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“I never meant to drag you into this mess,” I whispered.
“I’m in it now, aren’t I?”
I touched his thigh, and he jerked as if it was painful.
“If I promise to marry Alex, maybe that will help. Maybe he won’t hurt any of you,” I said almost to myself. It wasn’t just Cal’s family at risk, it was my brothers too.
The weight of it all pressed so heavily on my shoulders, I thought it would break me.
“And what good is that if that bastard kills you? Because that’s what’s coming. You know that, right?” Cal’s voice was so tight and fierce, it cut through me.
I did know.
And I didn’t want to end up dead for Alex Davenport or my father.
But for my brothers and Cal, I’d do anything.
I recoiled. The thought had come too easily.
I looked at the man across the cab of the truck. He was the only one I’d ever loved. The person I’d hated most. He’d ruined me for all others.
But it was true. I would do anything to protect him from my father.
What ifIwas the shield he needed?
I’d never tested my father’s limits. And he’d certainly wielded threats against me and my brothers, but had they ever amounted to much more than that?
They were scare tactics to get us to fall in line. And most of the time we did because we were afraid he would follow through on his threats.
At some point, I had to be brave and test those limits. Otherwise, I’d never be free.
Neither would Teague, Lincoln, or Cal.
I brought my phone screen to life and did a quick search. In a minute, I had the information I needed.
“Drive to Connecticut.”
“What the hell do you want to go there for?”
I gripped my phone and prayed this was the answer. “I have to try to outsmart him. This has to stop.”
“You are smarter than that ass. But how many bruises is it going to take—”
“Not Alex. My father.” I squeezed his thigh. “I need your help.”
I’d asked a lot of Cal lately. And if I could come up with any other way, I would. But this could protect us all.
He looked down at where I touched him before lifting his gaze to mine. “How am I supposed to do that?”
I sucked in a deep breath. Everything hinged in the balance. But if I kept doing the same thing, we’d all suffer.
“Will you marry me?”
* * *
