“What about the game demo you stole from us?”I didn’t mean to speak up, but we were here and he was confessing.
Richard looked at me as if he'd forgotten I was here.“You figured that out.I didn’t mean to.”
“You obviously did.”Adam picked up on my cues despite me not having told him the details.I’d owe him that information later.“Something like that doesn’t happen by accident.”
“I just, I saw the assets on the network, and games get funded all the time that never get made.It should’ve been easy money.No one was supposed to get hurt.”
“You stole someone else’s work.”Adam scoffed.“You set fire to my apartment.You shot at the police.What the fuck?”
“I wanted them to shoot back.”Richard’s voice was quiet.
“Fucking coward.”Adam stalked up to the door and pounded until they let us out.
I followed Adam outside, sifting through any appropriate response.I was dating Brandon when their father took his life.I knew how hard it hit both brothers.
“Why do people think that’s an answer?I don’t understand.”Adam was talking more to himself than to me, and he was more concerned about the shootout than the money.
I wasn’t surprised, and I didn’t have an answer he wanted to hear.
“I get it.”Adam kept talking and walking without input from me.“There’s not always a way out of a bad situation, besides to go through it.But he let himself fall that far…” He stopped at his car, hands on the hood and face dropped between his arms as he dragged in shuddering breaths.
The only thing I could do was give him the truth.I’d never reached the point where I decided to end it all, but there was more than one night where I wished I could drink enough I never woke up.The memory rushed back raw, like an old wound being sliced open again, reminding me how much I didn’t want to lose Brandon.
“Sometimes it’s hard to see how far you’ve fallen until you hit rock bottom.And once you’re there, it’s hard to climb out.There’s no will left.No strength.”God I hoped I’d done the right thing with Brandon.
“I can’t… Just no.”He wouldn’t look at me.“Thank you for coming with me.”
“Any time.Will you be all right?”
Adam shook his head.“I’m going to be pissed off for a long time.If that’s okay, then sure, why the fuck not.”
I didn’t have a comeback.
Twenty-Eight
Reese
I didn’t like seeingDanny mope, but I didn’t know what else to do.Focusing on the fact he was here, with me, helped.I still hated seeing him so sad, though.
After he got back from the jail with Adam, his mood was even more somber.Through the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday, he said very little.
Sunday night, Dominic called, to see if I was available for a face to face with Todd on Monday.
The thought of seeing Todd again churned my gut.“I might not be able to resist punching him in the throat.”
“I’ll make sure to keep the two of you separated, then.”Dominic chuckled.“When the conversation is over, if you still want to clothesline him, I’ll look the other way so there are no witnesses.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
Monday, I sent Danny off to work, dressed in my most professional attire, and headed to the address on Dominic’s business card.The firm had his name on it, which was impressive by itself.What little I knew about lawyers told me if the guy at the top was willing to carve out time for me, I should feel special.
Their offices were downtown, only about six blocks from AcesPlayed.Close enough to visit Danny when I was done, but far enough that this was an older part of town.The buildings here were a mix of classic architecture and new high rises.
And the law firm was in one of the restored older three-story buildings.The sleek metal and glass lobby with leather furniture screamedmoney.If I were paying for this, it wouldn’t be cheap.
I gave the receptionist my name, and expected her to ask me to have a seat.I’d be waiting a while.
Instead, I was immediately shown to a small conference room.“Dom will be with you soon,” The young woman told me.