didn’t.
“Classes today?” Cody asked.
Kim passed her brother a glance. “Three classes and study group.”
She didn’t bother to explain she was made to cut back her other two classes for her English minor, never mind Franco was demanding she give up college altogether. In his opinion, his wife didn’t need to concern herself with furthering her education when it wouldn’t be put to use. What he needed was for his wife to be at home, doing what she needed to do there.
Jesus.
The thought alone made Kim nauseous.
“You headed over to Franco’s later?” Cody asked.
Kim nodded. Of course she was going to Franco’s after she was done with her father. It was Friday, wasn’t it? That meant she had to know what Franco’s plans were for them over the weekend . Hopefully nothing . She couldn’t endure another round of hanging off his arm at some ridiculous event.
“Hey!”
Kim bit her inner cheek to keep from growling at her brother to leave her the hell alone. “What, Cody?”
“Talk to me. We never talk.”
“I wonder why,” Kim muttered.
Cody didn’t bite on the comment. “Mind if I catch a ride with you to Franco’s?”
“Why?”
“There’s a guest from New York scoping out a deal Dad and I got Franco in on. I need to be in on that, or at least a part of the discussions.”
Kim heaved a sigh. “Where’s your car?”
“In the shop. Somebody’s fucking dog didn’t get out of the way in time and took out the radiator yesterday.”
Great.
“Seriously, he’s got guests from New York over there today?” Kim asked quietly, giving her brother a look that she hoped voiced her displeasure.
Cody shrugged. “A guest, from what I heard. Just keep out of it. Turn cheek, you know.”
Kim scowled up at the ceiling.
Franco couldn’t keep business out of his house to save his life . Men came and went like they owned the place. Kim rarely felt safe in Franco’s home and like hell would she stay there alone though she tried to never stay there at all.
She sure as shit didn’t share his bedroom. Kim shuddered at the thought. How long would she be able to keep that at bay, too?
Nunz hung up his call. “Kimberlynn, what brings you home?”
“I need you to yank Franco back a bit,” she replied, getting straight to the point. “He might as well have his hands around my fucking throat here, Dad. I can’t breathe beside him and I’m doing something wrong.”
Nunz sat back in his chair, arms folding over his chest. “Have you talked to Franco about it?”
Kim knew she was bordering on a thin line of having control over her emotions and losing her shit completely. She took a breath, hoping it would settle the round of anxiety, but it didn’t. Nothing did anymore.
“What good is talking to him going to do me, Dad?” Kim asked.
“What good would me talking to him do, Kimberlynn?”
Kim’s hand on her messenger bag tightened, her fingernails cutting into her palm. The pain relieved her inner turmoil for a brief moment. “You know I can’t stand him.”
“You made your choice.”
What choice?
Kim knew the moment she decided to talk to Nunz it would be pointless. The complete lack of empathy or concern from Nunz spoke volumes. It had been this way her entire life, but since the death of her mother, it only got worse.
“Did you love Mom?” Kim asked.
Nunz brow lifted to his receding hairline. “Pardon?”
“You heard me. Did you love my mother?”
“Of course I did, Kimberlynn.”
“Your entire marriage, or just a part of it?”
“Hey, now watch your goddamn—”
“I’m just wondering because the total disregard you wave over me is disgusting. I came from you, Nunz. You helped to make me. I’m a part of you .”
“I didn’t ask for you,” Nunz responded coolly. “Your mother wanted more children, not me.”
This man was ice. A block of it. No feelings. Nothing. Dead.
Cody stood from his chair, clearing his throat. “Come on, Kimberlynn. Let’s
“Classes today?” Cody asked.
Kim passed her brother a glance. “Three classes and study group.”
She didn’t bother to explain she was made to cut back her other two classes for her English minor, never mind Franco was demanding she give up college altogether. In his opinion, his wife didn’t need to concern herself with furthering her education when it wouldn’t be put to use. What he needed was for his wife to be at home, doing what she needed to do there.
Jesus.
The thought alone made Kim nauseous.
“You headed over to Franco’s later?” Cody asked.
Kim nodded. Of course she was going to Franco’s after she was done with her father. It was Friday, wasn’t it? That meant she had to know what Franco’s plans were for them over the weekend . Hopefully nothing . She couldn’t endure another round of hanging off his arm at some ridiculous event.
“Hey!”
Kim bit her inner cheek to keep from growling at her brother to leave her the hell alone. “What, Cody?”
“Talk to me. We never talk.”
“I wonder why,” Kim muttered.
Cody didn’t bite on the comment. “Mind if I catch a ride with you to Franco’s?”
“Why?”
“There’s a guest from New York scoping out a deal Dad and I got Franco in on. I need to be in on that, or at least a part of the discussions.”
Kim heaved a sigh. “Where’s your car?”
“In the shop. Somebody’s fucking dog didn’t get out of the way in time and took out the radiator yesterday.”
Great.
“Seriously, he’s got guests from New York over there today?” Kim asked quietly, giving her brother a look that she hoped voiced her displeasure.
Cody shrugged. “A guest, from what I heard. Just keep out of it. Turn cheek, you know.”
Kim scowled up at the ceiling.
Franco couldn’t keep business out of his house to save his life . Men came and went like they owned the place. Kim rarely felt safe in Franco’s home and like hell would she stay there alone though she tried to never stay there at all.
She sure as shit didn’t share his bedroom. Kim shuddered at the thought. How long would she be able to keep that at bay, too?
Nunz hung up his call. “Kimberlynn, what brings you home?”
“I need you to yank Franco back a bit,” she replied, getting straight to the point. “He might as well have his hands around my fucking throat here, Dad. I can’t breathe beside him and I’m doing something wrong.”
Nunz sat back in his chair, arms folding over his chest. “Have you talked to Franco about it?”
Kim knew she was bordering on a thin line of having control over her emotions and losing her shit completely. She took a breath, hoping it would settle the round of anxiety, but it didn’t. Nothing did anymore.
“What good is talking to him going to do me, Dad?” Kim asked.
“What good would me talking to him do, Kimberlynn?”
Kim’s hand on her messenger bag tightened, her fingernails cutting into her palm. The pain relieved her inner turmoil for a brief moment. “You know I can’t stand him.”
“You made your choice.”
What choice?
Kim knew the moment she decided to talk to Nunz it would be pointless. The complete lack of empathy or concern from Nunz spoke volumes. It had been this way her entire life, but since the death of her mother, it only got worse.
“Did you love Mom?” Kim asked.
Nunz brow lifted to his receding hairline. “Pardon?”
“You heard me. Did you love my mother?”
“Of course I did, Kimberlynn.”
“Your entire marriage, or just a part of it?”
“Hey, now watch your goddamn—”
“I’m just wondering because the total disregard you wave over me is disgusting. I came from you, Nunz. You helped to make me. I’m a part of you .”
“I didn’t ask for you,” Nunz responded coolly. “Your mother wanted more children, not me.”
This man was ice. A block of it. No feelings. Nothing. Dead.
Cody stood from his chair, clearing his throat. “Come on, Kimberlynn. Let’s
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