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“To your house?”
He glanced at her and nodded.
“Can we make a stop first? I want to check on Conner.”
War sensed the tension in her voice and decided to push further. “Didn’t she just leave you? Y’all fighting or something?”
She mentioned being with Conner at the club. Siblings had disagreements all the time. He and Kirsten could go at it like enemies, given the day.
“It was supposed to be a girls’ night out. Her boyfriend saw her story and ended up dragging Conner out of the club. I just want to make sure she’s good. She said she was but…”
“They got the kind of relationship where you have to worry about her?”
She blew out a shaky breath. “Sometimes, yes.”
At first Cali wouldn’t meet his gaze but when she finally did the look they shared communicated everything War needed to know.
“Give me her address.”
They arrived shortly after and when War parked his truck and proceeded to get out, Cali turned to face him in the seat.
“You don’t have to go. I won’t be long. I just want to make sure she’s good. She’ll tell me anything over the phone to stop me from worrying.”
War laughed arrogantly, briefly pausing his motion to get out. “You just told me he doesn’t respect your sister. That means he damn sure won’t respect you. Either I’m going with you or you’re staying here and I’ll bring Conner out so you can lay eyes on her.”
She opened her mouth to argue but her face populated into a smile instead. He appreciated that she chose the latter because he didn’t want them at odds over simple shit.
“Fine, but can you let me handle this? I don’t want things getting out of hand. You and all that arrogance might make things worse than they have to be.”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
He only agreed because it was what she needed. He had no intention of letting anything concerning Cali, and by default Conner, get out of control. A man who didn’t respect women was a coward. “But don’t think I’m staying out of this if he’s on some bullshit.”
War’s face was unchanging when he added, “But I’ll fall back until I feel I need to get involved.”
He caught her smile as she turned toward the door and pulled the handle to get out. War was even more convinced that this woman was going to bring him to his knees. Hell, he was already there.
TEN
“Stop looking at me like that. I’m fine.”
Cali glanced over her shoulder at War who was by the door. She was deeper into the apartment, speaking quietly to Conner who had already showered, changed, and wiped her face clean of makeup.
“He ruined our night by dragging you up out of the club. That’s not fine nor is it normal.”
“He’s extra. You know how he gets.”
“Yeah, I do, which is why I’m here. This is crazy, Conner. You can stay with me. Let’s just get your stuff now and go while he’s not here.”
When Cali showed up, her sister seemed surprised. Cali didn’t care and instead barged her way in even after Conner insisted she and Maurice argued and he left the apartment after she threatened to call the police. Cali searched each room of their place until she was satisfied that he wasn’t there.
“Cali…”
“No, don’t Cali me. How many times have you called begging me to come get you because he put his hands on you, Conner? Tonight he dragged you out of a club and you hadn’t done anything wrong. You’re allowed to have a life outside of your relationship with him.”
“I know and I will. I promise. I mean it this time. Just give me tonight. I want to finish packing my things so when I leave, I don’t have to come back. He’s not here and he’s not coming home. I have his keys. He can’t get in even if he does come back and you have plans. Just go. I’ll be fine. I am fine. You see me, right?”
Cali nodded, taking her sister in from head to toe. “Yeah.”
