Truth Be Told (Blackbridge Security Book 4) Marie James (latest novels to read TXT) 📖

bite off the bagel I’d just toasted. “Told her I was going to bulldoze the entire thing to the ground.”

“You what?”

He shrugs, taking a look around the room. “Should probably bulldoze this fucking place, too.”

“So, you left her there not only thinking she was going to have to move but also that the house was going to be destroyed.”

“You said the house is already destroyed.”

“But repairable, you fucking prick!” I begin to pace. This isn’t what I wanted when I went through Brooks to buy the fucking property. Her thinking her family home will be gone in a matter of weeks doesn’t play into my plan. “This isn’t what we talked about.”

“I improvised. You’re the one who said you wanted them to move to St. Louis.”

“I said I wanted her to choose me. It’s not the same thing.”

“Well now her choice is simple.”

“Jesus, you dick. You don’t know a damn thing about women.”

“I can call references,” he says with a smirk. “There’s a slew of women that would beg to differ.”

“You fucked up everything.”

“You can easily solve this by going over there and telling her the truth.”

I don’t even consider it. “Now isn’t the right time.”

“The longer she stays here, the worse it’s going to get. Every day your son goes to that shithole school, you risk him getting into something a simple suspension won’t get him out of.”

“I know,” I agree.

“No time like the present.” He slaps me on the back after tossing my half-eaten bagel back onto the paper plate. “I’ve got to head to the airport. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Because you’ve been such a huge help so far,” I mutter as I follow him to the door.

He leaves with a chuckle, his shiny rental out of place in this neighborhood. I’m surprised the wheels are still on it just from the few minutes he was in the house.

He’s right about talking to Tinley, but fear of her rejecting the offer to come live with me keeps me in the house, mulling over what needs to happen for it to be up to par for sale. I can’t stay here even if I stay in Texas, but selling as-is doesn’t seem right either.

The conversation with Mike Branford keeps playing over in my head. There aren’t many people around that are so willing to give back to a community that did nothing but drain them, but being part of the solution rather than just walking away from all of the problems doesn’t feel right either.

I figure fixing up the house and selling it incredibly cheap will help one family out. If Tinley decides she and Alex will come live with me or even if she agrees to move closer, I hope I can convince her to do the same with her house.

Antsy to see her since I’ve been gone over a week, I can no longer stay away.

The drive is short, and I find both her old car and the one she thinks is a rental parked in the driveway. It’s still a couple hours before Alex is due home, and I get the feeling convincing her to come with me is going to take every second of that.

I knock on the door and it goes unanswered like it did the last time. I knock harder because she wasn’t very impressed with my lock picking—a skill I sadly picked up long before it was needed working for Blackbridge.

When she finally answers the door, she looks sexy as hell. Her blond hair is all over the place, cheeks pink from exertion. If I were the asshole I used to be, I’d use sex as a weapon to convince her to move, and I’d make sure she enjoyed every damn second of it.

“Hey,” I say instead, my fingers tucked into the pockets of my jeans to keep from reaching out to her.

“I don’t have time for you right now,” she snaps, turning away and going back into the living room.

Half-full boxes are scattered everywhere. There are no longer pictures hanging on the walls. From the looks of it, they’ve been wrapped in newspaper and piled on the kitchen table.

“What’s going on?”

“Didn’t you hear? The house sold, and we have thirty days to vacate. If we don’t, we’ll probably end up with the roof on our heads because the asshole that bought the place is going to tear it down.”

Her voice is rough like she’s been screaming or crying or both.

I hide my grin. I’m not happy that she’s this upset, but knowing she isn’t impressed with Brooks calms me a little. He’s so damn charming I’m surprised he wasn’t able to convince her that leveling the place is best for everyone.

“Where do you plan to go?”

She doesn’t even pause to consider the question. “I don’t have a fucking clue, Ignacio. All I know is we can’t stay here. My asshole brother made sure of that.”

“Come to St. Louis.”

Jesus, did I just blurt it out like that? Instead of handling this situation with finesse, I just drop it at her frustrated feet.

I already know the answer I’m going to get from the glare on her pretty face before she opens her mouth to deny me.

“I want to help you,” I add, but that doesn’t seem to help either because her lips draw up into a sneer. “Alex wants to go.”

Jesus, Ig, shut your fucking mouth.

“Alex?” she asks calmly, taking a step closer to me.

My eyes drop to the heavy book in her hand, calculating her ability to knock me out with it.

“You fucking asked him already?”

“I didn’t. I’m asking—”

“You’re trying to turn him against me. Is that the angle this time around? Not only do you use me sexually, but you also intend to turn the only person I have left against me? You and your perfect life and expensive clothes? Your expensive truck and money and gifts? You’re trying to convince him that I can’t take care of him?”

“Goddamn, Tin. There’s a lot to unpack right there.”