“I’m deadly serious.”
“We have his Taser,” I said, inwardly ordering myself to not be nervous about his leaving. “Non-lethal. And we have Max.”
He eyed Max lying on the kitchen floor. The dog had begun to eat again, thankfully, but much of his usual exuberance hadn’t returned with his appetite. I hoped it soon would.
“He’s not a guard dog.”
“He’ll give us warning. Look, you’re being overprotective. We’ll be fine.”
“I hope so. If you drive me to the airport, you can keep the car. I want you to have it available.”
“That’s cool.”
“I can trust you, right?”
His question struck me like a fist to my solar plexus. Slowly, I turned from the stove and caught his stricken expression. “What did you just ask me?”
“Sorry, that didn’t come out the way I meant it,” Avery began.
“Are you kidding me?” I demanded, my fury ignoring both his face and his half-assed apology. “Trustme? If you don’t thinkI’m trustworthy enough to care for Declan, then why’d you hire me?”
Avery looked down. “What I meant was, will you stay with Declan even if something does happen?”
“Like I’d abandon him and head for the hills?” I shook with rage. “You can actually look me in the eye and think that’s what I’d do? You’re a real piece of work.”
“I’m sorry, Jacy. It just came out.”
“I’m sure it did. Your subconscious just informed me as to what you really think of me.”
“No, that’s not –”
“When you get back, you piece of shit,” I growled, “Iwillleave. Start looking for another nanny now. Consider this my notice.”
“Jacy, wait –”
“It’s your turn to fix dinner. I’m done.”
Stalking from the kitchen, I ignored Declan’s questioning expression as I passed by. He sat with the kittens on his lap, watching an educational show on the history of America. I climbed the stairs, two at a time, and barely halted the impulse to slam my door after entering my room.
Too pissed off to lie down, half-thinking I should have gone out, gone for a walk instead of coming here, I paced. My anger squirreled my thoughts into near incoherency. Only a single thought rampaged –how dare he think that of me. Just how does he fucking dare?
My fury failed to relent until hours had passed. It also took all my energy. Tired, gazing out the window at the dark street illuminated by a few streetlights, I wondered if I had enough money to make it to Montana.
Fuck this place and everyone in it. I’m gone like yesterday.
Chapter Twelve
Avery
“Dude, you really fucked up.”
Gloomy, I stared at the TV on the wall behind the bar. “Yep. I surely did. Opened my mouth too wide and fell right in.”
Fletcher clapped me on my shoulder. “Bring her flowers. Make it up to her.”
“It’s too late, man,” I said, then drank from my beer bottle. “I leave tomorrow for Atlanta. Jacy and I haven’t spoken a civil word since, and she won’t accept my apologies. And it’s hurting Declan bad.”
“You can’t lose her, Avery. Look what she’s done for you.”
