Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Don’t send me away, baby. Please don’t.”
But he was already gone, out of my house, out of my bed, done.
“Can I kiss you?” he asked me, his gaze soft.
“No,” I said, slowly but firmly extricating myself. I needed him off me, out of my space. He was too close.
“Tracy…baby…”
Again, I put the bed between us by walking around to the other side. “Listen, you need to do the right thing, the honorable thing.”
“And what’s that?” His voice, merely a whisper, was imploring. “Please look at me.”
“First off, you need to work on your relationship with Celia. It’s important to be on amicable terms for the baby. That should be your sole concern.”
“You’re my only concern.”
I shook my head. “Second, you should set up a trust for your child. He’s going to need to be provided for.”
“Why aren’t you listening to me? The only person I’m worried about right now is—”
“You should go now,” I told him thickly, my voice so full of painful resignation that I hardly recognized it as mine.
“I want to take you home.”
“I’m going home with Alex. He’s coming back to get me.”
“You’re going to Alex’s, or to your dad’s?”
“My dad’s, but really, you don’t want to be here when Alex gets back.”
“Your brother has never scared me.”
But that was then, and this was now, and everything was different.
“I can go to your father’s, though. I know I’m always welcome there.”
“Maybe give it a bit.”
“No. Your father loves me.”
He did, that was true. But it wasn’t a bedrock, an unmovable, unshakable love like my father had for me and my brothers. It wouldn’t survive the truth of the betrayal, and Alex had surely already told him.
“Listen, you need to focus on Celia and your child.”
“I don’t want to do that. You’re my only focus. It’s just you and me.”
“There’s no more you and me, Breck,” I said implacably, my gaze locked with his. “You know there isn’t.”
“Don’t say that. Just give this some time. Don’t make a decision today. It’s too soon. Just wait. Wait a little while.”
I shook my head.
“We’re not over,” he said, sounding scared, as he brushed away tears from under his eyes. “I won’t accept that we’re over. Just say you’ll give it some time. Just say that, and even though it’ll kill me, I’ll go away.”
“You should go see Celia,” I repeated. “Not for her, or you, but for the baby.” That was the right thing to do. He’d dismantled us with his infidelity, but that had nothing to do with the kind of father he would be.
He smiled at me then, and it was bittersweet. “Trace, I am not going to anybody else’s place. You’re my partner and my future. I’ll come by your dad’s tomorrow to see you.”
“Is that wise?” I asked, imagining my father and both my brothers there when he arrived. Alex might actually hit him if he showed up. “Because I’m thinking no.”
He shrugged and gave me a rueful grin. “I have to face him eventually. And I want to see you in the morning.”
Funny that he thought I was only talking about my father. “It’s not a good idea,” I reiterated, hoping he’d hear me that time.
“I don’t care.” His smile brightened as he let out a deep breath. “I’ll see you then.”
“It’s a mistake,” I said, sounding like a broken record.
“It is mistake indeed,” a voice agreed, and when I glanced toward the door, I saw Dimah.
I was so happy to see him, my smile had to be out of control. “You came.”
“Of course,” he said, scowling at me. “I had to see for myself that you were good. You look better than I feared.”
It was good to hear.
“I was going to wait until”—he gestured at Breckin—“but this begging was taking too long and I have other business.”
Breckin charged toward Dimah, who simply squared up and waited, appearing bored but also ready if Breckin attacked him. Because even though my ex and my work partner were about the same size, Dimah had muscle on him, not to mention that general feeling of danger that clung to him. Dimah was not the kind of man you messed with. It wasn’t smart.
“You’re the reason he was nearly killed the other day,” Breckin snarled at him.
“And it is because of you that he was attacked in that bathroom,” Dimah countered. “We are both wolves, one no better than other.”
Breckin just stared at him.
“From what I know of Alex Brandt, you going to their house tomorrow seems like bad idea, no matter how much more groveling you intend to do.”
“You sonofa—”
“Just go now and speak to mother of your child,” Dimah suggested. “There is nothing for you here.”
But Breckin didn’t leave, instead just stood there looking at me.
“Please, Breckin,” I said hopefully. “I need to speak with Dimah.”
He stuffed his hands down hard into his pockets. “I can’t help it. I want to bring you home with me. You’re hurt, and I love you, and so I want to be with you.”