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“But what?” I choked out. “You decided fucking me was more fun that telling me the truth?”
The muscles in his jaw ticked, the cords in his neck tensing. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
The laugh that tore from my throat was bitter and acrid. “Well you really fucked that one up, didn’t you?”
His breathing had grown erratic. “Please,” he said so quietly I could barely hear him. “Please don’t say that.”
Unable to look at him for another second, I spun around and batted at the moisture on my cheeks before spying the time on the front of the microwave.
Without sparing him a glance, I turn on my heel and started out of the kitchen, snatching up my keys and purse off the bar on the way past.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to get Renee from daycare. I want you the fuck out of my house before I get back.”
“Sawyer, please—”
“I’m Cheyanne, remember?” I spat back at him.
“There’s so much we need to talk about—”
“I’ve spent as much time in your presence as I can stomach for today. When I’m able to look at you again, the only thing we have left to discuss is my sister. Other than finding out about Charlotte, I don’t want to hear a word that comes out of your mouth.”
With that, I slammed out of my house, not giving a damn that I was leaving it open and unprotected while I was gone. I had a handful of minutes to get myself together. There was no way in hell I was letting my daughter see me break down. I’d already fucked up by letting Trent into her life. There wasn’t room for another mistake.
* * *
Trent
I stayedat Sawyer’s until I heard her car pull up outside, I didn’t want to leave without making sure she and Renee got home safe, so I’d waited, ignoring the incessant buzzing of my cellphone in my pocket the whole time.
Once I heard the car door close, I went out through the sliding door, slugging across the beach to my place.
I let myself into the empty place, noticing for the first time it was quiet as a tomb. Not like Sawyer’s house. Her’s was full of noise and life and laughter.
Moving to my fridge, I yanked out a beer and popped the cap, standing in the open door as I drained the entirety of the bottle in a few gulps. It didn’t do shit to calm the storm raging inside of me.
With a second beer in hand, I slammed the door and moved to the island, finally pulling my phone out as I braced my forearms on the cool granite counter. I didn’t bother scrolling through all the missed calls and messages. I figured I already knew the gist of them. Instead, I went right to Dalton’s name and hit call.
“What the fuck is going on?” he barked through the line the instant the call connected. “Charlotte’s over here losing her goddamn mind. I can’t understand half of what she’s saying, she’s crying so fuckin’ hard, and you wouldn’t answer your goddamn phone!”
I really was a piece of shit. “I know. I’m sorry,” I told him, my throat feeling like I’d swallowed gravel. “I had something here I needed to deal with before I could call you back.”
“Start talking, Trent, or I swear to Christ—”
I said the three words Dalton and Charlotte had been waiting for months to hear. “I found her.”
“When?” he asked in a hard tone that indicated he’d already pieced that together from Charlotte’s freak out. “And why the fuck is this the first time we’re hearing about it.”
Squeezing my eyes closed, I pinched the bridge of my nose and admitted, “About a month and a half ago.”
“What the fuck?” he boomed so loud it was a wonder my eardrum didn’t start to bleed.
“Look, brother, I’m sorry. I know that it probably seems all kinds of fucked up to you, but I had my reasons.”
“You had your reasons?” he thundered. “You hadreasons? Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know what my woman’s been going through? She’s been torturing herself day after day, you son of a bitch! All she’s wanted was to find her sister, and you’ve known where she’s been for a goddamn month and a half! You’ve been in Oregon this whole time, just sitting on that information!”
“I did what I felt was right. This was my assignment and I made the call. I know you’re pissed, but let me explain—”
