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“I can’t believe you,” she said dully.
“I couldn’t tell you.”
She raised her chin. “Legally?”
“Not legally, per se, but ethically.”
“Then what you’re saying is you wouldn’t tell me.”
He’d been expecting this and didn’t even cringe. “If that’s the way you want to look at it, fine. I tried to warn you—”
“Warn me? With little hints and pretend sympathy?”
“That wasn’t pretend. And I wasn’t sure of anything. If I’d—”
“Just…” She held up a hand, closing her eyes. “I don’t want to talk about this now. I need to go try to save my family.”
“I think you’re overstating the—”
Her growl interrupted him, and Tessa stomped from the room without another word. Luke wanted to go after her, but he needed to work the lead. And perhaps that was for the best, as his impulse was to chase her down and tell her she was being ridiculous and melodramatic. He was better off getting back to work.
When he got into the driver’s seat, Simone shot him a questioning look. He ignored it just as he ignored the painful lurch of his heart as he pulled from the parking lot.
TESSA HEARD THEIR VOICES before she even pushed past the swinging doors. They weren’t yelling yet, and she felt a brief moment of hope that stabbed through her like a knife, but the knife turned when she saw them, squared off in the middle of the kitchen. This wasn’t a friendly conversation. Eric’s hands were fists, and Jamie’s face was twisted into a snarl. Wallace leaned against the door to the tank room, looking as if he were settling in for a long movie.
“Unbelievable,” Eric snapped. “Really, truly unbelievable. How many times did I warn you to stay away from her?”
“I did stay away from her.”
“Oh, really? Then how did you end up between her damn legs, Jamie? Huh? How did that happen?”
“I said I drove her home. Why do you automatically assume I slept with her?”
“Didn’t you?” Eric yelled.
“That’s not the point.”
“It’s exactly the point. Goddamn it, there was a reason I didn’t want you to meet her. You both treated me like I was crazy, but look what happened!”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“Oh, you never mean to. But you never manage to exercise a second of self-control in your life. Not one.”
Jamie stepped into Eric’s face. “That’s not true. I’ve never punched you in the damn face, have I?”
Tessa rushed forward. “Stop!”
“Come on, Tessa.” Eric laughed gruesomely. “Maybe Jamie needs a good ass kicking.”
“Just calm down,” she begged, grabbing both their elbows. “The deal is back on. Nothing was ruined.”
Eric stood straighter, taking a step back from Jamie so he could look at her. “What do you mean, the deal is back on?”
Ice swept over her body. “I meant the deal is fine.”
“No, that’s not what you meant.”
Jamie shook off her hold and stepped back, as well. “Give it up, Tessa. I’m telling him the truth.”
