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“What do you think?”
“I think you know you shouldn’t, but you won’t be able to help yourself.” Leaning over, she kisses my cheek. “Just try to see things from James’s perspective. I’ll see you later.” That’s exactly what Danny said. They’re either in sync or it’s the universe telling me I need to consider their words. Taking my hand, she squeezes and backs away, letting our joined hands stretch out between us until she’s too far away and I lose my grip.
I go back to my room, slipping out of my gym wear and putting on some denim shorts and a shirt before I track down James. Reassure him. Tell him I’m sorry. For making him doubt my love, for stupidly doubting his. For holding it against him for needing to keep me safe.Try to see things from James's perspective.Danny and Rose are right. I can’t do this to him, not even for my father. James has been a rock, determined to drag me from the darkness. Dad seemed determined to send me further into it.
I tie my hair up, grab my cell, go to the door, and freeze when it rings in my hand, my eyes on the wood before me, not wanting to look down.Fucking hell.I pull open the door, finding Fury on the other side. He looks down at my ringing cell.
“Are you gonna take that?” he asks.
I don’t answer, my face screwing up, and I reverse my steps, shutting the door on Fury, the temptation too much. “Ollie,” I answer, clipped and short, starting to walk circles around our room.
“Beau. How are you?”
“My dad’s dead. My mom’s remains have been taken.” Civilities out of the way. He’s lucky I’m not ripping into him about setting Beth on James. “What happened?”
“We should meet.”
I stop still, staring at my bare feet on the plush carpet. “Meet?” I parrot like a fool.
“I can’t talk over the phone.”
I frown, taking the few steps needed to get me to the bed and dropping to my ass on the edge. “What’s going on, Ollie?”
“Meet me, Beau.”
My imagination has gone into overdrive, my cop senses buzzing. But I don’t press more. I know how this works. “Fine, okay, I’ll meet you.” I have not one fucking clue how I’m going to manage that when James practically has me tracked twenty-four/seven. “When?”
“I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, you’re going to get a call from a Detective Collins.”
“A detective? I thought you took the case?”
Silence.
“Ollie?” The line goes dead. “Shit,” I yell, slamming my cell down on the mattress. As if I needed luring anymore. My guilt multiplies, and it’s fast superseding my misery. I haven’t even found the man responsible for my mother’s death. I am still without peace there, and now I’m dealing with the death of another parent, again, by all accounts, under suspicious circumstances. What the hell was Dad doing at that hotel? Who was he meeting?
The tussle between standing down and stepping up is becoming unbearable. But one thing I am certain of? I can’t argue with James. I get up and leave the room, and Fury falls into stride behind me, reminding me that escaping and meeting Ollie is about as likely as Danny allowing me to give Rose another driving lesson.Poor Dolly.“I’m going to the gym,” I call back.
“That’s lovely.”
I look over my shoulder, giving Fury a tired look. “Missing Tank?”
One of his eyes narrows, his huge shoulders rocking as he walks. “I don’t like the look in your eyes.”
“What look?”Fuck, am I that transparent?I return my attention forward and wait for his answer. But he says nothing. And not because he’s doubting what he’s seeing. What he knows.
I make it to the gym and face Fury. “Take a break,” I say quietly, grasping the handle behind me and pushing my way inside.
“You never mentionedthatbit,” Danny hisses, and I come to a sharp stop, seeing James sitting on a bench rubbing his hair with a towel, looking insultingly bored, and Danny standing in front of him looking pissed off. And then Danny sees me and looks plain awkward, and James quickly becomes the angry one. Because of me. Because he knows I’ve been talking to Ollie. “Rose is waiting for me,” Danny says, stomping away, and I follow his path across the gym with my eyes. He slams the door behind him.
Never mentionedwhatbit? “Everything okay?” I ask, and James laughs sardonically.
“Fucking dandy, Beau.”
I face him on the bench. He’s still dabbing at his hair with the towel, slowly, purposely, watching me. He looks fucking furious. What can I say to him? That I don’t love Ollie? That my contact with him means nothing? That he’s being jealous and it’s ridiculous?
After my performance when I saw him with Beth?
Show him.
