Providence (Providence, #1)(12)
Author: Jamie McGuire

Your father was always so careful to keep you safe from that part of his life. He hasn’t been gone six months and I’ve failed him.” Cynthia rose to her feet and walked slowly to the door.

I pushed myself away from the table and cal ed after her. “Tel me I’m wrong, Mother. I need you to tel me this is a mistake.” My voice was closer to begging than the firm tone I’d meant to take.

Cynthia didn’t turn around; she wiped another tear and sighed.

I took a deep breath and braced myself. “Charles Dawson wants those files.”

“He knew where they were?” she shrieked, flipping around.

Anger surged through me. “You know who he is?”

“He worked for your father,” she said, touching her mouth nervously in thought.

I sat up higher in my chair, my muscles rigid. “Why is he harassing me, Mother? Why aren’t you upset about that?”

“Nina, Dear,” her tone turned soft, “I told you. Your father did everything in his power to keep you removed from his dealings. I understand you were frightened; but you were safe, I promise.”

“What does that mean? Why won’t anyone give me a straight answer?”

Cynthia tilted her head and raised her eyebrows, the way she did when I was little. “Wouldn’t you agree that after tonight, some things are better left unsaid?”

My immediate reaction was to scream at her and demand the truth, but she was right. I had lost my father again tonight, the reverence I’d once felt for him was replaced with debilitating disappointment. It was worse than losing him to death. Al perception I’d had of him had been ripped away.

He was no longer God in my eyes, he was just a man; a flawed, corrupt man.

I considered Cynthia’s suggestion and nodded.

She lifted my chin. “I’m so sorry, Love.”

“I’ve got to get out of here,” I blurted, turning away from her touch. Everything I knew was a lie. I left her alone to fetch my coat.

“Where are you going?” she cal ed after me.

“For a walk,” I said, bundling myself inside my hat and gloves.

“It’s freezing outside, Nina! Be reasonable! Please let Robert drive you!”

I yanked my purse over my shoulder and jerked open the door. “I’l walk to the bus stop and catch a ride to Brown. I’l cal you when I get there.” I avoided her inevitably pleading eyes as I marched outside, slamming the door behind me.

Winter exploded in my face. The air was too cold to breathe, burning my nose and throat with each gasp of air that I took in. The wind had picked up and the large snowflakes whipped around me. My hair thrashed against my face and I squinted as the icy wind blurred my vision.

I tried to sort al of the new information, but the freezing air along with my anger blocked any rational thought I could have. I reached the end of the drive and trudged into the street, walking as fast as my legs could carry me. My home had become a dark, wicked thing where corruption and scandal took place. I couldn’t bring myself to look back, even though I had no intentions of returning.

When the painful burn from the wind began to wane to a numbing sensation, I heard a vehicle slow down beside me. I continued to walk; I wasn’t in the mood to explain myself or argue with Robert. He was less capable of changing my mind than my mother.

“Nina?”

I knew that voice. It belonged to the one person I wanted to see. When I came to a stop, so did his SUV.

“I’m taking the bus, Jared,” I said, looking straight ahead.

“No, you’re not. I’ve come to take you home.”

I stood perfectly stil except for the occasional weaving when the wind attempted to knock me over.

“Nina, it’s freezing outside,” he said, impatient.

When I didn’t budge, Jared opened his door and walked over to me. He stared at me for a moment and then bent down, sweeping me into his arms. He carried me to the passenger side, pressing his warm lips to my forehead.

He placed me gently into the seat and paused. “What were you thinking?”

I couldn’t utter a single word. I felt broken; it was al too much for me to accept in such a short amount of time.

Once in his seat, he turned the heater to its highest setting and pul ed forward. Occasional y, Jared would reach over and brush my hair back from my face, or hold his warm hand affectionately to my cheek, but the only sounds were the heated air blowing through the vents and the road under the tires.

The Escalade came to a stop on the street behind Andrews. Jared walked with me to the door in silence, but when I put my hand on the knob, he touched my arm.

“Nina, I know it’s a lot to take in, but he loved you.”

My eyes focused and I shot a