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“I should never have taken that money.” She rolls onto her side, turning her back to me.
I follow, wrapping my arm around her waist and spooning her. Kissing her shoulder, I murmur what I can to make her feel better.
“Those assholes don’t deserve that money. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m a thief, Liam.”
“Fuck that,” I can’t help snapping. She tenses, and I let out a soft sigh. “You’re no thief. Not in my eyes. I don’t give a fuck what that asshole called you. And I don’t care what the law says either. Like they can even trace the money back to you. They have no way of proving you took it.”
She goes quiet, the shudders in her body starting to slow as her sobs ebb.
“Where is the money?”
“Under your bed at Hockey House.” She sniffs. “I’ve only used a bit of it. And I haven’t touched it since getting that job at the diner. I never want to touch it again.” She squeaks out the last few words, and I softly shush her before she starts crying again.
“It’s okay. It’s all gonna be okay.” I kiss the back of her head. “I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you.”
I keep saying that promise until she drifts off to sleep in my arms.
Lying awake beside her, I try to relax but can’t. My brain and body are humming. I need to get up, move, punch Matt in the face. Anything to expel whatever the hell is working through my chest right now.
Easing my arm out from under Rachel, I carefully get off the bed and sneak out the door.
I’m thinking of heading to the gym for a workout when I spot Ethan in the living area. He’s slumped on the couch, nursing a beer and staring at the dancing flames in the fireplace.
“Hey.” I take a seat on the adjacent couch, studying his deep frown and figuring he’s wrestling with all the same emotions I am. They’re dark and toxic. Shit, I feel like they’re eating me alive.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever legit wanted to kill someone…” Ethan sniffs, clenching his jaw before continuing. “But if I ever see that Matt shithead, I can’t say that I wouldn’t try.”
When he turns to look at me, his gaze is bright and intense. Shit. He means every word.
“I hear ya, man.” I nod, feeling it with the same ferocity.
“That fucker hurt my girl,” he growls.
“And she fought. She hurt him right back.” I try to offer what comfort I can.
He snickers and nods, the edge of his mouth tipping up for a moment.
“How’s she doing?” I ask.
“Monster headache. We’ve given her some painkillers, and now she’s trying to sleep it off.”
I nod.
“Ray?”
“Yeah, she’s, uh…” I glance over my shoulder at her bedroom door. “She’s cried herself to sleep.” My smile is glum when I turn back to face him. “She’s really cut up over how it all went down. Blames herself for everything.”
Ethan’s lips purse and twitch, and it makes me wonder if he blames her too.
I sit forward with a frown, ready to put him in his place.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he mutters. “I’m not holding her responsible. Sure, taking that money was stupid, but she already knows that.”
I huff. “She deserved it after what they put her through.”
“I know.” He shrugs. “But it put a target on her back. Maybe if she’d just slipped out the door, then they could have let it go more easily. But she took their money, and now…” Ethan shakes his head as I let out a heavy sigh.
