“She’s here for a few days and gets a job?” Ghost asked the same question on everyone’s mind.
Cleo cleared her throat. “She’s actually staying for a month.”
“A fucking month?” Cross couldn’t contain himself.
It was one thing to allow her to stay for a few days, a week tops, but an entire month? Not fucking happening.
“She leaves by the end of the week,” Cross said, leaving no more room for argument.
“But her rental is booked for the month.”
“I don’t give a shit. She’s gone.” He glanced up at Wraith. “By the end of the week.”
“But why?”
“She doesn’t belong here, Cleo,” Ace said.
“She won’t bother you, I promise.” She swallowed hard, and Cross noticed her hands begin to shake. “Addison feltreally bad about the meeting with everyone, and she completely understands your hostility, uncomfortableness” —she pointed to Cross— “And you being extremely cruel, mean, and rude.”
Excuse me?Cross felt the blood pulse through his veins and his muscles tightening. He balled his fists, glaring at Cleo.
She held up her hands. “She gets it, Cross.”
“What does she get?” His tone was harsh, and he could feel Wraith’s glare, but he kept his eyes locked on Cleo.
“Her presence is a reminder of what you all lost. You said she was only standing there because Knox died. She knows that, agrees with you, and understands your anger and resentment. She gets it, Cross, and she feels bad that her being here upsets you all. She even said she’d make a point of not running into any of you again.”
Fuck.Cue and Ghost were right.
“Well, that’s gonna be a little fucking hard, darlin’, with her working where we hang out,” Gent said.
Cleo bit her lip, sheepishly glancing between the brothers. “I hadn’t thought about that. But I can get her schedule and tell you when she’s working so you don’t go there.”
Gent burst out laughing. “So now we gotta work around her?”
“N-no, that’s not” —her eyes welled— “It’s not what I meant. All I’m saying is she can stay without getting in your way.”
“No, Cleo,” Ace said, shutting her down.
“Please, Ace. She’s not a bad person.”
“No one said she is,” Wraith said, trying to calm his woman down.
“But you’re treating her like she is. She didn’t do anything wrong. If she hadn’t gotten Knox’s heart, someone else would’ve. Maybe not someone as kind and sweet as her. Someone who wouldn’t make an effort to come see me. I might not even be a thought for that other person. Neither would Knox. She knowsso much about him because she asked me.” Cleo’s voice cracked. “Because she cares, and she’s grateful to him. Why can’t you see that?” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “One of the first things she said to me when we finally met was that Knox’s heart was a gift and she’d never take that for granted.”
Fuck.
Cross was on an emotional rollercoaster. Between everything he felt and everything she’d said, he wasn’t sure how to feel or what to do. Maybe it was time to have a sit down, just the two of them.
“She’s working now, right?”
Cleo sniffled. “Until closing.”
Cross didn’t say another word. He turned, pulled out his keys from his pocket, and headed toward his bike. When he heard the gravel crunching behind him, he glanced back to find Wraith following him and Cleo on his heels.
“I’ll ride with you.”
“No,” Cross said and mounted his bike. He looked back as he reversed and caught Cleo in his peripheral vision. She was standing near a car beside Wraith. The brother would respect his wishes. And Cleo was forced to.
