“Then why are you? Trying to earn yourself a Christmas bonus?”
He shook his head, crossing his heavily tattooed arms over his leather cut. “He’s not the man you think he is, Rusty.”
“No?” Jesus, she did not need this right now. Did not want to hear whatever he was about to say. “And you’re here to what? Enlighten me?”
“You could say that.” He stared at her for a few uncomfortable seconds, then gave her a sharp nod, as if he’d made some kind of decision. “He fucked up. Big. No one knows that more than he does. I don’t know why, but he’s spent his life trying to prove to himself, to everyone else, that he’s not like that asshole father of his. And sometimes it makes him do stupid shit. But I can tell you now, he gave up on wanting this place as soon as he spent time with you.”
Rusty mimicked his pose, crossing her arms, fighting to ignore the way those words struck their mark. “I doubt that very much. He’s a heartless, scheming bastard.”
“I don’t know if you know this, but the guys that work for him all have pasts, extremely shitty pasts. When everyone else gave up on them, Reid was the one who gave them a chance, was there for them.” He stared her down. “He’s a good man.”
God, she couldn’t bear to hear any more. Stay strong. She’d made her decision. Reid had forced her to when he’d used her to try to get what he wanted.
“Well, that gives me the warm fuzzies and all, but I don’t know what it has to do with me.”
“I don’t think you’re hearing me.”
“Because nothing you can say will make any of this okay. None of it.”
He shook his head, expression grim. “It was real, Rusty. All of it.”
Jesus, she wanted to believe him, believe what he was telling her, but how could she? What Reid planned to do was unforgivable, wasn’t it?
“You’re wasting your breath.” The words felt torn from her throat.
He dropped his arms to his sides. “Look I’ve…” He clenched his fists at his sides. “He’s messed up over you. And I mean messed up. I’ve never seen him this way, and it’s not about losing his shot at this place. Like I said, he forgot all about that when he spent time with you. I don’t know, maybe you could…”
“I’ve heard enough. Reid and me are through, okay?” She would not end up the same way her father did, always pining after the person who stomped all over your heart. She deserved better than that and so had her father.
The muscle in his jaw jumped. “Fair enough. That’s your choice. I just thought you should know.”
“Well, now I do.” She tilted her head toward the door. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
After another uncomfortable pause, he gave her a curt nod and strode out the door.
She chose not to acknowledge the looks from her sister and Alex. No doubt Piper would give her a grilling when they were home later, but for now she didn’t want to think about it. Didn’t want to think about what Law had said. Didn’t want to feel the way his words had affected her.
So she bent back under the hood of the Caddy, and got to work.
There’d be plenty of time tonight, when she was alone, to dwell on what he’d said—then she could lock it away and get the hell over it.
What other choice did she have?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Reid’s house was dark when he drove up. Empty. This wasn’t news, of course. But right then, he would have done just about anything to avoid walking through the front door.
He’d been all set to work into the night and crash on the couch in his office again, but Law had kicked his ass out. It was either leave or admit he didn’t want to come home.
Coming home to his place did not hold the appeal it once had. Everything reminded him of Rusty. The breakfast bar, the couch, the living room, the fucking stairs leading up to his bedroom.
And let’s not get started on the bedroom itself. It was like her scent, sweet and intoxicating, had been absorbed into his mattress. He’d finally ripped off the sheets and changed them. But it didn’t matter, he could still smell her, and every damn morning he woke up hard and aching for her, reaching to the other side of the bed, searching her out. Then the haze of sleep would lift and he’d remember, remember how he’d screwed everything up.
He hit the garage door opener and, when it lifted, rolled in and killed the engine. Shoving the door open, he climbed out. The place was silent, except for the engine ticking as it started to cool down, and the sound of waves crashing into the beach. Maybe he’d go out for a night surf. Maybe if he wore himself out, he’d get some goddamn sleep tonight.
Slamming the car door, he palmed his keys to head inside, but a scrape from behind had him spinning around. A dark figure hovered by the door, swaying slightly.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
