Page 75 of Chasing Honor

“The . . . um . . . woman who helped you was Dr. Krier. Dr. Chrissy Krier.” Ethen looked like it physically pained him to say the words. What was the big deal about . . . oh, no . . . Chrissy.

Shit on a shingle!

“Chrissy? Carson’s—”

“Yes,” he said briskly. His jaw was set tight, and he looked like he had this morning when I’d told him I was moving out. Shit, had that only been this morning?

“Why was she there?”

“Do you need something for your headache?” he asked instead of answering me.

“Did she run me off the road?”

“No.” Our eyes remained locked. I was unwilling to accept his one-word answer. “She was following you.”

“Me? You mean Carson. Was she going to try and take her? Is that why you didn’t want me alone with Carson? Did she threaten to kidnap her?”

“No, smalls, she didn’t.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“A lot,” he admitted. “I promise to tell you everything. But I refuse to pile more shit on your plate when you’ve just woken up from surgery.”

“I don’t believe you. I think you’re putting me off. You promised not to shut me out again, yet the first time something big came up you did just that. Only this time was worse than the first time. You didn’t shut me out, you locked me out. And now you’re doing it again. You should go home. Carson must be frightened. She needs you right now.”

“I leave when you leave.”

“What’s the point? Nothing’s changed.”

“You’re right, nothing has changed. I feel the same way about you right this very moment as I did the first time I kissed you. I know I fucked up. I’d planned on rectifying that this morning. Then you surprised me by telling me you were moving out, and I got pissed. But make no mistake, I was never going to let you walk out the door.”

“You were pissed? That’s rich coming from you. Don’t forget, you’re the one who’s refused to speak to me.”

“Yeah, Honor, pissed and hurt. I haven’t forgotten I behaved like a jackass. I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to work through my issues on my own and not stress you out or burden you with them. I was wrong. But so were you. I may’ve been silent, but you were ready to give up.”

“I wasn’t giving up. I was giving you space. Space you admit to needing.”

Damn my head hurt worse now than it did when I’d first opened my eyes.

“I’m not letting you walk away. I know I have a lot to make up for. A lot to prove to you. And I will while you are in our home. Where you belong.”

“It’s not my—”

“We’re not arguing about this, Honor. Not while you’re in pain. I’m going to go get the nurse and ask her to give you something for your headache. Then I’m going to go talk to my parents. When I come back, I’ll watch you sleep, and we’ll talk again when you wake up.”

“I already told you, you should leave. Go home with Carson.”

“That’s not happening. She’ll be fine with my parents. We walk out of here together.”

Without another word, Ethan stood and made his way to the door, he hesitated a moment before he shook whatever thought he had out of his head and left the room.

I now had more questions, and Ethan still hadn’t explained what had put him on edge in the first place. I should’ve been grateful Chrissy had been there to save my life, but now I was afraid Ethan felt indebted to her. And if she was there that meant she’d seen and spoken to Carson. What a fucking mess.

22

“She’s fine, Squirt. The doctor even said so.”

“I want to see Honor,” she demanded.