Page 20 of Shallow

Ispendthe next half hour introducing my boys to the woman they’ve only dreamed about. Shiloh’s an ideal in their head—a living fantasy dropped on their doorstep. For me, she’s a nightmare wrapped in a candy-coatedshell.

Although she’s cordial, she keeps her distance to ensure a wall of security stays between her and those beneath her. After getting their fill, the boys file out one by one, Frankie being the last to leave. The kid has his issues, but he’s one hell of a judge ofcharacter.

The slow scan he gives Shiloh before closing the door isn’t sexual. He has hernumber.

She continues to sweep on autopilot, and the sight sets my world on fire. Watching Shiloh West clean my dirty floor is enjoyable, but knowing I’m the reason sweat drips from her brow is damn near orgasmic. Now that we’re alone, she pauses to stare at the enormous picture of Ellie hanging on the wall. Part of me wants to shake her until she looks away, but the other part waits to see what she’ll do next. Either way, my response will be the same. Ellie is off limits toher.

“You opened this center for her?” She poses it as a question, but there’s no inflection to hervoice.

“She deserved a legacy.” I run a hand through my hair and pull at the strands, the conversation pissing me off. “It’s all I had left to giveher.”

Shiloh doesn’t respond, but she doesn’t have to. Both of us know why I’m here and not saving a thousand Ellies. I see remorse pass over her face, and I give zero fucks. Ellie doesn’t need her guilt, and neither doI.

“She was such agood—”

“Don’t tell me what a good person she was.” I sneak a sideways glance at her, refusing to buy the devastation on her face. Shiloh’s a master of her own emotions. I’m no idiot, and I don’t fall for the same acttwice.

“Ellie is better off.” It’s all I can say toher.

“You’re not the only one who lost someone,Cary.”

“Yeah? Well, newsflash, sweetheart. I didn’t kill anyone. Can you say thesame?”

I don’t want her answer. I’ll never not blame her for still being stuck in South Carolina. She’s the reason I wasn’t there when Ellie took her last breath. She’s the ticking time bomb who blew my world to hell and back. However, as she lowers her head and brushes her hair forward again, my curiosity is piqued. It’s not the first time she’s doneit.

My stare doesn’t go unnoticed, and she pulls away from me. I smell her fear. It’s melted with shame, and I breathe it in like fucking oxygen. She bends to my rules in my house, so I ignore her desperation and brush her hair away from her face. She recoils, but not before my fingers trace the jagged scars that span across the left side of her face. The crude C shape has destroyed her flawless skin. I shouldn’t stare, but as much as I hate her, I can’t stopmyself.

“Don’t feel sorry for me.” Knocking my hand away, she turns and props the broom against thewindow.

“I didn’t plan onit.”

“The doctors say they’ll fade with time.” She lets out a humorless laugh. “I guess that’s good since time’s all I’vegot.”

BeautifulShiloh.

PerfectShiloh.

Memories blend with reality as she quickly brushes her hair forward again. The boy who loved her battles with the man who hates her as I almost snap the broom in half while returning it to thecorner.

“No one here will be looking at your face. The boys will be too busy staring at your ass since you’ve shown it off so manytimes.”

She whips around, her shame fading. “Did you see my magazines,Cary?”

“I have to eat, Starshine. It’s hard to miss your tits in every supermarket check-outline.”

She raises an eyebrow, hiding a smirk as if we’ve just had some big revelation. “Did you buy one ofthem?”

Nope. I bought all ofthem.

“No,” I lie. “I swore when you left I never wanted to see your face again. That includes yourass.”

Show and tell time is over. I feel her watching me as I open the supply closet and pull out a faded red bucket and a mop. I slide them across the floor and shove the handle towardher.

“What now?” she asks, eyeing themop.

Pointing down the hall, I take more pleasure then necessary in ripping the privilege off her like a badge. “Locker room, Cinderella. Suds and scrub. It’s pretty ripe in there, so I’d wear gloves if I wereyou.”

“Is this for real?” she balks, her eyes widening in horror. “What the hell do you expect fromme?”