Chapter 0362


    I say nothing, but when Ivan looks back at my face he grins a little, shaking his head. “See?” he says, reaching out to put a hand on my shoulder. "I’m


    onto something there. Don''t trust him, Fay.


    But I frown and pull my shoulder out from beneath Ivan’s hand. “You should go.” I say, hard. Because even if lvan has a point? Jerome has done


    nothing but be good to me, and help me, and prove himself a good and loyal friend. And I’m not going to let Ivan shake that faith now — not when he


    directly benefits from it.


    “Fay,” van says, his face suddenly sad. “I’m sorry —I didn’t mean to —*


    “Yes, you did.” I snap, ring up at him. “You were deliberately nasty up there tonight. to Daniel and to Jerome — you threw that in their face and


    couldn''t keep the smile off your mouth. And now you''re trying to drive a wedge between us. You''re being deliberately maniptive, Ivan,” I say,


    shaking my head at him, “and itis not a good look on you. So would you please go, and stop trying to destroy what''s left of my life?”


    Ivan purses his lips as he looks at me, but I can see that he’s well aware that what I''ve said is fair.


    m sorry, Fay,” he murmurs, and then he sighs and looks down again. “You''re right. I...wasn''t trying to be nice.”


    “Well at least you admit it.” I sigh, stepping away from him.


    “Can I at least —“


    “Good night, Ivan.” I snap, ring at him. And lvan sighs and meets my eyes again.


    ‘I''ll see you soon, okay?” I don''t respond, and after a few seconds he climbs into his car and drives away. I stand alone in the driveway for a few


    minutes after he’s gone, thinking through what he said.


    Because even if he was just trying to rattle me?


    Well, it worked. I am rattled


    Should I be trusting Jerome as much as I have been?


    I turn when I hear the house door creaking open behind me.


    “Youing inside?” Daniel asks. “It''s cold out here.”


    I blink at him for a second and then


    slowly walk over to where he''s. 2


    waitingwith a nket. He wrapsit


    wa miy around my shoulders and I


    smile-up at him, touched thaPhe''s Xe)


    thoughtful.


    “Thanks, Danny,” I murmur, stepping closer and letting him wrap his arms around me.


    “He shook you up, didn''t he,” Daniel murmurs.


    “Yeah.” I reply, sighing deeply. “He''s good at that. isn’t he?


    “The best,” Daniel replies. “Do you want to talk about it?"


    “a


    ope,” I reply;knowing that it’s true.


    Because ever if he did sow a seed


    of doub in my mind...it doesn’t >


    matter. Jerome''s so thoroughly a>


    part oAMy n now that even if did


    decidé not to trust him...well,<~


    everything would fall aparttneed


    hin, and if he decides to.betray me?


    Well, then I guess I''m going down.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    My only option now ~ at all — is to.


    trust the-guy who bought me mys


    pregnancy test, who has always”


    beerkind to me. And not the one


    who put my baby daddy in jail


    “Come on,” I say, pulling away from Daniel and smiling up at him. “Let''s go inside. I''ve got a lot to tell you.”


    “What?” he says, his eyes going wide. “You''re — you''re actually going to fill me in on part of the n?”


    “On the whole n.” I say, grinning up at him. “And then tomorrow? We''re going to a bar.


    “Wait, what?” he says as I take his hand and pull him into the house, kicking the door shut behind me. “We''re... which bar? Why?


    “Patience, Lippert,” Iugh, pulling him up the stairs. "All will be revealed in due time. But I think you’re going to like it.