PI written across my door when you walked in?” I asked, losing my patience. “How in the world am I supposed to know that information?”
I raised my hand as he opened his mouth. “Never mind. I’m not entertaining this conversation.”
“You damn well are entertaining this conversation.”
I tilted my head. “Excuse me?”
“You destroyed my home, destroyed my reputation, and destroyed my career. My family thinks I’m a disgrace because of the investigation. You need to help me fix this.”
“I don’t need to do a damn thing but stay black and die. And I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. But let me drop some knowledge on you. The reason why your place was wrecked is because you wrecked me. You cheated on me left and right, and each time I found out, I wondered why it was so easy for you. You, who claimed to love me above all else, how could you hurt me like you did? How could you give that intimate piece of you to someone else? I could never, ever, do that to someone I loved.” I blinked away tears. “You have no idea what you did to me. You destroyed my self-esteem, my belief in love, and now I’m so screwed up I don’t believe in love anymore.” I blew out a shaky breath. “And yeah, I ran against you for revenge at first, but the city council position was my dream, Keith, and I deserved to see it through. If you dig deep, you know that you don’t enjoy serving others. Not unless your dick is involved.”
“There’s no need to be crude.”
“Yes, there is. You’re a thirty-four-year-old man-child. Up until now, your mom and dad have preened over you since you made poo in the toilet. There’s nothing wrong with supporting a kid, but you are so far up your own ass, I’m surprised you remember to breathe.”
I gripped my desk. “Now, as far as who sold you down the river, I suggest you make a list of people you’ve wronged over the past few years. Take your time. I know it’s been a few dozen others who’ve been mowed over courtesy of Keith Davenport, But you can scratch my name off the list. Matter of fact,” my voice raised, “scratch me out of your life.”
He looked as if he’d been sucker punched. “I really screwed up.”
“Monumentally.”
“I had it all with you.”
“And now you don’t. Look,” I grabbed the back of my neck, massaging out the tension, “thank you for coming. I wanted to get this off my chest. Besides, Atlanta is small, and I’d like for us to be cordial if we see each other in passing.”
“I came for other reasons. I’d like to be forgiven. To see if we could go back. But now I see that we can’t.”
“I can give you forgiveness and closure, and by God, for the next woman that you pledge your troth to, treat her like a queen.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You said you don’t believe in love, but trust me, Sienna, you still do and you love hard. Your love is one of a kind. I was lucky to have it.”
“I think I’ve got it covered, Davenport,” Chris said, leaning against my door, appearing like the ghost of lovers past. How long has he been there? Chris was my twelve o’clock, and he was early.
“Guess I’ll let you two hash it out.” Keith stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets and rushed out.
“Chris! How long have you’ve been here?”
“I couldn’t wait to see you. I sat in the lobby intending on waiting until noon, but then I saw Keith and, well . . . I gave you time to say whatever it is you wanted to say.” He shrugged.
“And I also wanted return this.” He lifted the check I’d written and dropped off in the mail, and tore it into pieces. The ripped paper fluttered to the floor. “I don’t want your money.”
“Why?” I folded my shaking hands across my lap.
“Because I love you, and it hurt me that you wanted to pay me off. Like I was a business transaction.”
“Well, I would’ve explained my actions if you hadn’t broke it off without speaking to me. Not that it matters. You’ve moved on.”
“I haven’t.”
“You have. I saw it. No offense, but I’m not the dumb broad anymore that lets a guy cheat and pretend like he’s gonna change.”
“The woman that you saw, she’s my sister.”
“That’s a good one. I didn’t get that excuse from Keith.”
He pulled his