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“Why?” he asks without thinking.
“Why what?”
“Why are you over there and not over here next to me?”
“Because I don’t think clearly when I’m that close to you.”
“Well, I don’t like it,” he admits.
She stares at him for a moment then comes over and sits next to him. His hand reaches for her automatically, tugging her closer, but she stops him. She slides to the other end of the couch, looking uncomfortable.
“Okay, I’m listening,” he says, raising his hand to show her he won’t grab for her again.
It takes her a few minutes, but she finally clears her throat. “I saw some pictures.”
He doesn’t hesitate. “Savannah, we met Jose four months ago. He thought we were looking for work with the Cartel. The guy is a bit of an idiot, and we quickly gained intel on your whereabouts. We met up with him a few times at that café, and apparently so did The American. That’s how we found you—”
“No,” she interrupts, her face growing pale, “not that picture.”
Cole turns, pulling a leg up so he can look at her better. “Then which?”
“The one with the blonde.” His stomach rolls.Oh, fuck,how the hell? “The one where you were holding her in your arms like you hold me. The one where you’re staring at her with the same look you have for me. The one where you’re kissing her with the same lips you use on me.” She pauses, nearly in tears. “I thought…” She shakes her head, standing and putting more distance between them. “I’m sure there’s some reason why you were doing that with her, but…”
“There is,” he chimes in.
She holds up her hand to stop him. “But regardless, those little things mean something to me. I thought they wereonlyfor me.”
“They are.” He stands and goes to her, but she steps back. He hates not being able to touch her when he wants to. He shouldn’t, but he shares, “She’s an informant for Shadows. She’s the one who helps us gain info on the Cartel. Her brother runs tight with them. She’s had a crush on me forever, and when you were taken, I knew I had to…I played dirty to get anything I could on your whereabouts. But, Savannah, she means nothing to me. I did it all for you, for us.” He can feel her pull away mentally, her big beautiful eyes filling with tears again. “I love you, Savannah, I always have. Please don’t pull away from me. My heart can’t take losing you again.”
She steps forward then stops as big, silent tears roll down her cheeks. With each one that falls, a piece of his own heart falls along with it. “I promised Keith I’d help him with something.”
“Savannah, please.” Cole catches her by the hand, but she shakes her head, making him release her immediately.
As she reaches the door, she turns, keeping her head down. “I love you, Cole, but put yourself in my shoes. Think about how much that would hurt seeing me with another man, looking at him like that, even if itwasfor a good reason.”
“It would destroy me,” he admits, feeling sick.
She nods once, then slowly closes the door behind her.
Cole grabs for one of his brandy glasses and sends it across the room, feeling all kinds of fucked-up emotions. It shatters into a million pieces right along with his heart.
