Easy Enough

Chapter 17

As soon as I stepped through the door I regretted it. Aiden was sitting in his usual seat. I didn't even see him come in.

She'd ambushed me.

"Yes ma'am?" I asked, trying to ignore the stare I was getting from Aiden.

"Sit down, please." I was going to say 'no, thank you' but the serious look on her face made me choose otherwise. I reluctantly went over and sat in the only available chair next to him.

"Now, I'm gonna leave y'all alone and let you talk to one another like the grown ups that you are." With that, she got up and walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.

Maybe if we stayed in the office long enough she'd think we talked and I could just leave. I leaned back in the plush chair and closed my eyes.

"Devyn-" He started.

"Just because I'm stuck in here with you doesn't mean I have to talk to you, Ace." I cut him off.

"Okay, well let me do all of the talking then." He got up and sat on the desk in front of me before continuing.

"I love you." He started and I scoffed. "Don't do that. I fucking love you, Devyn. I don't know why you have such a hard time believing me when I tell you that. Yeah, I fucked up. And I regret every day that I didn't tell you, but you gotta know I was only trying to protect you."

"From what?" I yelled.

He ran his hands down his face and let out a big breath of air.

"I can't go into all of that. Not now."

"Well let me know when you can." I got up and turned to walk out, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Ace, I have nothi-"

"Stop calling me that shit, Devyn!" The bass in his voice made me flinch a little. "Whatever I need to do to get back into your good graces, I will do that and more. Just tell me, please." He pulled me closer to him, never taking his eyes off of me.

I didn't realize I was crying until he reached up and swiped away a few tears streaming down my face.

Get it together, Devyn.

He brought so many emotions out of me, and I absolutely hated it. Never had anyone been able to make me feel like this.

"Stop crying. You're too beautiful for that." He said caressing my hands and placing kisses on both of them.

"What's his name?" My question came out barely above a whisper and I'm surprised he even heard me.

"Yani?" I nodded. "Carter. Carter 'King' Yanis."

I remembered hearing my mom fussing about a man named King all of the time. It wasn't until this moment that I knew who she was talking about.

"Why did he leave?"

He shrugged, "I don't know the answer to that, Love. You would have to ask him. Knowing him, it was probably to protect you from his lifestyle."

And the alternative was better? Staying with a doped up, abusive mother was a better option than his lifestyle? I couldn't imagine that.

"I want to talk to him."

His eyes went wide. "Are you sure about that?"

I nodded. "I need answers that you can't, or aren't willing to give me."

"He's coming over for dinner tomorrow night. Want to just do it then? We'll give you guys space, and I'll be there if anything were to go wrong."

I thought about it before eventually agreeing. This was strictly a business meeting.