Gone - Anna Brooks Page 0,24
off and steps out, then opens the door for Judy. I get down myself, and he meets me around the front. When he takes my hand, I melt in relief, so paranoid I’ve done something to ruin this, but his touch gives me reassurance.
“I wasn’t sure what I wanted when I started house hunting, but this popped up, and I liked the fact that it was secluded but close to work and restaurants. I know I won’t be here forever. This isn’t the kind of house you raise a family in, but it’s perfect for Judy and me right now.”
“I can see the appeal.” It’s like a fairy-tale house, cute and small, but surrounded by the most beautiful foliage and flowers.
He leads me inside, and Judy comes running in behind us. “What are you hungry for? I don’t have much since I haven’t been here lately, but I have frozen pizza, soup, mac-n-cheese; the basics.”
“Do you have stuff to make a sandwich?”
“Yeah.”
“I can just make us some sandwiches if that sounds good?”
He opens the fridge and sticks his head in. “It does, but I’m capable of making them. Why don’t you just have a seat and relax. What do you want to drink?”
“Whatever you’re having is fine.”
I sit back and take in his home. It’s a very quaint one story, but he’s decorated it like I would expect a man to. Neutral and boring. No real pops of color or design aesthetic. But it suits him.
He slides a plate over to me, and I dig in, starving since I didn’t eat lunch. He finishes making his and then feeds Judy. After setting his plate down on the table, he finds a bottle of vodka and two glasses, then sets them down as well. He disappears into the fridge again, then comes out with some juice and a couple of sodas. “I don’t have cranberry, but hopefully, one of these will do.”
“I’ll just take it with orange juice.”
He’s being very mechanical, and I can tell he’s holding something back. I don’t like it, but I’m afraid to ask what’s wrong, so I don’t. We finish our food in near silence, and when we’re done, he tosses the plates in the sink, refills our drinks, then motions for me to follow him outside.
When we reach the back deck, which is just a slab of concrete with a couple of chairs and a firepit in the middle, I assume that’s where he wants me, so I sit down. He sets our glasses on the fire table and pushes a few buttons before a flame appears. Judy runs around while Damien throws a tennis ball, and after a couple of minutes, he joins me.
I hold my glass nervously and swirl the melting ice around, waiting for him to say something.
“So everything was good today at work?”
“Yeah, it was fine. How was your day?”
“I learned something new, so it was pretty interesting.”
Smiling, I turn in my chair. “What was that?”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
I’m not sure where he’s going with this. “I really don’t know what you want me to say.”
“All right, if you’re not gonna be honest, then I’m not gonna sit here and beat around the bush, Izzy. Danny fucking Dakota.”
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. I jump up and try to run away from him out of sheer instinct, but he’s on me before I can get a single step away from him. He grabs my arms and yanks me to him, his nose brushes mine, and he drills me with anger and disappointment with a single look. “Start talking.”
“How did you find out?”
“Doesn’t matter how the fuck I found out. What matters is that you need to start talking. Do you have any idea what that man is capable of?”
“Yes, I do.” I should’ve known that being with a man who works at one of the top security companies in the world means I can’t keep anything from him. I’m actually surprised Gio hasn’t found out about Danny somehow. “Can you please let me go?” He loosens his grip.
“Izzy…”
I swallow and decide to just tell him because I really don’t have any other options. “A couple of years ago, I dated a guy for about five months. At the time, I thought I loved him, and I genuinely thought he loved me. I had no clue he had a gambling problem and definitely didn’t have any idea that he was in so deep. I don’t know how he