Chapter Five
Lia
I’m being released from the hospital today, five days after my attack. Detective Michaels, as well as the nurses, have told me how lucky I am to have survived. When I look at myself, seeing my once-clear skin now riddled with black and blue marks along with the teeth impressions of a monster, I don’t feel lucky. I’m tainted with the type of dirty no amount of bathing can remove. My body, which was so familiar to me only days before now, seems foreign. The cuts and bruises will heal, I’m told; soon, there will be nothing but possibly a few scars left. I can put it all behind me and get on with my life as if it never happened. I hear some version of that almost every day. Do they really believe it to be that easy, or are they that fucking delusional? Would they be speaking these same patronizing words if they had been brutally attacked by someone who should have only protected them? Can anyone other than another victim truly understand the sense of betrayal and shame which comes from being sexually assaulted by a parent or stepparent? I have learned to live my life despite the fact that those feelings rise at times to suffocate me, the burn on my back a constant reminder of the atrocities that someone can commit against another.
The fact that my mother knows, has always known, is an even greater cross to bear. In my lifetime, I’ve never known what it was like to be loved unconditionally until I met Debra. She is a loud, brash, business owner, but she’s a fierce protector of those she loves. The day I walked into her restaurant, desperately needing a job, was one of the best days ever for me. Debra and her boyfriend, Martin, took me under their wing, and I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have without them. She visited me yesterday, and thankfully, she was one of the few people not to tell me how lucky I am to have made it. I don’t think I could have handled her sugarcoating things for me, because that’s just not who she is. Instead, she called my stepfather a ‘fucking, evil prick’ who needed to be taught a lesson. She was very detailed in what that lesson should entail, too. I loved her for understanding that I can’t sit around and just be thankful that my lot in life wasn’t as bad as it could be. She understood that I needed to vent even if I could only do it with insults.
And Lucian…I’ve alternated between wanting to hide myself away from him so he can’t see all the ugliness, which now seems such a dominant part of me and wanting to stay wrapped in his arms so he can protect me from the world as he’s promised to do. When he makes that vow, I know he genuinely believes he can keep me from harm’s way. He is loyal to those he cares about and gives more than he ever realizes to protect them. I don’t know the details, but I feel certain that he almost gave his life to save his friend, and possibly lover, Cassie. What I wouldn’t give to know what transpired between them. Is her story similar to mine? Is he drawn to me because I represent someone he couldn’t save in his past? I’ve spent a lot of time the last few days obsessing on what I don’t know about him. Maybe it’s easier to focus on his problems and avoid my own, or maybe I just need to understand the man who hasn’t left the hospital since I was admitted.
I’ve allowed myself to fall in love with Lucian Quinn, and at a particularly weak point during my hospital stay, I admitted as much to him. I pretended to be asleep afterwards, not wanting to face what was sure to be an awkward moment between us. I know he cares about me; no one would do all he has for me unless they felt something. Sexually, we catch fire when we’re together, never seeming to be able to get enough of each other. Even now, as broken as I am in both body and spirit, I long for his possession. He makes me feel beautiful and desired when we are together, something I’ve never had before. He is a brilliant, intense man and everything he touches flourishes under his hand, just as I do.
He has held me, comforted me, teased me, and took great care of me while I’ve lain in the hospital bed, with what has seemed like an endless stream of tears. I’ve wallowed in self-pity, something I’ve never given into before, no matter how bad my life was. His aunt talked to me yesterday about possibly taking some medication in the short-term until I have a better handle on my emotions. When I mentioned it to Lucian, he seemed upset. It was almost as if he took it as a personal challenge to help me take back control without medicating. He asked that I try to hold off and give myself time before taking any medications. It made me curious as to what his aversion to antidepressants was. Had he used them in the past and had a bad experience? From the way he had been fidgeting and pacing at times during the last five days, I had to wonder if maybe he wouldn’t benefit from something for anxiety himself. I was sure that he had been smoking, as well, though he had yet to admit it when I’d asked him about the smell. At first, I thought it was secondhand from Aidan, or even Max, but inevitably, when he walked outside, he came back smelling like tobacco. For all I knew, it was something he had randomly done for years. I’d never noticed the smell before, though, nor seen any hints of it in his apartment. Lucian was a man with many layers, and just when I thought I knew most of them, he showed me another.
He walks back into the hospital room, holding the door open for his aunt who pushes a wheelchair in. I cringe, knowing there is no way I can get out of riding in it out to the car. She has already told me not to even bother to try; hospital policy is gospel. I put up a token argument, but I am still so sore and weak from lying in a bed for a week, that I’m more than happy to accept a ride to the parking lot.
“Ready to roll, Lia?” She smiles when she brings the chair to a stop in front of me. She and I have bonded during my stay here, and I will miss seeing her each day. She has assured me that she will visit soon. She made me feel very much like a part of their small family for which I am touched and grateful.
“God, yes,” I sigh, mostly meaning it. I’m tired of staring at the small walls of the room but am a little nervous about leaving somewhere that has felt safe to me. The hospital is so busy, but there was always someone in and out of my room. I know Lucian has to return to work. He might own the company, but eventually he’ll need to get back to his life. I am amazed that, true to his word, he never left the hospital during my stay. Other than what I suspect was his smoking time, he stayed in the room with me. Sam dropped off food for us so we weren’t completely dependent upon hospital food. I found I had very little appetite yet, so mine was mostly wasted.
“Come on, baby, let’s go home,” Lucian says as he holds my arm to help me into the wheelchair. I know he would rather just carry me to the car, but he’s playing by the rules to make his aunt happy. He drops a kiss on my forehead. “Sam’s waiting on us at the curb so we don’t have far to go.”
His aunt wheels me through the hallways, and I wave shyly to a few of my regular nurses who I have come to know. I suspect I received more visits from the nursing staff than most patients do for two reasons. One, because of Fae, and two, because of the ‘wow factor’ that is Lucian. They literally melted at his feet when he showed them any attention. I just rolled my eyes as they swooned. I secretly wondered, though, if I act in a similar fashion. He is so effortlessly sexy and charismatic that it’s almost impossible to be immune to him. I would have thought their behavior around me would have been awkward, due to the nature and cause of my injuries, but instead, after the initial shock had worn off, I was more like a visiting celebrity. I knew this was solely due to Luc’s presence and his gentle care of me.
Sam is standing on the sidewalk beaming when we come through the doorway. He walks forward, dropping on a knee to take my hands in his. “Miss Lia, I’m thrilled to be taking you home today. We’ve been so worried about you.”
I tear up at the sincerity in his voice. In such a short time, I have grown so fond of the man in front of me. “Thank you, Sam,” I whisper. “I’ve missed your smile.” Even though I argue against using Lucian’s car when he insists, I always enjoy being around Sam. Spending time with him somehow makes me feel closer to Lucian. Just knowing that he knows most everything about the man I have become so attached to is nothing short of intriguing. I try not to pick him for information, but he says things in passing about Lucian as a child or teenager and I find myself hanging on his every word.
As Lucian helps me to my feet, his aunt walks up to me, taking me into her arms. “Call me if you need anything, even just to talk,” she says low enough that only she and I hear. She hadn’t been happy with Lucian for asking me to hold off on the medication she had talked with me about. I understand that she’s trying to tell me without saying the words to let her know if I can’t cope on my own. I nod my agreement before thanking her for everything she has done.
Lucian settles me in one side of the Mercedes, closing the door carefully behind me before walking around to the other door and getting in. He surprises me by pulling me onto his lap and belting us both in together. “Okay?” he asks, looking at me searchingly.
“Yes,” I answer honestly, glad to be in his arms where the rest of the world always seems to fall away.
He releases a breath before easing me closer, until my head is tucked under his chin. “I’m so happy to be taking you home.”
I rub his arm, attempting to comfort him. “I know it was hard for you to be at the hospital for so long. Thank you for staying.”
He pulls back, taking my chin in his hand to stare into my eyes. “That’s not what I meant. I…fuck, baby, when I found you, I was afraid I’d lost you. The fact that you’re here now…” He doesn’t seem to know how to finish his sentence, but he’s said enough to give me some measure of peace. I understand what he was trying to say, because when I had been completely at the mercy of my stepfather, I had felt anguish that I’d never see Lucian again, never feel his arms around me, and never get the chance to see if someday we could have been more. I had mourned the loss of him as my body was pummeled. The fact that he now cradles me gently in his arms as if I am precious to him seems surreal.
We don’t speak for the rest of the drive, both seemingly lost in our own thoughts. One thing I both love and hate at times about him is that he never feels the need to fill the silence. I know he has a mind that is seldom at rest, and I long to hear his thoughts, but sometimes, like today, relaxing into a peaceful silence is its own kind of comfort.
Lucian insists on carrying me from the car and into his apartment. I do not bother to protest when he walks through the living area and straight to the bedroom, sitting me down on the bed; my body is still weak from both the trauma and the battering it sustained. I am more than happy to let him take off my shoes and tuck me under the covers. “This feels so good,” I murmur drowsily as I snuggle deeper into the soft bedding.
He drops a kiss on my temple before standing. “I’m going to go through some emails for a bit if you’re okay alone?”
“I’m fine,” I mumble in reply, already starting to doze.
“I’m just down the hall in my office. Call out if you need me. Lia?”
Apparently, my nod wasn’t sufficient, and he needs my verbal agreement before he will leave. “K…in your office,” I repeat to appease him. When he walks out of the room, I have to fight the sudden urge to call him back. Knowing Lucian watched over me was the only way I was able to rest easy in the hospital. I knew that, true to his word, he would kill anyone who tried to hurt me again. I’m home now, though; Lucian has become that for me. If I know nothing else, I know I’m safe within these walls with him standing guard. As I start to drift away, I wonder how I’ll ever make myself leave the security of this apartment again.
Lucian
I drop into my leather office chair, running my hand through my hair. It feels so fucking good to be home again, and the fact that Lia’s back in my bed is enough to bring me to my knees. For agonizing hours after I found her, I was afraid we’d never be here together again. Truthfully, I don’t know if I would have ever walked back through the door to this place if she had died. This might be my home on paper, but Lia now owns every square inch of it. There isn’t a room, nook, or corner I don’t feel her presence in. Maybe it stems from the fact that I’ve never had another woman here romantically. It scares the hell out of me to even try to analyze why I can’t imagine wanting her to leave…ever. Whatever the reason, I finally feel as if I can breathe again.
Even though I want nothing more than to go crawl into bed with Lia and feel her against me, I have business that needs to be dealt with. Aidan and Cindy have done a good job at handling the day-to-day operations at Quinn Software, but I cannot be away from the helm forever. There are always decisions to be made that are solely my responsibility.
I have been returning emails for an hour when the doorbell rings. “Fuck,” I hiss, hoping the sound doesn’t wake Lia. I can’t imagine who it could be since everyone I know would call before they dropped by. When I look through the peephole, I squint in surprise. I recognize the face; after all, I purchased this apartment from his company. It also explains why he made it to my apartment without my okay; I guess his employees don’t say no to the boss. Opening the door, I stand with my arms crossed, saying simply, “Jacks.”
“Quinn,” he answers back in kind, appearing amused by my resigned expression. I know it is obvious to him that his visit is no surprise to me. I’d known from the moment Max and I talked that he’d make an appearance at some point; I’m only surprised it has taken him this long. We hold a bit of a stare-off/male-pissing contest before I finally move aside and motion him into my apartment. There is no way he’s going to go away easily, and I’d rather get this over with while Lia is asleep.
He stands in the foyer, waiting until I close the door and motion him to follow me to my office. When he sits in the chair I’ve indicated in front of my desk, I take a moment to study him. Maybe I’m prejudiced by the information I have, but damn, he does look like Lia. Their hair and coloring are almost the same, but it’s the eyes that really give me pause. His eyes are the same brilliant blue as Lia’s. I realize that half of the people in the world probably have blue eyes, but there is just something about Lia and Lee’s eyes, which look almost identical. I scrub a hand over my forehead thinking that maybe I’m just seeing things that aren’t even there. I have a feeling Lee knows for sure one way or the other, so my curiosity has me asking, “So, what can I do for you?”
His lips turn up in a slight smirk as if to say, ‘so you’re going that route.’ I don’t intend to make this easy for him, though, so I wait. “When I was told you were asking questions about me, it didn’t cause much of a blip on my radar. After all, we have some similar business interests, and I figured you had some future venture in mind.” He pauses, crossing his legs before continuing. “What did surprise me was that the questions had nothing to do with business and everything to do with my personal life, or more accurately, my past. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, because it does…often. However, it’s usually by the same nosy crowd that wants to dissect me for personal gain. Your sudden interest in a period of my life twenty-some-odd years ago was enough to get my attention. So, I did a little digging of my own into your life.”
After delivering his last statement, he waits as if curious to what my reaction will be. I lean back in my chair, wishing for one of the nasty cigarettes that are in my desk drawer. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of acting like a pussy. Men like Lee Jacks only respect one thing: strength. Something tells me that how I react to him today will set the tone for our future relationship. If he is Lia’s father, and he deems me as weak, he’ll end up being a problem—a big one. Therefore, with a carefully blank face, I say, “I would have done the same. I’m only curious as to why it’s taken you this long to make an appearance.”
I think I must be imagining things when he looks almost guilty for a split second before wiping his expression clean. “I was out of town when I first heard of your unusual…interest in me. I just returned late last night. After I found out that you were at home instead of your office, I came straight here.”
Deciding to cut through the rest of the small talk, I ask bluntly, “Is she your daughter?”
He doesn’t bother to act ignorant; he simply says, “Yes.”
I have little doubt that he knows exactly what he’s talking about; this isn’t a man who would answer that type of question without facts to back it up. I feel rage rising to choke me as I snap, “Have you always known about her?”
“Fuck no!” He almost shouts the words, losing his composure for a moment before taking a breath. “The things you were asking made me dig. When I couldn’t find a connection between my past and yours, I had my men look at her. I knew when I saw her picture, but the first line of her background report confirmed it for me.”
“You don’t look that much alike,” I argue, not even sure why I’m protesting. Maybe because I think Lia deserves a parent who isn’t just as bad as her mother is. Without replying, he pulls his wallet from his suit pocket and takes a picture from it. When he tosses it in front of me, I gape at him. In the picture stands Lee Jacks with his arm around…Lia?
“What the hell?” I ask, staring at the picture in shock. Lia knows who he is.
“Pretty uncanny, isn’t it?” he asks as he hands me another picture. The same woman stands next to a man who closely resembles Lee, but clearly is not. “That’s my brother Peter and his daughter Kara.”
I take a closer look at both photographs, finally noticing a difference in the other woman’s hair color and height. At first glance, she could pass for Lia’s twin. However, upon closer inspection, knowing what I now do, I can see it is not her. It does seem to lend support to his statement of being Lia’s father. I hand the pictures back, saying, “This doesn’t really prove anything. Don’t they say everyone has a twin somewhere in the world?”
“Let’s not waste our time doing the denial dance, Quinn. Both you and I know I have more proof than this.”
“So, what now?” I ask, knowing he speaks the truth. There is no way Lee would be here right now if he had any question about whether Lia was his daughter. “I’m not sure of what kind of reaction you are expecting from her.”
“That’s why I sought you out first instead of Lia. I thought maybe you would have some suggestions as to how to approach her.” The surprise I feel must be written all over my face. He gives me a wry smile, saying, “You’re involved with her, so it stands to reason that you know her much better than I do.”
Before I can formulate a reply, a voice sounds from the doorway. “Luc, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company. I was just going to sit with you for a while.”
I jump to my feet, noting the break in her voice and the redness of her eyes. She’s been crying again. I cross the room in a couple strides, pulling her into my arms. “Are you okay, baby?” I ask, feeling her shudder against me.
“Just a bad dream,” she whispers against my neck. Looking toward the man who sits staring at us, she pulls out of my arms. “I’m…um…just going to take a shower. Sorry to interrupt your meeting.” Lowering her head, she quickly turns away, seeming embarrassed as she pulls nervously at the loose clothing she is wearing.
“It’s fine,” I assure her. “I’ll be in to check on you in just a minute. Why don’t you wait for me before you shower?” I don’t like the thought of her possibly falling while I’m not close enough to hear her. She nods before walking back down the hallway. When I can no longer see her, I close the door quietly and turn to find Lee in my face. “What the…” I choke off as his hand comes around my neck, pinning me against the door I had just shut.
“How dare you lay hands on her!” he hisses as he draws his fist back. I am momentarily confused, thinking he is pissed off about me hugging her before it hits me. He had seen her face. He thought I…
“Fuck,” I bite off as I reach out to hold his fist. “I’d never hurt her.” I jerk out of his hold, shaking my head. “You don’t know, do you? Apparently your employees aren’t as thorough as you thought.” My neck throbs from the crushing hold he’d had on my windpipe. Lee might wear a thousand-dollar suit, but he packs some serious muscle underneath. His calm demeanor makes more sense to me now I know he had no clue as to where Lia had been for the last five days. I can’t understand how his people had missed something so recent, though.
“You need to stop talking shit, Quinn, and tell me what happened to her. If you did that to her, I’ll find out, and I’ll visit the same on you, only much worse.” Rage radiates from every pore of the other man’s body, leaving me in little doubt that he means every word. I don’t want to have this conversation with Lia awake, but I know there is no way Lee is leaving without some answers. Maybe a part of me even hopes the truth will cause him even a piece of the pain Lia has felt all of these years.
Rubbing my neck to ease some of the tension, I say, “Lia has been in the hospital for the last five days. I just brought her home today. Her stepfather tried to rape her and would have probably killed her had something not interrupted him.”
“WHAT?” Lee roars, clenching his fists.
“Keep your voice down,” I demand, looking toward the door. “I don’t want her to know we’re talking about this. If you would like to hear this, then you’re going to have to refrain from yelling.” Giving me an incredulous look, he motions for me to continue. “If you didn’t know that, then you probably don’t know that she was abused for years by her mother and her stepfather. She—”
“Maria hurt her?” he interrupts, looking pale as a ghost. I am surprised a man like Lee Jacks would be shocked by anything, especially violence. He doesn’t appear to be acting, though. He genuinely looks like he might pass out.
“Yes, she did,” I answer truthfully. “Then she married Jim Dawson, and he did everything short of raping her for years after that.” When the other man sinks down into the chair he had vacated earlier, I go back to my own before telling him all that I know, including the courtroom drama we’d had recently. A part of me even feels a tiny bit sorry for him, as he looks sick to his stomach.
“I…I didn’t know any of this,” he says quietly before rubbing his temples. Looking down at his hands, he adds, “She’s had a horrible life, hasn’t she? Goddammit, I can’t believe this!”
I sigh, feeling my anger at him drain away. There is no denying the fact that he is devastated at the news I’ve delivered. I hadn’t doubted he would be angry over what Lia has endured if for no other reason than someone had dared to touch a Jacks. What I hadn’t expected was what appeared to be a father’s anguish over his daughter’s pain. It doesn’t really seem to fit with the detached person I’ve known him to be. “Her life hasn’t been easy,” I agree. “But she’s an amazing woman. She’s the most intelligent, determined and strong person I’ve ever known. She’s taken everything that has been done to her and turned it into a stepping stone to survive.”
He raises his head, and his eyes blaze. His words, when they come, are spoken so softly I almost don’t hear them. “Anyone who has ever hurt her will pay; I can promise you that.” He stands, walking toward the door. “I’ll be in touch,” he adds before walking out.
I slump back into my seat, feeling drained from the encounter. Strangely, I also feel myself relax more than I have since Lia’s attack. I have no idea what his intentions are where she is concerned, but there is one thing I’m certain of: he’ll rain Hell down onto anyone who even thinks of hurting her again. I’m also certain that there is no corner of the world big enough for Jim Dawson to hide in now. I’m under no delusions that he plans to suddenly turn into father-of-the-year, but his loss of control where his emotions were concerned seemed very real. The only thing that makes me uneasy is how this revelation will affect my relationship with Lia. I’d love nothing better than for her to finally have a family who cares for her as she deserves, but I don’t know if Jacks will ever offer that. I don’t want this to be another source of pain for her. He is a powerful man, but I’m not without contacts and allies of my own. If I have to protect Lia from her own father, then I will… without hesitation.
Standing, I go in search of Lia only to find her asleep once again on the bed. I move her gently, trying to make her more comfortable before pulling the comforter back over her small frame. Just as I lean down to brush a kiss over her lips, I hear the doorbell. Our first day home and my apartment has suddenly turned into Grand Central Station. As I look through the peephole, I’m surprised once again at my unexpected visitor. Swinging the door open, I motion for Max to come in. “What’s up?” I ask without preamble. Silently, I wonder when people stopped calling before just dropping in. Especially knowing Lia has just come home hours before. As I wait for his reply, I notice his disheveled appearance. Max generally looks like an ad for Brooks Brothers. Even though he’s wearing his usual suit, he looks almost as if he slept in it before coming over. “What in the hell happened to you?”
“Rose Madden is what happened to me!” he growls in response. “That woman is fucking nuts.”
I wonder vaguely if I look as confused as I feel at his answer. “Lia’s friend Rose?”
“Oh, yes, one and the same.”
After having to deal with Lee, I’m too burned out for obscure answers. I fight the urge to open the door and push him back out of it. Instead, I rub the bridge of my nose before asking, “What kind of problem could you possibly have with her? You’ve met her, what, once?”
Loosening his already-lopsided tie, he says, “Until last night, yes. Then at one this morning, when Rose called me from the police department as her one phone call.”
“She did what?” I ask, thinking I must have heard him wrong. I just saw her at the hospital the day before Lia was released and she seemed fine.
“You heard me. Apparently, her boyfriend has been cheating on her, and she’s flipped her lid or something. The police said she took a shovel and smashed out all the windows in his car before…”
“No fucking way,” I gasp, unable to comprehend Rose doing something so crazy. And Jake? I’d only been around him at dinner one night, but they seemed like a solid couple.
“It gets better, believe me. She used her .357 Magnum to shoot his tires out. I guess the shovel wasn’t working too well on those.”
“Holy shit,” I mutter, unable to believe what he is saying. Lia’s best friend is a fucking whack job. Seriously, what else today?
“You know when she slapped the guy at the hospital and you asked me to go and see what was going on?” When I nod, he continues. “Well, she said something about smelling perfume on him. I talked to her for a few moments and gave her my card in case he caused her any problems. I never thought I’d hear anything else from her. After she called, I went to the police station as a favor to Lia since it’s her friend and fuck, it was like the Twilight Zone or something. There she sits, in—I kid you not—a white blouse, a pink cardigan, and a black skirt. She was wearing pearls, and she didn’t have a hair out of place. I swear she looked more like a Stepford Wife than the card-carrying, concealed-gun-toting NRA gold member she is.”
My shock gives way to amusement as I start laughing. I knew Rose had some spunk, but I never suspected she had that much. “She’s a member of the NRA, as in National Rifle Association?” Surely, there was another meaning for that.
“Not just a member, a gold member, meaning she’s a big supporter of the cause. She’s no dummy, though; she refused to tell them anything until I got there. I knew a couple of the cops handling her case, and they were so fucking cracked up over the whole thing that they were willing to take a plea from her and just let her off with paying for the damages.”
Shrugging, I say, “Well, that’s good, right? I’m sorry she called you, but thanks for helping her out. I know Lia will be grateful.” When he looks uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to the other, I ask, “That was the end of it, wasn’t it?”
“Not exactly,” he mutters. “I…gave her a lift home and when we got there, she…came on to me.”
“Pardon?” I ask, thinking I must have heard him wrong.
“She climbed into my lap and kissed me while grabbing my…dick.”
I motion him toward the living room and sink down into the chair behind me, wondering how many more crazy things I am going to hear. Rose was now some kind of horny Annie Oakley. “Jesus. Was she on something?”
“Hell yeah,” Max retorted. “My cock.”
Dropping my head back, I can’t contain the laughter at his dry response. It’s so freaking crazy it’s funny. My usually unflappable lawyer looks completely bewildered at what occurred, and I am damn blown away myself. Maybe there was a full moon last night or something. “Please tell me you didn’t fuck her in the car?”
“No!” he snaps, looking indignant. “I mean, it went further than it should have because her hands were just everywhere before I knew it. And damn, she’s kind of scary, but beautiful.”
“She got to you,” I say in disbelief.
“No.” He shakes his head. “No way. It was just a surprise.”
“Come on.” I point to where he is pacing in a circle, clenching his fists. “You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
He drops down on the couch across from me, releasing a breath. “Yeah, holy Hell, she’s something else. I didn’t know whether to run for my life or propose.”
“Trust me,” I wince, “I know exactly where you’re coming from.” As we both sit there in silence staring off into space, I say, “Lee Jacks just left.”
He expels a loud breath. “This day is just one big fucking mess, isn’t it?” I agree as I get up and walk to the bar in the corner to fix us each a glass of bourbon. He takes a big gulp, grimacing at the sting. “All right, let’s hear it.”