other people want. If I’m doing a deal and I’m not completely aware of what the other guy wants, I’m gonna get screwed. Happens every time.” Morris’s brow furrowed. “The important question here is not what Abby knows. The important question is, what does Abby want ?”
And just like that, Morris had nailed it. That was the exact right question to ask, and Sheila had to smile. “Her freedom,” she said. “Most of all, she wants her freedom.”
“Exactly. And she has nothing to lose. And that’s what’s scaring me.” Morris leaned toward her, his blue eyes fixed on her face. “In my experience, darlin’, people with absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain are the most dangerous people around.”
Sheila nodded. She couldn’t disagree. Abby Maddox’s freedom was hanging in the balance, and of course the woman would do anything possible to save herself. Abby would grasp at anything she had to, would use anyone she had to. She was a survivor.
Sheila knew all about survival. Maybe more than most people.
“Okay,” she said, meeting Morris’s gaze firmly. “I hear you. I will keep my eyes wide open, and I promise you I’ll be careful.”
“But you’re still going.”
“As many times as it takes.” Sheila squeezed his arm again. “I have to do this, Morris. Please try and understand that. I can’t not help. Please don’t ask me to step away when there might be something I can do. You didn’t see those pictures. You didn’t see how young they were.” A lump caught in her throat.
Morris sighed and ran a hand through his thick brown hair. The sigh told Sheila the argument was over, and she finally let go of the pillow she’d been squeezing.
“I’d like it on the record that I am adamantly opposed to this.” His voice was gruff.
“Consider it recorded. Adamantly.”
“When are you going?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. Jerry’s visiting her in the morning with her new deal.”
“Can I go with you?”
“Absolutely not.” Sheila smiled, but her tone left no room for further argument.
He finally lay down on the bed. Crisis averted. Sheila snuggled up beside him, resting her head on his burly chest, and breathed in his scent. She loved the way he smelled. Clean and citrusy and warm. Always warm.
“Speaking of Jerry, how is our friend?” Morris nuzzled the top of her head.
“He’s not great.” She snuggled closer. “I’m worried. He’s so skinny.”
“He’s always been skinny.”
“Not like this. I have to wonder if he’s even eating. With Marianne out of the house . . .” She looked up at her fiancé. “Do me a favor and call him? Take him out, stuff him with food, get him talking. I don’t think he has anybody to confide in. He tried talking to me, but I can’t do it. It wouldn’t be fair to Marianne.”
“Hon, I’ve tried. He doesn’t return my calls.”
“Try again. Please. He needs support through all this. He’s just afraid to ask for it.”
Morris frowned. “I’ll call him, but I don’t think he’ll talk to me about his love life. We’re guys, darlin’. We talk aboutsports. The stock market. The size of Kim Kardashian’s ass. We don’t talk about personal stuff.”
“He’s our friend.” Sheila’s voice was soft but firm. “He was there for you when you needed him. So you be there for him, too. Even if you have to force him to let you help.”
“All right.” Morris kissed her forehead. “I’ll call him tomorrow, see if he wants to go to that Chinese monkey place.”
Despite her concern, Sheila laughed. “The Golden Monkey, right! That’s his favorite restaurant. I thought you hated dim sum. You said that place was gross.”
“It’s growing on me. But don’t you dare tell him I said that. I need something to bust his balls over.”
“I won’t breathe a word. It’ll be our ancient Chinese secret.”
Morris groaned. “Honey, that’s terrible.”
“So is the Golden Monkey.”
chapter 12
JERRY WAS EXHAUSTED .
And just like that, Morris had nailed it. That was the exact right question to ask, and Sheila had to smile. “Her freedom,” she said. “Most of all, she wants her freedom.”
“Exactly. And she has nothing to lose. And that’s what’s scaring me.” Morris leaned toward her, his blue eyes fixed on her face. “In my experience, darlin’, people with absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain are the most dangerous people around.”
Sheila nodded. She couldn’t disagree. Abby Maddox’s freedom was hanging in the balance, and of course the woman would do anything possible to save herself. Abby would grasp at anything she had to, would use anyone she had to. She was a survivor.
Sheila knew all about survival. Maybe more than most people.
“Okay,” she said, meeting Morris’s gaze firmly. “I hear you. I will keep my eyes wide open, and I promise you I’ll be careful.”
“But you’re still going.”
“As many times as it takes.” Sheila squeezed his arm again. “I have to do this, Morris. Please try and understand that. I can’t not help. Please don’t ask me to step away when there might be something I can do. You didn’t see those pictures. You didn’t see how young they were.” A lump caught in her throat.
Morris sighed and ran a hand through his thick brown hair. The sigh told Sheila the argument was over, and she finally let go of the pillow she’d been squeezing.
“I’d like it on the record that I am adamantly opposed to this.” His voice was gruff.
“Consider it recorded. Adamantly.”
“When are you going?”
“Tomorrow afternoon. Jerry’s visiting her in the morning with her new deal.”
“Can I go with you?”
“Absolutely not.” Sheila smiled, but her tone left no room for further argument.
He finally lay down on the bed. Crisis averted. Sheila snuggled up beside him, resting her head on his burly chest, and breathed in his scent. She loved the way he smelled. Clean and citrusy and warm. Always warm.
“Speaking of Jerry, how is our friend?” Morris nuzzled the top of her head.
“He’s not great.” She snuggled closer. “I’m worried. He’s so skinny.”
“He’s always been skinny.”
“Not like this. I have to wonder if he’s even eating. With Marianne out of the house . . .” She looked up at her fiancé. “Do me a favor and call him? Take him out, stuff him with food, get him talking. I don’t think he has anybody to confide in. He tried talking to me, but I can’t do it. It wouldn’t be fair to Marianne.”
“Hon, I’ve tried. He doesn’t return my calls.”
“Try again. Please. He needs support through all this. He’s just afraid to ask for it.”
Morris frowned. “I’ll call him, but I don’t think he’ll talk to me about his love life. We’re guys, darlin’. We talk aboutsports. The stock market. The size of Kim Kardashian’s ass. We don’t talk about personal stuff.”
“He’s our friend.” Sheila’s voice was soft but firm. “He was there for you when you needed him. So you be there for him, too. Even if you have to force him to let you help.”
“All right.” Morris kissed her forehead. “I’ll call him tomorrow, see if he wants to go to that Chinese monkey place.”
Despite her concern, Sheila laughed. “The Golden Monkey, right! That’s his favorite restaurant. I thought you hated dim sum. You said that place was gross.”
“It’s growing on me. But don’t you dare tell him I said that. I need something to bust his balls over.”
“I won’t breathe a word. It’ll be our ancient Chinese secret.”
Morris groaned. “Honey, that’s terrible.”
“So is the Golden Monkey.”
chapter 12
JERRY WAS EXHAUSTED .
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