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Cursing beneath his breath, Grayden turned to me. “I’m sorry for what Felicity did.She’ssorry. It was petty and mean, but can we not let this go any further?”
Dax took another lurching step toward him. “Don’t think to get around me that way. And don’t for one minute think that Addison owes your woman anything, least of all a free pass for reproaching her whenever she feels like it. Felicity has done it too many times—it ends now.”
Grayden scraped a hand over his face. “Wouldn’t you try to fix this if you were in my position, Dax? She’s the mother of my children. What else am I supposed to do? Stand back while you hurt her?”
“I have no intention of physically harming her, Grayden. I don’t beat women—you know that. She won’t be touched, but she’ll pay for what she did. You can’t prevent that.”
“And you think I’d let it go? That I won’t have you prosecuted—” He stopped speaking as a breathy chuckle came out of Dax.
“You could certainly try. But you’d have no case. There will be nothing to link me with what comes next. Your claims would be thrown out of court, if they even got that far.” Dax dismissed him with a look. “Now get out of my house.”
Grayden’s posture stooped. He looked at me, the picture of defeat. “I really am sorry for what happened.”
I believed him. Believed it genuinely pained him that she had targeted me this way. But I also believed he had no way of stopping her from doing it again, and so maybe it was best for everyone that Dax stepped in.
Grayden left, his shoulders slumped. I watched through the large floor-to-ceiling window as he strode down the driveaway, got into his car, and then drove off.
“I’m pissed that he threatened you with legal action, but I also know it was a total bluff,” I said, turning to meet Dax’s entrancing mismatched eyes—a storm of dark emotion still brewed there. “He’s just feeling powerless, and that’s a feeling he’s not used to.”
“You pity him,” sensed Dax.
“A little. The guy’s in an impossible situation. He won’t like how she behaves, he won’t want it to continue, but he’ll naturally try to save her from herself and others.”
“And it doesn’t hurt you that he’d essentially take her side?”
“It doesn’t feel nice, but I wouldn’t expect anything else. She’s his partner.” I cocked my head. “Why would you think it might hurt me? I told you I’m not holding a candle for him.”
“You did. But people have a way of hiding their feelings from themselves when they don’t want to confront them.”
“In other words, you believe I simply tell myself I don’t care for him but it’s not actually true?” I asked with some surprise.
Dax pursed his lips. “I wouldn’t say I firmly believe that’s the case, but I think it’s certainly possible.”
I felt my eyes narrow. “Why? Do you have some leftover feelings for the women in your past other than Gracie?”
“No. But I can’t claim to have loved them.”
“Maybe you just weren’t in relationships with women who truly fit you.” It was possible he’d purposely—even if only on a subconscious level—sought out partners he couldn’t fully connect with. Like Brooks had pointed out, Dax kept his circle small and his mental walls up. It made sense that he’d avoid people who might sneak past his guard.
As I looked at Dax right then, it was hard to keep the compassion from creeping onto my expression. I ached for this person who’d only ever been able to trust the people closest to him; who’d been let down by the outside world so many times over that he’d developed protective patterns and barriers that steadily became integrated into his personality.
“Well,” I began, crossing my arms over my chest, “you’re wrong in thinking I have any lingering feelings for Grayden—I can safely assure you he killed every one of them.”
Dax studied me long and hard, saying nothing.
“Back to the matter of Felicity … what are you going to do?”
His shoulders rose and fell in a lazy, fluid movement. “Nothing she won’t deserve,” he prevaricated. “I warned her to stay away from you. She ignored me.”
“I think she believes that being related to you means she’s exempt from any consequences.”
“If so, she’ll soon be disabused of that theory.” His gaze flitted over my face. “Are you all right?”
“You mean am I upset after the little scene she caused? No. She’s just a dumbass with a big mouth. Nothing special or singular.”
“Maybe so. But never underestimate stupid people—common sense often eludes them, so they’ll do things they shouldn’t. Case in point.”
I allowed that with a slight incline of my head. “This will hopefully be the last stunt she pulls.”
