn’t have anyone telling me when I could shit. When I could eat. When I needed to go to bed.