“Any reason?” I push, my intrigue peaked. It’s not often that Isabella Ashby is secretive about anything. Especially with me.
I know she’s been dating Justin Thompson for a few months now, that much she has revealed to me. But that’s about as far as my knowledge goes.
She finally puts down her bowl and looks at me, her face surprisingly serious. “I just want to make sure it’ssomethingfirst, you know? I don’t want to get my hopes up if it’s nothing more than a fling. So, for now, I’d like to keep it to myself, if that’s okay?”
There’s no malice in her tone whatsoever and her reasonings are perfectly logical, but a small part of me can’t help but think that maybe she doesn’t fully trust me enough to share that part of herself with me yet. And that’s fine. The only person I have to blame for that, is myself.
For the first time, I understand how she must’ve felt when I left her behind with no explanation. It feels like I’m an outsider looking in on my best friend’s life and it fucking sucks.
I paste a smile on my face and nod reassuringly. “Sure, Bells. I understand.”
“Oh! How was your first day on the ranch?” she asks, changing the subject and my stomach drops as thoughts of Killian resurface.
I shrug. “It was… interesting.”
Her brows rise. “How so?”
“Your brother showed up.”
“Oh.”
“Drunk,” I add.
Her surprised expression morphs into something akin to concern. “He was drunk?”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “And I’m pretty sure he was wearing his own vomit.”
“Jesus Christ. What is wrong with men?” she asks, shaking her head in disgust.
“Your guess is as good as mine.” I shrug again, wanting to be done with this conversation so I can push all thoughts of her brother out of my mind.
“I’m gonna go shower,” I say, hooking a thumb over my shoulder as I slowly back out of the kitchen.
Bella frowns, her gaze boring into me knowingly. “You okay, Dais?”
“I’m fine,” I lie as I turn and leave the room.
I’m not fine at all.
With every passing day, the secrets I’ve carried with me for the last four years weigh heavier on my shoulders.
And I’m not sure how much longer I can hold myself up under that weightbefore I break completely.
CHAPTER 9
KILLIAN
It’s been two days since I stumbled into the barn still wasted from mine and Noah’s night of heavy drinking. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t wasted enough because I can still remember the look on Daisy’s face as she took in my dishevelled state.
I’ve spent the past forty-eight hours trying to decipher exactly what that look meant. She tried her hardest to hide the hint of hurt in her eyes, but it was there. And that unsettles me.
Because as much as she has hurt me in the past, and as angry as I am at her for doing what she did, I never want to be the source of her hurt.
The only thing I don’t understand is, what could I have possibly done to hurt her? If anything,Ishould be the one that’s hurt. She wouldn’t even look at me at the bar. And she was quick to protest against giving me a ride home from the ranch.
So, what is it?
“You good, boss?” Callen asks as he reaches for another log on the ground, effectively jarring me from my thoughts.
