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I swallowed hard and he leaned in closer. I went to pull my hand away, but he clasped it against his face.
“Look at me right now and tell me to leave you alone. Tell me you’re through with me.”
It sounded so similar to what Jack had asked. If I was done, I needed to say so now. All the strength in the world didn’t match my greatest weakness. Which was them. Both of them.
I couldn’t bring the word to my lips. Because, just like I’d faced down Jack’s question, I faced Cal’s. And I couldn’t deny the truth. I did want him. So much. And it was tearing me up inside.
“It’s hard enough to deal with what happened between us, but Jack too? I…I don’t know where to start.”
“Start here.” Using his free hand he pushed the box closer to me. “There’s no pressure. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t give a shit what it takes or how long, you’re mine,” he said, and kissed my inner wrist. “When you’re done hiding, you know I’ll always chase you.”
With that, he rose and walked out the door, shutting it softly behind him. I sat there, stunned. Cal’s approach was calm, but his dominance was very clear. He made his claim just like Jack had. And at one point, I’d given myself to each of them. I just never thought either of our relationships would end up like this.
I looked at the box he’d just left and opened it.
It was a pair of running shoes.
My strong alpha warrior challenged me, told me what I was capable of, told me what he was willing to do, and left it up to me. Like he always did.
I clutched the box to my chest, the piece of my heart that belonged to Cal throbbing with every beat.
Chapter 10
I’d given in and raided the closet in Jack’s room after he left for work this morning. Not because I wanted to, but because meeting with my father’s old attorney was nerve-racking enough and the plain T-shirts I had wouldn’t cut it. I wanted to look somewhat decent.
Somehow, the guys had worked out for one of them to always be with me. How they kept their schedules, I didn’t know. And I wouldn’t ask, since their constant presence was hindering my plan for distance.
A pair of dark jeans and a fuzzy pink sweater later—coupled with some make up and an amazing shower—I looked almost like myself again. Something Cal took an extra-long glace at as he held the office door open that led to Henry Dwyer, Attorney at Law.
When I stepped through, his hand rested on the small of my back. The warmth that came from him was encompassing. It took a lot of concentration to be around either of them. A single glance or quick touch and I forgot the past and got lost in Jack’s dark eyes or Cal’s dimpled smile.
Cal sat in the small waiting area as the secretary ushered me through one more door.
“Mr. Dwyer, Lana Case to see you.” The woman smiled and left us.
“Hello,” he said in a cheery voice and shook my hand.
“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice,” I said.
“Of course.” He gestured for me to sit and I did. “After I got your call, I looked through all my old files. I put it…” He got up and walked to the large cabinet in the corner.
He was sweet, but the deep wrinkles in his forehead and thin, combed-over white hair, told me he had to be pushing seventy. I sat in the squeaking chair while he fumbled through his massive file cabinet, pausing only to shove the thick-brimmed glasses up his nose.
I glanced behind me at the “Henry Dwyer, Attorney at Law” on the window and knew Cal was on the other side of the door, waiting for me.
“I haven’t seen Carter Case in years,” Henry said, looking through more files. “We ended our contract a while ago. He had a great mind for business.” He dug in the back and came up with a manila envelope. “Ah! Here it is.”
He came to sit behind his desk once more, a bit winded, and opened the envelope. A single piece of paper came out, with what looked to be a key taped to it.
“I am really sorry to hear of his passing,” Henry said, looking at me.
“Thank you.”
He read over the single sheet of paper then handed it to me. “This belongs to you. I don’t know what the key goes to, but the document is notarized.”
I frowned. It was a short document that said the contents of the corresponding box that matches this key goes to Lana Case. And it was executed right after my father married Anita.
“Thank you so much,” I said. He stood and shook my hand and I felt a little lighter. Maybe this would help solve the apprehension behind everything going on. At one point, my father had thought of me. Thought of the future. And this key was…the key.
