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Cal’s truck.
Relief rushed through me at the sight of it. He’d made it quickly, though it felt like an eternity.
The passenger door opened as he rolled to a stop and I climbed inside.
It was like we’d never stopped doing this.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted the second I shut the door.
“For what?” he asked carefully.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” I covered my face with my hand, ignoring the pain in my arm at the sudden movement.
How could I have put him in this position? Especially after he’d been there for me when I needed someone most?
“Teague isn’t gonna beat my ass.” Gently, he pulled my hand away from my face.
“Teague?”
Oh no. In all my haste, I’d forgotten about my brothers.
“He and Lincoln paid me a visit at the station.” He changed lanes. “I gotta say, I’m pretty shocked you told them about us.”
“And they threatened to beat you up?”
Denying that I’d told them should’ve been the first thing out of my mouth. My brothers were overprotective, but I didn’t really think they’d hurt Cal . . . at least I’d hoped they wouldn’t.
“Nah. They flexed a little muscle, but that’s it.”
“What did you tell them?” My stomach somersaulted.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I figured you’d told them what you wanted them to know, so it wasn’t my place to divulge anything more.” He turned onto the next street. “Are you really going to marry that asshole?”
I blinked at him. How did Cal know about that?
“I have to.” I squeezed my eyes closed. “But I can’t.”
“You don’t have to do anything.” He said it so easily, as if telling them all to take a hike was no big deal.
“My father is going to hurt you or your family. I don’t know how, but he’s doing it to make sure I do what he wants. I’m sorry, Cal. I’m so, so sorry.”
That guilt rushed back with a vengeance. I’d been selfish, trying to do what Father wanted and what I wanted too. It didn’t work that way. Only my father’s wishes were important. Everything else be damned.
“When you say hurt . . . what do you mean?”
I swallowed hard. “He said he hadn’t decided if it would be your mother, your brother, or you. He knows you’re in debt.” I twisted in my seat. “Are you in debt?”
My father danced between the line separating truth and lies. Maybe he’d embellished to get my attention.
“What’s he gonna do to my ma or my brothers?” he asked through his teeth.
“I-I don’t know. Whatever it is, we can’t stop it. I just thought I should warn you.”
He drummed the steering wheel and stared straight ahead.
