memorial service. Were they lying in a morgue somewhere? Alone and without family to take them home?
“They were cremated,” he said quietly. “It was their wish. When all of this is over with, I thought we’d go home and have a memorial service for them.”
This. He said it with such distaste. She knew this was all her doing. Not only had she killed her parents, but she had prevented them from having a proper burial.
She buried her face in her hands, utter grief overcoming her. She couldn’t grieve for her real parents. They were killers, like her. But Mom and Pop? Their only sin was taking in a homeless little girl and loving her unconditionally.
“Jules,” Manny said, his voice full of regret. He squeezed her shoulder then slid his hand down to grasp hers.
“I loved them, Manny. I know you don’t think so, but it was for them that I stayed away. And it was all for nothing.” Bitterness spilled from her lips. So much hatred. It was like poison. Felt like venom.
He slowed then pulled over into the parking lot of a truck stop. After turning off the ignition, he shifted in his seat and turned to look at her. “Perhaps you tell me just why it is you did stay away. I never considered even for a moment that you were doing so of your own free will. Are you telling me it was a conscious decision?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “It isn’t that simple.”
“Yes, Jules, it is. Either you were prevented from returning home or you chose not to come home. Which is it?”
“You see things as black or white, Manny. Things rarely are, you know.”
“No, I don’t know. Why don’t you explain it to me over a cup of coffee. God knows I could use one,” he said wearily.
She wrinkled her nose. “Make mine juice, and I’ll take you up on it.”
He didn’t smile at her. She sighed and got out of the car, stretching cautiously. She winced when pain washed over her. Her ribs were nowhere close to being healed, and she didn’t have time to make sure they mended properly.
“Are you okay?” Manny asked beside her, concern reflected in his voice.
She wanted to weep. Despite his anger, he was still worried about her. Goddamn, Jules. Quit with the crying already . She slammed her door in disgust and followed Manny into the small diner.
They slid into a booth by a window. Both looked cautiously around as they surveyed the menu. Oh yeah, he was some kind of law enforcement. He had the instincts. And, she admitted to herself, he was damn good. Whatever he was.
A waitress shuffled over to take their order and stood smacking on her gum while she waited for Manny to speak. It was obvious that she was checking him out. Her gaze wandered up and down his body appreciatively, and she stood a little closer than was necessary.
Jules frowned and followed the waitress’s avid stare. It had been a long time since she’d looked at a man with anything other than self-preservation in mind. And she had to admit, Manny looked even better now than he had three years ago. Thickly muscled arms and a broad chest. Perfect for melting into and feeling safe.
She coughed to cover the hysterical laughter that threatened to bubble out. When was the last time she felt safe?
Manny’s green eyes burned into her. “Is something wrong, Jules?”
She coughed again. “Uh no, just a bit of pain.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Her chest and lungs felt like shit.
He rattled off his order to the waitress then looked questioningly at Jules. “Want anything else besides juice?”
She shook her head. Her stomach was in enough turmoil without loading it down with food.
When the waitress had left, he leaned over and stared straight at her. “Now, I want to know what happened three years ago. Why didn’t you come home? All I got was a phone call from you saying you couldn’t ever come home, and you sounded scared to death. Damn it, Jules. Do you have any idea what that was like? There was nothing. Nothing else until a few days ago.”
She bowed
“They were cremated,” he said quietly. “It was their wish. When all of this is over with, I thought we’d go home and have a memorial service for them.”
This. He said it with such distaste. She knew this was all her doing. Not only had she killed her parents, but she had prevented them from having a proper burial.
She buried her face in her hands, utter grief overcoming her. She couldn’t grieve for her real parents. They were killers, like her. But Mom and Pop? Their only sin was taking in a homeless little girl and loving her unconditionally.
“Jules,” Manny said, his voice full of regret. He squeezed her shoulder then slid his hand down to grasp hers.
“I loved them, Manny. I know you don’t think so, but it was for them that I stayed away. And it was all for nothing.” Bitterness spilled from her lips. So much hatred. It was like poison. Felt like venom.
He slowed then pulled over into the parking lot of a truck stop. After turning off the ignition, he shifted in his seat and turned to look at her. “Perhaps you tell me just why it is you did stay away. I never considered even for a moment that you were doing so of your own free will. Are you telling me it was a conscious decision?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “It isn’t that simple.”
“Yes, Jules, it is. Either you were prevented from returning home or you chose not to come home. Which is it?”
“You see things as black or white, Manny. Things rarely are, you know.”
“No, I don’t know. Why don’t you explain it to me over a cup of coffee. God knows I could use one,” he said wearily.
She wrinkled her nose. “Make mine juice, and I’ll take you up on it.”
He didn’t smile at her. She sighed and got out of the car, stretching cautiously. She winced when pain washed over her. Her ribs were nowhere close to being healed, and she didn’t have time to make sure they mended properly.
“Are you okay?” Manny asked beside her, concern reflected in his voice.
She wanted to weep. Despite his anger, he was still worried about her. Goddamn, Jules. Quit with the crying already . She slammed her door in disgust and followed Manny into the small diner.
They slid into a booth by a window. Both looked cautiously around as they surveyed the menu. Oh yeah, he was some kind of law enforcement. He had the instincts. And, she admitted to herself, he was damn good. Whatever he was.
A waitress shuffled over to take their order and stood smacking on her gum while she waited for Manny to speak. It was obvious that she was checking him out. Her gaze wandered up and down his body appreciatively, and she stood a little closer than was necessary.
Jules frowned and followed the waitress’s avid stare. It had been a long time since she’d looked at a man with anything other than self-preservation in mind. And she had to admit, Manny looked even better now than he had three years ago. Thickly muscled arms and a broad chest. Perfect for melting into and feeling safe.
She coughed to cover the hysterical laughter that threatened to bubble out. When was the last time she felt safe?
Manny’s green eyes burned into her. “Is something wrong, Jules?”
She coughed again. “Uh no, just a bit of pain.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Her chest and lungs felt like shit.
He rattled off his order to the waitress then looked questioningly at Jules. “Want anything else besides juice?”
She shook her head. Her stomach was in enough turmoil without loading it down with food.
When the waitress had left, he leaned over and stared straight at her. “Now, I want to know what happened three years ago. Why didn’t you come home? All I got was a phone call from you saying you couldn’t ever come home, and you sounded scared to death. Damn it, Jules. Do you have any idea what that was like? There was nothing. Nothing else until a few days ago.”
She bowed
Similar Books
