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I recoiled, startled by his anger. “We’ll be fine.”
“You shouldn’t be here. You have no idea who he is or what he’s capable of.” He stalked past me.
“Thank you.”
He paused but kept his back to me. His shoulders heaved as if he was taking ragged breaths.
This hadn’t gone how I’d hoped. I wasn’t sure what I’d wanted exactly, but I’d come here to express my gratitude. At least I’d accomplished that.
Slowly he turned, but he came no closer. His eyes that had been unreadable before were now filled with pain. I’d seen so many expressions on this man’s face. Some hadn’t made sense, and when I thought he’d been a jerk, I realized that he’d simply been angry. And now that I thought about it, I was sure he mentioned that he’d been on an unpleasant call. With his dad? But over time, I’d seen so many more expressions, and I’d begun to like every one of them. Even when he’d been fired up about his dad’s presence—that had been attractive. But this one? This was sorrow mixed with anger. Pain mixed with sad resolution. Disappointment.
“Don’t lose everything you love over me. I’m not worth it.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Teague
“You’re an asshole.”
Burke punched me in the arm as Pepper hurried away with her head down. She’d barely acknowledged any of them as she’d passed.
“What’s new?” I pretended to check that everything was good to go on the truck. It was a poor means of distraction, but I was desperate to do anything but watch her walk away.
“That’s not you, man.”
I slammed one of the cubby doors. “Maybe it is and I’m just good at hiding it.”
Anger pumped through my veins. I was mad at Pepper for risking being seen with me. I was mad at my father for his tentacles that seemed to have no bounds. I was mad at Burke for calling me out.
Most of all, I was angry with myself. For being a jerk to her. For not standing up for myself. For being deluded enough to believe my life had been my own.
A massive hand clamped on my shoulder. “I don’t know why you just treated her that way, but I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt that there was a good reason.”
And then I was surrounded by my friends. Should’ve known if I sent them to help out at Grey Paws they’d end up as smitten as I was.
“You owe her an apology.” Rivera scolded me in his thick Brooklyn accent. “Like now.”
They shoved me in her direction.
I couldn’t argue with them when they were right, but they didn’t know why it was risky. My father obviously had eyes on me . . . a lot.
Another shove. And another. Until they’d pushed me out the garage door.
Screw it.
I jogged in the direction she’d taken off in.
Riiiiiiiiiinnnnnngggggg.
Damn it. The alarm jolted me back toward the station.
I’d been off seven days. It took a second for my muscle memory to kick in, but once it did, I moved on autopilot.
This was what I knew. What I was comfortable with. The process.
Suit up.
Grab helmet.
