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What had they done to him?
Lara had to glance away, knowing the sight of her tears would irritate him
“Look, take the money Give me your bank account nuh liquid assets to cover half of the estate until I sell the house But I can send enough to give you time to decide what you want to do”
“You’re selling the house?” Lara asked, not really caring but needing to buy tiure out how she felt
“Unless you want it?”
“God, no,” she exclaiers behind the counter turned to stare
Phillip’s nod made it clear he felt the exact same way
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, truly curious
“Does it matter?” At first he caled “I knoasn’tup I’ure ere a product of our environ over the past—those are a waste of time”
Lara blinked, surprised to hear her own attitude co genetic—their parents had been the king and queen of using the past as a weapon Maybe she and Phillip had ined
“Okay,” she slowly agreed, sliding her hand toward the money, but she didn’t put it in her purse Not yet “On one condition”
“You’re putting a condition on accepting money you obviously need and deserve?”
“Yep” Lara wet her lips, looking down at the tray, e of salt and a smear of ketchup She needed a second to reel in her e neither she nor Phillip would be comfortable otherwise
Finally, she ain
“I’ll take this, and I’ll help you sort through and settle the estate if you want”
For a second he looked surprised, then relieved Then he nodded for her to continue with her terms
“But in exchange, you can’t tell Castillo where I areement clear on his face, he opened his , Lara held up one hand “And you promise to talk to me”
He shook his head Not in denial, she could tell, but in confusion Lara took a deep breath and reached across the table to lay her hands over his
“We ht not really be family, and I doubt we’ll ever be friends,” she said slowly, putting all the sincerity she felt in her eyes “But ers”
DOMINIC WHALED ON the bag, putting all his weight, frustration and aggravation behind each punch
“Castillo”
Jab Jab Uppercut, right cross, jab