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“But…” I urged, sensing he wanted to say more.
Wes and I may not have been related by blood, me being adopted, but we were closer than many siblings I knew. He could read between the lines, see the truth most people couldn’t.
“But the only other explanation—” he continued.
“Is just as improbable.”
“Precisely.”
“Okay,” I exhaled after a beat.
“Okay?” Wes’ tone evidenced his disbelief. “You’re really okay with this?”
I straightened my spine, forcing a smile, even though he couldn’t see me. “Like Agent Curran told you, it’s probably not a big deal.” My voice lacked the conviction I wish it held. “It’s never been threatening. Just…odd. Strange enough to get my attention, yet nothing more. We have to remember that John Curran is a seasoned FBI agent. He’s investigated hundreds of cases. If there were something malicious going on here, he’d find it. But he hasn’t in all these years. It’s inconvenient. That’s all.”
“Do you honestly believe that, Jules?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, clutching the phone tighter as I swallowed past the frustration building in my throat. I hated that Wes could see through the act I put on, even from thousands of miles away.
“I have to, Wes,” I managed to say. “Because I can’t stomach the alternative. Don’t want to think what it could mean.”
“I won’t let—”
“Listen, I have to go,” I cut him off, not allowing him to finish his statement.
I couldn’t. Couldn’t listen to him blame himself for not doing enough when he did more than anyone else ever had. Repeatedly questioned and pressed me about what was really going on in my marriage, but I refused to talk. Refused to admit the truth of Nick’s real nature.
I lightened my voice, hoping by showing him I was unconcerned, he would be, too. “I have plans tonight. Celebrate the big four-o and all that.”
“Of course,” he relented. “I’ll let you get back to your night. Sorry if I put a damper on it with this news. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d regret it if I didn’t at least…I don’t know…warn you.”
“I appreciate it. But there’s nothing to warn me about. Because this is nothing.”
He expelled a long sigh riddled with unease, but didn’t press the subject any further. “Happy birthday, Jules. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Wes.”
I lingered on the line for a moment, then ended the call, dropping my phone back into my clutch, staring at the dark ocean in front of me.
My thoughts were no longer consumed with the idea of having sex for the first time in years, but with that stupid necklace. It was nothing. It had to be nothing. They all had to be nothing.
Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths to calm myself, as my therapist advised me to do whenever feeling unusually anxious. There was once a time I had to do these breathing exercises constantly, reminding myself that Nick couldn’t hurt me or anyone else ever again. That I’d survived. That I was safe.
A chill consumed me at the memory of everything I’d endured, followed by a jolt of fear when a hand grabbed onto my hip, the hold possessive.
Like Nick always held me. A reminder I belonged to him.
Reacting quickly, I put the techniques I’d learned in my self-defense classes to use and slammed my elbow into his stomach, eliciting a grunt. I whirled around, bringing my open palm up against his nose, but he moved slightly at the last minute, preventing me from getting in a debilitating blow. I placed my hands on his shoulders, adrenaline blinding me as I kneed him in the junk.
When a groan rumbled from his throat, I blinked, the sound most definitely not belonging to my ex. In horror, I gaped at the slumped figure clutching his groin, his build vastly different from Nick’s.
“Oh, my god. Chris. I’m so sorry.” I grabbed his elbow, leading him to a bench and helping him onto it, sitting next to him. “I was in my own little world. When you touched me, I thought…” I hitched a breath, stopping short before spilling my darkest secret. The reason I’d insisted not pressing for information about my past be a part of our agreement. “Well, it startled me.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, face scrunched up in pain. “I’d hoped you’d have a rough side,” he gritted out in a strained voice, “but I expected it to be in the bedroom.”
“What do you need? Ice? Should I take you to the hospital? Did I break your nose?” I tilted my head. “It looks a little crooked.”
“It was like that before.” He pushed out a breath and straightened, pain obviously beginning to wane. “But you did get me pretty good in the nuts.” His mouth curved up into a lazy smile as he waggled his brows. “I wouldn’t turn down a massage.”
