Read Online Zenith Fulfilled by Leanne Davis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leanne Davis
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afraid to do anything important. Afraid of becoming the monster again. Maybe letting it go would free you up to start over completely.”
“You don’t get to comment on my life anymore, Joelle Lassiter,” Rob said snidely.
“Why do you want to comment on him? Why do you still care?” Nick asked from behind Joelle.
“Oh, for God sake! Both of you, grow up! Did you know my best friend, Erica Mattox, used to have sex with Nick before I met him? And I used to with you, Rob, before I met Nick. Erica and I are still best friends despite all that. Why can’t you two get over it? You know why I care, Nick Lassiter, and you also know that you have no reason to ever be threatened by it!”
Get over it . Rob knew there was a lot he should get over, and a lot more he had to be sorry about. And that’s what kept him so frozen, so paralyzed in life. At least, he wasn’t hurting anyone and that counted a lot to him. He was terrified of reliving his past mistakes. How could Joelle, his most precious victim, tell him to just get over it?
Nick didn’t look any happier with Joelle th an Rob did. But Rob knew that he and Nick would never get past it or be able to tolerate each other. That was about the only thing they could agree on.
“B ecause we’re not you and Erica,” Nick said, his voice tightly controlled.
“Well , because of me and Erica, now Erica Mattox, you two will have to learn to tolerate each other since you do occupy the same planet.”
Rob looked from one Lassiter to the other. “Not going to happen. Look, just get your sister off my back, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Turning on his heel, Rob ignored the large, panoramic views of Nick’s office. He couldn’t wait to get out of the place that clearly, and rather harshly, showed what a success, class act, and a powerhouse Nick Lassiter was; while he, a lowly, construction worker, and manual laborer, wearing sweat-stained, sawdust-sprinkled clothes, was nothing.
Rob stopped before the desk where Bev, the assistant , stood glaring at him.
“Sorry about barging past you.” Rob stuck out a hand. “I’m Rob Williams.”
“Ah. As in Joelle Williams.”
“Yeah. As in.”
“Well, next time, please stop.”
“There won’t be a next time, Bev, the assistant. Just wanted to say sorry. Sometimes, I forget my manners. Bad temper, especially around Nick Lassiter. Although I’m trying, albeit sometimes in vain, to stop.”
Bev nodded. “Yes, I see. Layers of history there.”
Rob nodded. “Yeah, multiple layers.”
Rob exited the office, the building, and the empire now belonging to his ex-wife. He made his way through Downtown Seattle. It was already evening and the setting sun’s rays streaked over the waters of Elliot Bay, reflecting off the windows of high-rise offices and condos that occupied the hill over the wharf. Rob started walking aimlessly with nowhere to go and plenty of time to get there.
He walked past the Seattle Aquarium, then along the docks, up the hills, finally joining the crowds at Pike Place market. The strong smell of fish filled his nostrils as various trinkets and flowers caught his eye. He wandered through the crowds; then to a park that was small and grassy, where homeless people milled about, resting in the rare warmth of the dying day. Finally, he was looking over a concrete ledge, where he observed the cars on I-5 as they zipped by. He raised his eyes past the city, looking beyond and towards the water and sky, while listening to the city noise all around him.
He had no reason to leave. No one to go home to. Nothing to do. He looked around. Thought. Walked. What might his life have been? What could it have been if he never allowed alcohol to touch his lips? Why did he become an alcoholic? How could Spencer drink and party right alongside him, but stop the moment he wanted to without craving it? Rob couldn’t. He could never stop himself. Nor could he stop destroying himself, Spencer, Joelle, and his entire
“You don’t get to comment on my life anymore, Joelle Lassiter,” Rob said snidely.
“Why do you want to comment on him? Why do you still care?” Nick asked from behind Joelle.
“Oh, for God sake! Both of you, grow up! Did you know my best friend, Erica Mattox, used to have sex with Nick before I met him? And I used to with you, Rob, before I met Nick. Erica and I are still best friends despite all that. Why can’t you two get over it? You know why I care, Nick Lassiter, and you also know that you have no reason to ever be threatened by it!”
Get over it . Rob knew there was a lot he should get over, and a lot more he had to be sorry about. And that’s what kept him so frozen, so paralyzed in life. At least, he wasn’t hurting anyone and that counted a lot to him. He was terrified of reliving his past mistakes. How could Joelle, his most precious victim, tell him to just get over it?
Nick didn’t look any happier with Joelle th an Rob did. But Rob knew that he and Nick would never get past it or be able to tolerate each other. That was about the only thing they could agree on.
“B ecause we’re not you and Erica,” Nick said, his voice tightly controlled.
“Well , because of me and Erica, now Erica Mattox, you two will have to learn to tolerate each other since you do occupy the same planet.”
Rob looked from one Lassiter to the other. “Not going to happen. Look, just get your sister off my back, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Turning on his heel, Rob ignored the large, panoramic views of Nick’s office. He couldn’t wait to get out of the place that clearly, and rather harshly, showed what a success, class act, and a powerhouse Nick Lassiter was; while he, a lowly, construction worker, and manual laborer, wearing sweat-stained, sawdust-sprinkled clothes, was nothing.
Rob stopped before the desk where Bev, the assistant , stood glaring at him.
“Sorry about barging past you.” Rob stuck out a hand. “I’m Rob Williams.”
“Ah. As in Joelle Williams.”
“Yeah. As in.”
“Well, next time, please stop.”
“There won’t be a next time, Bev, the assistant. Just wanted to say sorry. Sometimes, I forget my manners. Bad temper, especially around Nick Lassiter. Although I’m trying, albeit sometimes in vain, to stop.”
Bev nodded. “Yes, I see. Layers of history there.”
Rob nodded. “Yeah, multiple layers.”
Rob exited the office, the building, and the empire now belonging to his ex-wife. He made his way through Downtown Seattle. It was already evening and the setting sun’s rays streaked over the waters of Elliot Bay, reflecting off the windows of high-rise offices and condos that occupied the hill over the wharf. Rob started walking aimlessly with nowhere to go and plenty of time to get there.
He walked past the Seattle Aquarium, then along the docks, up the hills, finally joining the crowds at Pike Place market. The strong smell of fish filled his nostrils as various trinkets and flowers caught his eye. He wandered through the crowds; then to a park that was small and grassy, where homeless people milled about, resting in the rare warmth of the dying day. Finally, he was looking over a concrete ledge, where he observed the cars on I-5 as they zipped by. He raised his eyes past the city, looking beyond and towards the water and sky, while listening to the city noise all around him.
He had no reason to leave. No one to go home to. Nothing to do. He looked around. Thought. Walked. What might his life have been? What could it have been if he never allowed alcohol to touch his lips? Why did he become an alcoholic? How could Spencer drink and party right alongside him, but stop the moment he wanted to without craving it? Rob couldn’t. He could never stop himself. Nor could he stop destroying himself, Spencer, Joelle, and his entire
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