Because she needed me. She had no friends, a horrible family, no support, so she was battling her demons alone. If she failed—if she went back to her old life—all that beauty and humor inside of her would suffocate and die. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Because you can’t,” Link said, reading my expression like only he could. “I know you, brother. If you could have walked away, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation. You came here lookin’ for a way out, thinkin’ I’d tell you to respect her wishes and leave her alone. Which makes me wonder who the fuck you are, and what you’ve done with my brother.”
He was beginning to piss me off. “Come again?” I asked.
“You think Emily didn’t tell me to leave her alone? You think she wasn’t scared of this thing between us? You think it was easy? That I just walked in there and told her we were getting married?” He laughed. “You’re into this woman. You can fight your feelings all you want, but sooner or later you’ll find yourself standing on her doorstep with no clue how you got there and what you’re gonna say when she opens the door. Trust me. I couldn’t have left Emily alone if my life depended on it. I hear the brothers talking about me like I’m pussy whipped. Wasp thinks I’m crazy for getting married so soon. But I don’t give a single fuck, because that woman is my life. I would do anything for her. But I can’t tell you what Julia is to you. You gotta figure out that shit for yourself. What I don’t understand is why you haven’t driven over there and talked to her. You know where she works and lives. What are you waiting for?”
“If she went back to him, I don’t know how I’ll react.”
“Went back to him?” Link frowned. “The ex? Nothing you’ve said leads me to believe she’d do that. You gotta give her some credit.”
“I’m not trying to end up in jail again, Link.”
He shrugged. “If you do, maybe you’ll find us another prospect. I like Stocks. He’s a good man. Look for another like him, will ya?”
“I’m serious.”
“Then don’t do anything stupid. Control your fuckin’ temper, Havoc. If she’s back with him, she’s not the woman you think she is and you need to walk the fuck away. Is that what you need to hear from me?”
Probably, but it still hurt like a motherfucker. I sucked down the last of my beer and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees.
Softening his tone, Link added, “Look, she’s been through a lot of shit. You both have. Maybe she’s tryin’ to figure out where you fit into her life. It’s probably difficult for her to trust you… or anyone. It’s gonna take work and time and you gotta figure out if she’s worth all that.” He scooted back up to his laptop, looking at the screen as his fingers landed on the keyboard. “So, get the fuck out of my office and quit being such a damn pussy. And don’t call me if your crazy ass ends up in jail over this.”
It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I needed to hear it. I liked Julia and I needed to do something about it or shut the fuck up and move on.
“Fuck you, too,” I said with a chuckle, standing. Link was just busting my balls. We both knew that he’d be my one call regardless of what I got arrested for. Just like we both knew he’d bail me out. Again.
He flipped me off as I walked out of his office.
Julia
TEN MINUTES TO closing time, and the store had been empty for almost an hour when the bell above the door rang. I glanced up from my novel to greet the last-minute book junkie, but froze at the sight of Wesley wearing a suit and a smug smile as he made a beeline for me. My body tensed, and I reached for my phone.
“You can’t be here. I’m calling the cops.”
“Again, with the dramatics? You know that restraining order didn’t stick, and I’ve only been staying away to give you time, Julia.” He sighed and took another step toward me. “Oh, wait, you like to be called Jules now, don’t you?”
My fingers froze on the keypad of my cell and my heart leapt into my throat as the douche canoe twisted the nickname that had made me feel warm and treasured into a shiv and shanked me right in the back. Only Havoc had ever called me Jules, and never where anyone could hear him. Now Wesley used it to cut deep, leaving me bleeding and exposed before him as I tried to decipher how he found out about it.
“Jules.” He rolled the name around on his tongue, abusing and perverting it. “A bit immature for my tastes, but if you insist, I’ll call you that.”
“Please don’t.” I set my cell phone down as anger licked at my wounds, ready to cover the pain and protect me. I slipped on a mask and pretended to be unaffected by his presence or his knowledge. “In fact, don’t call me anything. Ever again. Get out of my store, Wesley.” I pointed to a sign over the cash register that declared I had the right to refuse service to anyone.
He stepped closer. “Why would you refusemeservice, whenhe’sthe one who betrayed you? It wasn’t even difficult,” he gloated. “I flashed him a little cash and he rolled right over. He has bills. I have deep pockets. You know the drill, Julia. You’re the one who helped me perfect that particular tactic. Find their weakness, their currency, isn’t that what you always said to do?” He stepped around the counter to stand beside me. “Would you like to know what Havoc’s currency is?”
Frozen, I watched him approach as I fought to wrestle my emotions under control. Yes, Wesley knew stuff he shouldn’t know, but I was still having trouble believing Havoc would sell me out. I hung onto that thread of faith in his character while my training plucked away at it, reminding me that everyone has a price. Why should Havoc be any different?
“I’m sure he didn’t want to do it, but his mom needs an expensive operation… some tragic story about the valves of her heart or something. He’s such a nice guy; he couldn’t just let her die. Not when he had the opportunity to save her.”
Oh God. That sounded like something Havoc would do. A deal he’d make with the devil. My knees felt weak and my chest tightened, making it impossible to breathe. Gripping my countertop, I refused to give Wesley the satisfaction of seeing me react. “What do you want from me?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “I want you back home. You belong to me, Julia. Jules. That fact didn’t change because you needed a divorce and time, so you could deal with the consequences of your mistake. But as I told you back then, nothing is permanent. You have been mine since we were children, and I have been patient, but I’m ready for you to come back home and take your place at my side. I understand that it will be an adjustment for you, so I’m prepared to make a few allowances to make the transition easier. You can keep the bookstore. You won’t be able to spend as much time here, of course, but you can staff it. Control it. I’ll ignore the financial drain to make you happy.”
“How very kind of you,” I deadpanned as rage continued to stoke the fire inside me.
“What can I say? I’m a giver.” Again with the smug smile. “If you insist on continuing this perverted affair with Havoc, I’ll keep paying him to fuck you.” His jaw twitched. “As long as you’re discreet, of course. Wouldn’t want people to talk, would we? I would like to watch, though. I do love to watch you get fucked.”
The insinuation that he would have to pay someone—anyone—to fuck me was the last drop of gasoline my rage needed to become an inferno. “I would rather write a PhD dissertation about the cultural impact of twerking, complete with diagrams and a live demonstration, than live with you again.”
