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One side of his mouth quirked upward and he chuckled. “You don’t have an answer, do you? Shoot, I knew that this was ridiculous. Brielle Callahan still can’t make up her mind about what she wants. Are you so dependent on your past that you have to throw yourself at those mistakes?”
Each new comment he made hit the nail harder and firmer into the coffin she’d built around herself. The worst part was that she couldn’t help but think there were degrees of truth in all of it. Did it really matter that she’d opted to sacrifice herself for Wade’s future if she was the one who had caused the problems to begin with?
This was just karma. She’d made her bed, and now she’d have to lie in it.
Carefully, she got to her feet, fighting back the tears that threatened her resolve. “Fine. You want me to leave? I’ll go. Find your own way out of this mess you’ve crafted for yourself. See if I care.” She moved swiftly past him, not looking back.
The excruciating ache in her chest only worsened with each step she took to reach her truck. It had been a mistake to come here. What did she think would happen anyway? She couldn’t reach him if he didn’t want to listen. And what guy would want to listen to the woman who had dumped him?
Brielle would have loved to blame this on Annabel. But Wade’s sister still didn’t know what had occurred between them. And she’d remain blissfully unaware of that fact until Wade saw fit to tell her everything.
Exhaustion overpowered her. Not the physical kind, though there was some of that. It was the mental exhaustion that seemed to drag her deeper and deeper into a place she didn’t want to be.
But she had no choice. This wasn’t just about her reputation anymore. It wasn’t about her family or the way the town would see them and judge them for Brielle’s mistakes.
This was about Wade and keeping his family from losing the only father figure they probably could remember.
She wasn’t as sure of herself as she’d been when she got in the truck to drive to town. It was very possible she’d made one mistake after another. Her only prayer that this would all work itself out was that Tad might be a decent guy—except for the extortion bit. Maybe shewouldgrow to like him more the longer they spent time together.
Brielle snorted as she climbed into her truck.
There was no way she’d love him like she loved Wade. He wasn’t getting much out of this arrangement besides a title. And a lot of good that would do him. He’d never be loved the way someone should be.
24
Wade
One week later
Wade’s head rested against the kitchen table. He’d had bad days before, but nothing like this—and it had been going on for over a week. Brielle refused to speak to him when he got out of county.
He couldn’t even blame her. She’d done nothing wrong. Even though he knew this, he couldn’t help harboring feelings of utter betrayal. That was why he didn’t persist in trying to connect with her. Doing so would just prevent his wounds from healing. He’d be tempted to kidnap her, whisking her away in the night in order to force her to become his.
And he already knew that wouldn’t work. He wasn’t the type.
The home front wasn’t much different. The oldest of his brothers refused to speak to him lately due to the way he’d kicked Tad to the curb when he got back home. Wade was done being charitable. Tad could find his own place and people could talk all they wanted. He didn’t have a reputation he needed to worry about.
Out of everyone who disliked him right now, Annabel was the one he felt most sorry about. They’d been on the same team when it came to Tad.
Well, maybe not on the same team, but she had her own suspicions as to why they shouldn’t trust Tad farther than they could throw him. He just wasn’t the kind of man she felt comfortable with.
There was something to be said when Annabel didn’t like someone. And he opted to listen to her rather than his brothers.
Wade twisted his head and stared at the cabinet where his father used to keep the whiskey. When their parents had left all those years ago, he had gotten rid of all the liquor and made a hard rule that it wouldn’t enter the house. As far as he knew, he and Annabel were the only ones to ever try the stuff. And both of them were the ones who ended up hurting for it.
Already, he knew there wasn’t any in that cabinet. His throat itched, dry and longing for more of the amber liquid that would help him forget.
“You need to get off your butt and get to work.”
Wade’s eyes flitted toward the intruder. Was it morning already? Elijah moved across the room, clad in his work boots, jeans, and a leather jacket. His hat wasn’t on his head yet, and his hair looked a mess. It didn’t look like he’d slept well, either. Opting to ignore his brother’s statement, Wade crossed his arms around his head and closed his eyes.
Elijah heaved a sigh. “I get it. She broke your heart. But you knew what you were getting into when you agreed to that stupid game of hers.”
Wade scowled, but his expression was hidden from his brother beneath his arms.
“It’s been a week, Wade. You can’t keep moping around.”
His head snapped up and he glowered at his brother. “I can do whatever I want. For the last decade—more even—I was the one who took care of this place. I was the one who practically raised the lot of you. No one gave a lick about any of us, but I made sure we didn’t end up on the street. If I want to mope around for a week or a month… if I want to drown my sorrows with whiskey and live the rest of my miserable life out on that porch, then I think I’ve earned the right.”
