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I don’t feel very steady at the moment. I want Callum’s arms around me, but he hasn’t touched me except to make sure I’m okay.
“I don’t believe my parents would ever knowingly conspire against me. I really don’t. But Junior knows how gullible they are and this was all a game to him. He manipulated all of us.”
I glare at Junior as he’s led past me, shaking with rage.
“You are lower than low,” I say when he’s within earshot. “Wait.”
The sheriff pauses and I dig into my pocket. When I pull the ring out and hold it up, Junior’s nose flares. I walk over and put it in his shirt pocket and then tap it twice to make sure he doesn’t miss that it’s all his.
“It’d serve you right if I sold this ring and kept it for myself, but something tells me you’re gonna need this more than I do.” I step back.
Junior doesn’t look at me. His nose and mouth are puffy and bloody, and the arrogance is gone as they lead him away. He’s shoved into the police car and looks small as he’s driven away.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
OPEN BOOKS AND DETACHMENTS
CALLUM
We’re sitting around the dining room table in Ruby’s house. Once she realized Junior had never moved in, she was more comfortable going inside. Most of her parents’ things are in storage, and when she first stepped in the door, she looked shaken, but she has more color in her cheeks now.
Theo and Wyatt pick up coffee and breakfast sandwiches for us, and Sutton explains the details of the contract and the paperwork her parents signed better than I evercould’ve.
After I apologized to her for telling my brothers we’d gotten married after we’d agreed to wait, I’ve just sat here and listened.
Ruby’s eyes keep meeting mine, furtive glances that I’m not used to seeing from her. Or maybe it’s all in my head.
I’m wondering about a lot of things right now—was it all in my head?
Did I dream up her love for me?
She’s home where she belongs, with nothing hanging over her head now.
I should be happy for her, and I am.
But where does this leave me?
I’m a selfish prick for even going there.
But I’m worn out from staying awake all night and relieved beyond words to be done with Junior…and I feel oddly detached from the woman who has been an open book to me before now.
“Callum?” Ruby says.
Everyone’s looking at me, and there’s a small frown between Ruby’s brows.
“Oh, sorry,” I say. “What did I miss?”
“I asked if I could talk to you?” She motions behind her.
I get up and she jumps out of her chair too, leading the way down the hall. When she opens the door to her room, she’s taken aback.
“I wasn’t expecting my things to be here,” she says.
I look around her room. It’s large and tastefully decorated, with a bathroom connected. It’s beautiful and so her. Yet, I’ve never felt the difference in our ages more than I do right now. I’ve never felt it at all besides my initial alarm when she first showed up at my house and I realized I couldn’t be around her without wanting her.
She’s young and her life is here. She’s never even lived on her own, for fuck’s sake.
I see a picture of her and Junior and turn it face down.
