Easy Nights (Boudreaux #6)

“And now you hold the record for understatement of the year,” Violet replies.

“I know.” I grab my bottle of water and take a long sip. “It was the worst time of my life, and I truly believe that no matter what the future holds, it will never be as bad as it was while I was married to him.”

Violet just nods, urging me to continue. I begin to peel the label off of the water bottle and focus on that while I continue to talk.

“While I lived it, I knew it wasn’t right. That not every marriage was that horrible. But at the same time, I couldn’t let myself analyze it. Because if I did, I really think that I would have had a nervous breakdown.” I glance up to see her reaction, but she just arches an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue. “But now that I’ve been with Ben for a while, and I am in a healthy, loving relationship, I can finally see just how horrible it was before.”

My eyes find hers again and I can’t help the tears that come. “It was worse than anyone should have to go through. He didn’t treat me like a human being, not to mention his partner in life. He treated me like I was a possession.”

I bite my lip for a moment, wipe my eyes, and keep talking, unable to keep the words at bay.

“He’s a horrible man, V.”

“Yes. He is.”

“And now I have something so beautiful with Ben, and I can’t help but feel sorry for the woman I was before, because she was missing out on so much joy.”

“Oh, Savannah.”

My gaze whips up to hers and I’m mortified to see Violet crying. “You’ve never cried in my office before.”

“I know.”

“And even though you knew in your heart long ago that Lance was a horrible husband, you couldn’t admit it aloud. Even to me.”

I nod and wipe more tears from my cheeks.

“I’m so happy for you, Van. What you’ve found with Ben, and the healing that’s happened in you because of that relationship is remarkable.”

“Thank you.” I sniff, relieved that the crying jag seems to have subsided. “Do you think I’m completely over it?”

“Well, that’s a question only you can answer.” Violet wipes her own eyes. “You’ve absolutely come a very long way, and you’re much stronger now than you were when you walked in here two years ago.”

“I am.” I nod. “And I know that there will always be scars, and there may be moments that something triggers a knee jerk reaction. I can’t help it when that happens.”

“It should happen less and less as time passes.”

I nod again. “I can see that. I’d like to keep coming to see you for a while.”

“I don’t think we’re done quite yet,” she agrees. “But, we could probably schedule appointments twice a month rather than once a week.”

“Awesome.” I stand and Violet pulls me in for a hug. “Thank you.”

“It’s been my absolute pleasure,” she replies. “Are you off to work now?”

“I’m going to swing by my place to grab some things and then I’m headed to the office.”

“Well, have a great day.”

As I leave Violet’s office and head toward my house, it feels like a weight has been lifted. A weight that I’ve carried around with me for a long, long time. It’s amazing.

I pull into my driveway, surprised to see Ben’s loaner car there.

“Ben?” I call out as I walk into the house.

“In the kitchen,” he calls back. He’s on the phone and he doesn’t look happy in the least. “There are only three of us who take that home each night,” he says. He’s rummaging through drawers, shuffling papers, and then hurries out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedroom. I sit in a stool at the island, waiting for him to come back.

“What’s going on?” I ask as he walks into the kitchen.

“Ethan says the flash drive that we keep all of our financials on is missing.” He pushes his fingers through his hair and exhales loudly. “Depending on who closes that night, it would be him, Shelly, or me that takes it home at the end of the night.”

“You keep it on a flash drive? Isn’t that a bit primitive?”

“The point is,” he says, ignoring me, “that the passwords to bank accounts, balances, everything is on there. And my checking account was wiped out this morning.”

“Oh my God.”

“I keep the payroll and savings on my computer at home, so those are safe, but whoever did this took quite a lot. I have calls out to my bank and CPA, but it’s a fucking mess.”

“How can I help?”

He kisses my forehead. “Be patient with me today.”

“I can do that.”

He nods and fetches his car keys. “I’m going to check my place again, and then back to the office to tear the place apart. Do you need anything from me?”

“I think you have plenty on your plate,” I reply. “I’m good. I’ll text you when I’m on my way home from work later.”

He nods and waves as he leaves. Who could have stolen his financial information? I wander upstairs and change my clothes, then pause in the living room, glancing about in case I see something. Not that I know what the flash drive looks like, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

The small pile of mail from yesterday catches my eye on the coffee table. I forgot to go through it.

I sit on the sofa and thumb through a utility bill, some junk mail, and a large, padded envelope. I tear it open and break out in a cold sweat. I’m numb.

What the actual fuck am I looking at?

Photos. Of me. Of Ben. At our jobs, coming out of the dojo, at dinner.

In my bed.

The photos fall out of my fingers and scatter over the floor. There’s nothing else in the envelope. No note.

Just these photos.

Oh my God.

There’s a knock at the door. I don’t feel my legs as I stand to answer it, and can’t even process quite who I’m looking at when the door swings open. The sun is blinding me. I shield my eyes.

“Lance?”

“We do look a lot alike, don’t we?” He grins and walks in, pushing me backwards.

“Larry?”

“Oh good,” he says, glancing down at the photos on the floor. “You got the package.”

“What the hell is going on?”

“Jesus, Savannah, you’re slow, but you’re not fucking stupid. What do you think is going on?”

“Who took those photos?”

He smiles, but there’s no light in his eyes. Jesus, he looks just like Lance.

My phone is in my pocket, but my fingers are shaking too much to be able to dial it.

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret,” he says calmly. He picks up a photo of Ben and me sleeping in my bed and smirks. “Don’t you look cozy in this one?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Well, we’re going to explain everything. Don’t worry, we won’t keep you in the dark. But first you and I need to go somewhere.”

“No.” I shake my head and back up. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Yes. You are.”

“You don’t know me very well if you think I’m getting in a car with you.”

“I’ll break your fucking arm, and then put you in the car and take you anyway. If you think I’m bluffing, you’re more stupid than I thought.”