Page 85 of Dead Love

Sheriff Mike scrutinized me. My heart thumped in my chest. Then he drummed his feet against the floor. A weak smile covered his face.

“On one condition,” he said. His smile transformed into a wide grin, and my gut sank, knowing that his next words would be hard to swallow. “You have to accept the situation with Shea and me. However your mother deems fit, now, and forever.”Forever?What was he talking about exactly? “That means being the obedient daughter we raised you to be. Being happy with your life. You are the florist’s daughter, and you will take over the shop like Shea wants you to.”

“But the greenhouse—” I started.

“Forget the greenhouse. You will no longer create problems for her, or for me.” I shrunk down, but his words grew louder: “And if you so much as step out of line, Erickson goes back to jail. I don’t care what he did or didn’t do. You understand me?”

My cheeks flushed red. What was I supposed to do?

He smiled to himself. “And you’ll start by going on a date with Andrew.”

My breath caught in my throat. Andrew was like my father and mother combined, concerned with his appearance, his image, about what it meant to be a good citizen. He was the kind of man Ishouldhave wanted. But nothing about him seemed authentic.

And if I agreed to all of this, I would never be myself. But maybe I deserved it. If I had been as strong as Vincent thought I was, if I had spoken up that day at the funeral home while Vincent was being arrested, when that older couple was there to witness everything, maybe Vincent wouldn’t be in this mess right now.

Instead, I had locked up inside of myself.

I had to do this, then. Even if it meant giving everything up.

“If you arrest him, or ifanyof your men do anything to him,” I said quietly, “then the deal is off.”

“Make sure he doesn’t do anything illegal, then.” He folded his fingers. “And not a word of this to anyone, including Vincent, or I will end you.” He rested his elbows on the desk. “Are we clear?”

My heart dropped to my feet. “Yes.”

“Do we have a deal, then?”

I lowered my eyes. “All right,” I whispered. “We have a deal.”

He held out his hand, and I shook it, my stomach sinking. “Now wipe that look off of your face and smile.” I cleared my throat and obeyed. I forced out the biggest smile I could manage, like Shea taught me, nausea twisting through my gut.Don’t vomit. Don’t vomit. Don’t vomit,I thought.Don’t feel. It’s nothing. You feel nothing.Sheriff Mike patted me on the back, and I stiffened. “You drive a hard bargain, Kora. I’m proud of that.”

He had nothing to do with that quality. Vincent had shown me that I needed to fight for what I wanted, and I couldn’t let it go anymore. I owed Vincent that. My father straightened his button-up shirt. I gazed at the hallway leading to the holding cells.

“Can I talk to him?” I asked.

“Hell, we can let him out now.”

My father was stopped by another officer, but I hurried on, trying to get to the cells before he did. I wanted a minute alone with Vincent. My stomach clenched, my muscles twitching, my mouth dry. I wanted to see Vincent, but I dreaded it too.

Inside the jail, the air seemed colder. Vincent’s dark eyes seared into me, full of hatred.

“They’re letting you go,” I said. “My father will be here in a few minutes.”

“Did that piece of shit finally realize he doesn’t have anything on me?”

I crossed my arms. I hated dealing with him like this. “Can’t you be happy that he’s letting you go?”

“I suppose I should be grateful,” he said. He leaned back, looking down his nose at me. “All my thanks to the Nova Family,” he muttered. “Especially the little princess who can’t do anything unless her parents give her permission.”

My heart ached. He was hurt; that’s why he was saying things like that.

“I know things didn’t end well with your arrest,” I said, “but I wanted to say goodbye.” His face twisted. “You were—” I was at a loss for words, but there was no other way to put it. “You were good to me. I know that. But I have to move on. And that means doing what’s right for my family.”For you,I thought.

The seconds ticked by. Vincent let out a drawn-out breath.

“You come here to tell me that I’m free, then you end things like I’m a piece of trash you need to throw away?” He gave a dark laugh. “Now that you have your perfect life back, you can wave goodbye to everything you don’t need.” He pinched his brows together. “Let me tell you something, princess. There’s nothing to say goodbye to.”

Those words struck me, filling my chest with heaviness. “Vincent,” I whispered. “I—”