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That tingle rattled into a violent shake.
“If you think I’m taking you back to him, think again,” I growled.
She belonged to me now. I didn’t want to control her. But it was my duty to protect her.
“All of my things are there.”
“Leave them. You can always get new stuff.”
She fidgeted with the gold chain as if weighing her options.
“Or if you really want your things, I’ll go get them.”
Her eyes flared. “No. We have to be smart, Cal.”
“You already said that.” My hand was still wrapped tight around the gear shift as a war raged inside of me. That visit to her father had just bumped itself up the list another few spots . . . to the top.
She rolled the chain between her thumb and index finger. Then she dropped her chin to her chest. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve created such a mess.”
I reached for her hand and took her soft fingers in mine. Somehow, she’d always had the power to soothe me with her touch. I was supposed to be a balm to her, but she had turned my fury down to a simmer by letting me hold her hand.
“Look at me.” I waited until she lifted those dark eyes. “Whether you meant to or not, you just picked your teammate. And baby sister, we aren’t going to lose.”
Chapter Six
Beau
How couldhe be so confident?
Because he has no idea what we’re up against.
But part of me believed him. When I was with Cal, I felt safe yet anything but, all at once. I didn’t understand the ferocity of his protectiveness, but it had seeped into my bones.
I couldn’t believe I’d admitted to him I didn’t know what I was doing. Somehow, it was a relief to unburden that. I was tired of trying so hard to appear in control and put together. Even if he was the last person I wanted to see my weakness, he’d helped me.
And he hadn’t judged.
Teammate.
Something must have happened when we’d spoken our vows because suddenly that wasn’t such an abhorrent thought. I hadn’t worked through the day-to-day schematics of a marriage with him. I supposed somewhere deep down I figured we’d keep our lives separate.
He’d do his thing, and I’d do mine.
I didn’t want to go back to the haunted prison I’d grown up in. Cal refusing to let me hadn’t made me angry and defensive like I thought it would. He’d relieved yet another valve of pressure I hadn’t realized was near bursting.
And he hadn’t let go of my hand.
I drew strength from that touch. It was dangerous to need him. This had an expiration date. I’d already survived him leaving me once. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, not even to myself . . . I did need Cal.
“In my head, I picture that extravagant circus they’re putting on. All those people at the church. And the embarrassment for all of them when I don’t show up at the altar.” I leaned my head back against the seat. It would be the ultimate vengeance to humiliate all of them—especially my father—in front of their social circle.
“If that’s what you want, do it.”
Cal made everything simple. Like there was an option A or B. Yes or no. There was no gray area or blurred lines.
“Then I have to act as I have been for another three days.”
“You mean living and working with that asshole?” He looked at me. “Ain’t happening.”
