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“Stay, okay?” He placed his hand on my shoulder, bending over me. Concern marred his forehead. “I have to go and talk to her. Will you be okay until I get back?”
Would I be okay?
I didn’t answer, just lowered my head and curled in on myself.
I would always be okay by myself. Didn’t he know?
I was a Hayes. That’s what we did.
THIRTY-SIX
Kash
Victoria had been taken to Torie’s office. I walked in, not caring when she blanched.
She should blanch.
“Are you kidding me?”
That was my greeting to her, with my nostrils flared, and she gulped. She’d been pale already. Some of that was from the state we found her in, the detox, but she was here, and I was regretting my moment of trying to be the good fucking guy.
“I’m sorry.”
I cocked my head to the side. “That’s all you have to say?” I took a step closer, growling, “What the fuck are you doing here? I told them to cut you loose and send you to a rehab. Funny,” I clipped out, “my club doesn’t look like the insides of a drug treatment center.”
“I know. I know.” She held up her hands, backing away a step.
Fuck that.
I wasn’t in her space.
I wasn’t pushing to be in her space.
I had taken one step toward her, then locked up, becauseright now the woman I loved was crying in my office and I was down here, dealing with this one.
“Start talking, Victoria. You’re taking time away from me being with Bailey right now and I’m not happy about it.”
“Okay.” She edged back another step.
“If you take one more goddamn step backward as if I’m the aggressor here, I will kick you the fuck out of Naveah so quick, your head will spin.”
She stopped edging.
My nostrils flared again. “Out with it. Now.”
“I’m sorry!” she cried out, her arms flinging outward. The dam broke. All the fearful crap vanished and she was dissolving again. Her chest was heaving. “Okay?That’s what I came to say. I’m sorry for everything. Everything!”
I opened my mouth.
She kept going, “I’m sorry for being with you, knowing that if you fell in love with me that I would actually try to control you for your grandfather. I’m sorry that I never told you. I’m sorry that I was so scared of him and what he would do that I put my family and him first. I’m sorry about all the insanely bitchy moments I’ve had. I’m even sorry about little cutting comments I made to Seraphina. I’m sorry that I knew Quinn was a monster and I never said anything. I’m sorry that I cosigned with Quinn, using her and not even thinking about who she could hurt. I’m sorry Bailey was hurt by your grandfather. I’m sorry for what I said to her. But, I’mnotsorry that I fell in love with you and I’m not sorry that Istilllove you, but I know that you’ll never love me back.” She stopped, breathing hard. The tears had left black makeup streaks over her face.
I closed my mouth.
Her head hung, but not before I saw the agony flash in her eyes.
She was sniffling, dabbing at her nose with a napkin. “Yousaved my life, and you didn’t need to do that. I would’ve died.” She looked up; that agony was there. It was right on the surface, and it was enough to dissipate some of my anger. “Calhoun told me to go to that house and hide there. I did. But he also sent me the drugs. He sent enough for me to overdose on, and a part of me knew it. I had it lined up. I was going to take it, and I knew I was going to die. You got there in time.” More sniffling. Her voice grew hoarse, to a faint whisper. “You saved my life, and then you further saved my life by helping me detox.”
“Go to a treatment center.”
