“Look, I’m fine. Why are you even there and breaking into my house?” Evonne asked.
“It’s not breaking in when you have a key. I meant to surprise you. Guess it’s me who’s getting the shock of a lifetime.” The disappointment in his tone made her heart ache.
“I’m thirty—”
“And were on your way up in life. Or so I thought. I always knew you’d backslide to that flighty girl who only cared about herself,” Paul said.
“Why, because I wasn’t a yes-man like you? Following in Daddy’s footsteps and joining the military?” Evonne asked.
“Because all you wanted to do was keep your head in the clouds instead of focusing on things that would actually provide you with a decent life.”
Evonne huffed.
“It’s obvious whoever this guy is he isn’t a good influence,” Paul drawled.
“You don’t even know Rocky.”
“Rocky. Are you with a fucking white guy, Evonne?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, are you? Jesus. Who are you and what did you do to the sister I saw the last time I was home on leave?” Paul asked.
“She grew the fuck up and found herself again.”
“Or…she’s rebelling. What mess will I have to pull you out of this time? How much will our family suffer?”
His words took the wind out of her sails. Would Levi go after them to get to her? She gasped and her body shook. I can’t have this on my head, Jesus Christ.
“Fuck this bullshit.” Rocky snatched the phone from her ear and disconnected.
“I need to go to Levi.”
“The fuck did you just say?” Rocky roared.
“What if he goes after my family? I c-can’t live with that. This has to stop, now.”
“Because your life isn’t worth as much as theirs? You didn’t do anything, mama.” Rocky held her face between his hands. “He chose you, came after you, deceived you. There was nothing you could’ve done to prevent that.”
“No.” She jerked away. “Don’t comfort me now. It’s not what I need.”
“Yes it is. Look, I don’t know the back story between you and your family, but shit seems off,” Rocky said, gentling his voice.
“I’ve already put them through enough.” Her voice shook.
“What are you talking about? You were a fucking prodigy. I don’t know many women your age so accomplished.”
“You don’t know.” She shook her head.
“Then tell me.”
Her gut twisted. “That night, the accident, I shouldn’t have driven home. I fell asleep for a second, swerved and…” Her heart pounded and she shook her head.
“Hey, hey. You’re here with me. It’s not like you were wasted, honey.”
“It ruined everything. Paul gave up his scholarship; my parents damn near went into debt. For a silly, stupid mistake and I promised myself, once I got better, I would never put them in that position again.”
“That’s why you were acting like some 1950s housewife?” Rocky asked, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.