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As he mentally ping-ponged whether he should let her go and call his attorney or find another way to lure his wife to his side, his phone rang. He dove for it without even looking at the display.
“Gia?”
“No. Is she all right?” Concern laced the deep, vaguely familiar male voice.
“Edgington? I didn’t expect to hear from you again.” Their call last night had been brief and businesslike—exactly the way Jason preferred it. He’d thanked the colonel for the prompt service and paid him handsomely. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to check in with you, make sure your wife hasn’t been threatened or experienced any blowback from Wayman’s associates.”
Jason frowned. “Are you expecting some?”
“Anything is possible, and when drugs are involved, it’s always bad. Is she safe?”
Usually, he didn’t air his personal problems, but he felt just angry and fuck-it enough to vent. Because as far as he could see, he’d done everything right and still lost the girl. “I don’t know. She’s not speaking to me. Apparently, I’m too high-handed.”
Caleb grunted. “I’ve been accused of that a time or two.”
“By your wife?”
“Both of them, yes,” the older man drawled.
Shit. He barely knew Edgington. But his own father, were he still alive, would have advised him to buy Gia a Louis Vuitton bag or take her to Tahiti or some similarly useless shit. Throwing his money at the situation hadn’t worked. Honestly, he didn’t know what—if anything—would. He loved that woman, and he didn’t want to lose her.
“How did that work out? If you don’t mind me asking… I’m fucked, and I don’t know what to do.” And the fact he’d opened up to a goddamn stranger for advice said volumes about his desperation.
“Not great—at least with the first one. She left, took the kids with her, and divorced me. I was too hot-headed and proud to back down and listen. Years later, I’m recently remarried. I’m learning to compromise and not run roughshod over her. Not gonna lie. It’s hard as fuck.”
“But that’s getting the job done?”
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Carlotta is a spicy handful…but I like her that way.”
Gia fell in the spicy handful category, too, and he wouldn’t change her for anything. Hell, he’d fallen for her knowing she had strong thoughts and a stronger spine. Granted, he’d always regarded compromise as a four-letter word—a path one took only when they held a losing hand. Maybe…that didn’t apply so much to marriage. Maybe they both needed to give a little.
Did his realization matter if Gia wasn’t willing to bend some, too?
“Thank you. I won’t keep you any longer. I just…”
“I get it. A lifetime of commanding troops didn’t exactly program my DNA for meeting anyone in the middle.”
Jason commanded cash rather than men, but the result was the same. “If I hear Gia is in any danger, I’ll reach out.”
“Walker and Scott are still in the area, keeping their ears to the ground. If they hear anything?—”
“Let me know. I’ll want it taken care of.”
“Even if it pisses your wife off?”
Despite his fucking sadness, Jason had to laugh. “Maybe I’ll talk to her first.”
“Good man. If you’re ever in Lafayette, look me up. We’ll have a beer.”
That would be great. “Likewise, if you find yourself in Dallas…”
“You got it.”
Edgington ended the call as abruptly as he’d started it, but Jason appreciated the hell out of the man. And he had to admit Caleb was probably right. Jason knew his intentions had been good…but he probably should have talked to Gia, rather than blindsiding her.
He should have compromised. But damn it, so should she.
