Gone - Anna Brooks Page 0,52

already a shoe-in for Laila’s father’s company once I got my degree. It took about a year for me to realize I wanted nothing to do with that career, so I changed my major to criminal justice. And then she changed, too. She was like a different person. The girl I married was caring and attentive and gave a shit in her own way, and all of a sudden, I was living with a woman who treated me like I was dirt on the bottom of her shoe.”

“Wow. That sucks. I actually understand what it’s like to discover someone wasn’t who you thought they were. But I imagine it was really hard to be living with her as she changed so much.”

“Yeah, that’s an understatement. I don’t know why I put up with it for so long. The story of her and Jordan is the cliched one day I came home early and caught them in the act. I saw his car but didn’t think much of it. Jordan and I weren’t super tight, but we still were brothers who hung out together sometimes. When I went inside, I heard them before I saw them. And from the direction of their… sounds, I knew they were in the den. They were so enamored with each other that they didn’t even notice me packing up all my clothes. By the time I was done, they were still goin’ at it.” I smirk as I remember the shock on their faces when I caught them. “I opened the door, and she squealed, he swore. I waited until she wrapped a blanket around her, which was weird, because I was her husband. It’s not like I hadn’t seen it before. Anyway, I just raised a brow, and when she opened her mouth, I held my hand up.”

Izzy traces the outline of my hands on the pillow. “I can’t believe you didn’t go after your brother.”

“Why?”

“You just don’t seem like the type of guy to let that slide.”

Shrugging, I toss my leg over hers and rub my toe along her smooth calf. “Honestly, I was kind of relieved. At the time, I didn’t understand the feeling, but marrying her was a huge mistake, and with the way things were, I was already thinking about a divorce. Anyway, she stuttered a bit, but then the flip switched. She told me I was a loser, that I had no future, and that I’d never make enough to keep her happy. All I could think about was the fact that the only thing she cared about was money… and we didn’t sign a prenup.” I chuckle. “So I looked her dead in the eyes and said, ‘Then it’s a good thing I’ll get half of my wife’s money in the divorce settlement then, isn’t it?’ I ain’t gonna lie, it was gratifying as hell seeing her trying to fight me in court. It might have been a dick move, but I didn’t care, it was the principle. Switch the roles and she’d have done the same. I didn’t have shit to give her since I didn’t make shit. My parents have money for me tied up in a trust, but there’s stipulations on it so I never actually received it. Laila’s parents, however, spoiled her all her life, so she was loaded.”

“Oh my God.” Izzy is giggling, and I’m glad for that. I was worried she’d think I was an ass.

“At the end of the day, I just threw that money into some stocks and my savings account. I hadn’t touched it until I brough fifty K to Danny.”

She raises her hand to her throat.

“Figured it made sense. Both of our exes screwed us, so I’d use some of what mine left me to take care of what yours left behind as well.”

“I… I don’t know how I feel about that money getting me out of debt. It’s like in a way she… saved me.”

I shake my head and sit up. “That money was actually only used to buy me some time until I got Mario and brought him back.”

“You found him? You told me it was taken care of but not that you found him.”

Shit. I should have delivered that a different way. “Yeah. He wasn’t in a good way. He’s with Danny now, and however he chooses to do it, Mario will be working off his debt.”

“He’s going to kill him.”

Shaking my head, I reassure her. “He won’t, he gave me his word. I didn’t