I feel my face heat, remembering all the times he’s had to pull me out of a relationship mess. It’s happened too often. And it makes me feel like a fucking idiot.
“It’s not like that, man. She’s different.”
“You always say that, Kade,” he says, sounding tired.
I do always say that.
When I paid for Victoria’s rehab the first time, I said the same thing.
Also said it when I was dating Carly before she tried to steal an entire wheeled rack full of tools from the garage. I still don’t know what the fuck she was thinking, but she managed to catch one of the wheels on a grate in the parking lot and spill the whole fucking thing. Micah watched it happen, and the boys about pissed themselves, watching the security footage on a loop after. They still haven’t let me live it down.
I play it off like it’s no big deal, but it’s fucking embarrassing. I feel stupid every time I think about it. Carly didn’t start out that way. She was sweet. She had this funny little giggle that drew me in. She talked softly, and she really fucking seemed to care about me. Hell, at the time, I thought we were perfect. But in the end, I wasn’t enough, and she went off the fucking rails.
I exhale heavily. “I know. But she really is different, Ran.” She has to be. I need her to be so fucking badly. I need her to be the one to finally choose me. “She’s really fucking smart. The shop is running better than it ever has. You can ask Jonas. And she’s clean. You ran her background Dec. Tell him.”
Declan nods his head. “It’s true, man. I ran her right away. She’s got no record. She’s completely clean. Her finances were fucked, but they’re clean now too. She’s down on her luck, but it’s new.”
Ransom shifts his eyes between us. “What happened?”
I let Declan answer. “Her dad died. She had to sell everything to pay off his medical bills. She was left with nothing.”
Ransom’s features relax a fraction.
“She’s a good woman,” I tell him quietly. “She’s found another job, but she’s training a friend of hers to take over for her at the garage.”
Declan whistles, his eyes going stormy. “Holly. Her fucking background check made me want to commit murder.”
Ransom and I both straighten.
“What?” I ask harshly.
“There was something off with her. The name and ID she gave on her employment application are fakes. Good fakes.” He smiles. “But not good enough to fool me. I pulled a few threads and unraveled it pretty quick. I found nine-one-one calls and police reports that never got filed. And medical records.” He swallows, his smile fading. “I stopped after that. She’s running, but she’s not a harm to us. But someone hurt her…my guess is her fucking husband.”
“Shit,” I mutter. “Becca met her at her self-defense class.” I wince. “She’s really fucking tiny, Ransom. Barely five feet. Any man hitting her is going to do serious damage.”
Ransom’s jaw is clenched. “Keep an eye on it, Dec,” he bites off.
Declan nods. “Will do.”
Ransom sighs and stands, moving to leave. He stops in the doorway, turning back to speak. “Kade, can I talk with you outside, please?”
I nod my thanks to Declan, then, with heavy feet, follow Ransom into the empty hallway.
“I feel like I’m getting called to the fucking principal’s office, Ran.”
Ransom sighs, the corner of his eyes narrowing. “I’m not your fucking principal. And you’re not in trouble. You’re a grown man, for fuck’s sake,” he says, echoing my thoughts from earlier.
“I know I am, but I fucking hate it when you look at me like that.”
“How am I looking at you?” he challenges.
“Like you’re disappointed in me,” I say, rubbing my hand on the back of my head. “Like I’m a fuckup.”
Ransom shifts, his eyes staring down the hallway sightlessly. He exhales, a big tired sounding breath. “This was never part of the fucking plan, Kade.”
“What plan is that, exactly?”
He shrugs one shoulder, then leans against the wall.
