“You don’t have to worry. Let’s go eat.”
I lead Dax into the living area and watch the smile grow on his face.
“I didn’t notice how nice this place was before,” he says, looking around the airy space. “And this isn’t even your main home.”
“It’s probably so nice because it hardly gets used,” I joke.
“You don’t use the pool?”
At the coffee table, I pull the cloches off our plates. “I do, sometimes. It’s a good stress reliever. We could go for a swim later, if you like?”
Dax sits beside me. “Yeah, maybe.”
We eat breakfast in silence. Dax continues to look around at the plush furniture and beachy aesthetic. He told me the mall made him uncomfortable, so I hope he’s not feeling out of place here.
When our plates are cleared, we sit back on the couch, cuddled together.
“We have some time to kill before your appointment this afternoon,” I say, stroking his coffee-colored hair. “Do you want to rest?”
“I should probably swing by the clubhouse.”
My gut tenses. “Why would you do that?”
“So no one has a reason to look for me.”
“Dax, yesterday your brother hit you so hard you blacked out.”
“He just hit me where I was already bruised.”
“Baby, you need to stop making excuses for him. This situation is not okay.”
Dax rubs his palm across his chest. “Just stop.”
I put my hand over his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel worse.”
“All I need to do is walk in there for five minutes.”
“And what if he has a job for you to do?”
“I’ll tell him I’ll do it.”
“Will Boscoe or McCoy follow you?”
Dax frowns, rolling his shoulders forward. “You’re doing it again. You’re making me tense up.”
“I’m just scared,” I whisper. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
He lifts my hand and kisses it. “And I don’t want them finding me again when I’m with you. If I go to them, everything will stay the same. It’s safer.”
“When will you go over there?”
“I’ll go before the doctor’s appointment. You can have your driver take you to the hospital. Just tell your family you’re going for a volunteer shift.”
I suck in my bottom lip, and it trembles when I let it go. “Okay.”
He rubs my arms, searching deep into my eyes. “Trust me. It’s what I have to do.”
My eyes prick with tears. “I don’t understand why you can’t just stay here. You’re safe here.”
