AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s okay to be mad at him. Hell, I am,” Natalie admitted. “He’s got his shit, but he’s also a great guy, and he’s at this huge fork in the road. I want him to make the right choice. He might think the MC is for him, but I think walking away from you would cripple him. I’ve never seen him so happy, and that’s saying a lot.”
Her words thawed my heart a bit. “I want him to choose me, but I have to offer him the opportunity to walk away. If I force his hand, I’ll always wonder if he chose me because of an ultimatum, or if he really wanted to be with me.”
“Then you know what to do. Keep your chin up, try to give him a little time. He’s got nothing better to do than figure this out while he’s stuck in bed. And until it’s safe for you to get out of the house, I’m happy to come over and hangout. Plus, you have your other friends. You have the support you need, Shae. Take a breath and find something to keep you mentally occupied. When does school begin?”
I glanced at the kitten calendar on my wall. Since I had one on my phone, I didn’t need one in my room, but I adored all the cute baby cats. “Mid-September, so in about four weeks. Right after Cole is healed enough to start living again.” I dramatically flopped on the mattress.
“Then make plans with the girls, go shopping, do whatever helps.”
Shit!With all of the chaos, I’d forgotten that Daddy had put a hold on my credit card. I knew it hadn’t been that long ago, and maybe he would change his mind under the circumstances. If nothing else, I would have an allowance for clothes. I made a mental note to talk to him.
“I will, and thanks for listening. I’m not sure I would make it through this shit without you. When I first met you, I thought I had competition, so I’m grateful we’re friends instead.” I giggled with the confession.
Natalie laughed. “Nope. As I said before, Cole turned me down for the girl on the motorcycle … Hmm, now that he’s with you, I wonder who he was talking about.”
My heart lit up as I remembered the conversation with Cole about the airbrush art on his bike and the tattoo near the shoulder blade on his back. “It’s me,” I shyly admitted.
“That would make sense, but how do you know?” Curiosity weaved through her words.
“Because there’s an airbrushed image on his motorcycle and a tattoo on his back. It’s my face with blue and white flames over it.” I shifted to my stomach and propped my elbows on the mattress.
“Shae, that’s intense. Guys don’t paint their bike or ink their skin unless they’re head over heels in love. Listen, I don’t want to speak out of turn. Give Cole some time, but honestly, I think he’ll make the right decision.”
“I hope so.” Although I loved her vote of confidence, I understood that she couldn’t be certain. The only thing I knew was that I wasn’t sure about anything.
“I need to get back to work, Shae, but thanks for making my dinner break interesting. It’s always good to chat with a friend.”
“I’ll keep you posted. Hopefully Daddy and Julia will learn more about who is after Cole, and it will be resolved soon.”Or kill Rick once and for all. “I’m ready to get out of the house. At least it’s big.” I laughed. “Thanks, Natalie. Have a good night.”
“You, too, Shae.”
I disconnected the call. It was time to check on Cole again. Maybe he was sleeping or watching something good on Netflix.
Climbing off the mattress, I strolled out of my room and across the hall. I knocked before I opened the door and poked my head in. “Cole?” Frowning, I entered, not seeing him in bed. “Cole?” I ran to the bathroom, but he wasn’t there. I searched the space in case he’d fallen and knocked himself out in the process. At this point, I was pretty sure that anything could happen. Pulling his cell number up, I called him. My pulse broke into jumping jacks while it rang.
“Hey, baby,” he answered.
“Where are you? I’ve been scared to death.” My hand fluttered to my chest.
“Downstairs in the living room. Come on down.”
Frustrated that he hadn’t bothered to tell me he’d moved, I snapped at him. “Why are you there?”
“I didn’t mean to worry you, but we have company.”
The blood in my veins chilled with his words, and I swallowed over the ball of emotions that had lodged itself in my throat. “What’s wrong?” I whispered, closing my eyes, wishing the nightmare would fucking end.
ChapterThirty
Scrambling down the stairs so fast I almost bit it, I heard unfamiliar voices carry through the foyer. As I approached the living room, my gaze swept over the people gathered. I quickly assessed the expressions of my family and the beautiful blonde standing near a tall, dark-haired guy. I didn’t recognize either of them.
“Shae,” Daddy motioned for me to join everyone. I spotted Cole stretched out on the couch, and I carefully sat next to his feet.
I chanced a quick peek at Cole, his eyes full of apology. Maybe our earlier conversation had hurt him, too.
“Shae, this is Pierce and Sutton Westbrook from Westbrook Security. They’re Vaughn’s and Zayne’s bosses, and also own the business.”
That would explain Pierce’s military-style posture. Intense and badass. His white polo shirt sported the gold company logo, and his biceps strained the sleeves when he rubbed the back of his neck. He was several inches taller than his wife, even with her heels on.
