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“How can we be rational when you’re screaming at me over something that can be explained if you would just calm down and let me.”
“Let you lie to me? Who else are you fucking?”
“Are you crazy?” The shock in her expression seemed genuine, but was anything about her what it had seemed? Was I so consumed in my obsession to have her, I missed crucial signs?
I saw the way men responded to her. Could her ignorance of their advances have all been an act? When I went after Josh the other night, he made some outrageous accusations. At the time, I thought he was goading me, but could I have misread the situation? Had I put too much trust in Emmie? I knew nothing about her when she arrived. Luke warned me my actions were out of character.
“It was no accident that Emmie found you,” Josh said through swollen eyes and bruised lips. “Think about it. Of all the places she could have ended up, she finds your stables? The one man who could get her out of anything?”
“Am I crazy?” I stepped toward her. “You’ve been lying to me since the day I found you.”
“No.” She shook her head. “What’s wrong with you?”
“You lied about Josh.” I grabbed her arm. “You didn’t tell me he and Cassandra were seeing one another.”
“Cassie asked me not to. I thought we resolved this.” She struggled to get me to release her. “I was so scared and unsure those first couple days after we met. I didn’t want to get in the middle of the two of you. I didn’t even know if I was sticking around long enough to care who she was seeing. I was trying to survive.”
“And when Josh hit you, you covered for him.” That didn’t make sense. “Why would you do that? Why did I dismiss that so easily?”
“I told you why I did that. I was afraid you were going to kill him.” She shoved against my chest to get me to let go of her, but that only infuriated me more. “I didn’t want that. I didn’t want you to lose your relationship with Cassie over someone like him. I was trying to protect you.”
“Stop using my daughter as an excuse.”
“Let go of me!” She tugged her arm, but I held it steady. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you’re not acting at all like yourself. You’re scaring me.”
“I should scare you.” I yanked her to me. “No one betrays me. No one lies to me. No one manipulates me.”
“What is this about?” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I would never do what you’re accusing me of. I’ve been loyal to you. I’ve done everything you’ve asked. I…” She glanced at the pregnancy test. “Is it about that? Do you think I could betray you with another man?”
“There’s no other explanation.” In my rage, I forgot to ask the fucking question. “Are you pregnant?”
“Jude.” Luke hurried into the room. “I have to talk to you right now.”
“Not now, Luke.” I squeezed Emmie’s arm. “I’m in the middle of something.”
“So am I,” he said. “You’re going to want to hear it.”
“This isn’t over.” I let go of her and shoved her in the direction of the door. “Get out.”
“You’re crazy.” She hustled out of the room, sobbing as she went.
“You have no idea.” I picked up the pregnancy test and hurled it at the wall. “What is it?” I asked Luke.
“Morelli’s boat is at the dock, waiting to unload. His men are demanding we receive a shipment for him. They won’t take no for an answer.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean they are docked at the club with a boat full of illegal guns. If we don’t make a decision soon, we’re going to be fucked. If anyone is watching, we’ll take the brunt of a raid.”
“They can’t be there now,” I shouted. “It’s broad daylight. I can’t unload that shipment even if I wanted to. Not to mention, we already have the cartel’s product waiting to dock.”
“We don’t need this today,” Luke said.
“We didn’t need this ever!” I kicked the canvas, knocking it over. “Fuck Myers for setting Morelli in our path. How does he think I’m just going to agree to move his shit?”
When Luke looked at the painting of Sasha on the floor, he didn’t have to say anything else.
“I know.”
