She scoffed. “I don’t give a shit about anything you have to say, because it’s not your damn business. I came here to tell you to back off.”
Sadie frowned. “Excuse me?”
“Stay away from Avery and Eastern.”
“You can’t ask me to do that.”
“Yet I am. Don’t make me do something I don’t want to do.”
A chill slipped over Sadie’s skin. “Is that a threat?”
Instead of answering, she lifted a brow before turning and stomping out of the shop.
Eastern checkedhis phone for what had to be the twentieth goddamn time. He’d sent Sadie two messages today, and she hadn’t responded to either. Why? She’d been responding to every text for the last week. What made today different?
He walked down the street, frustration brimming in his veins.
Did it have something to do with the fact he hadn’t seen her in person during that time? He’dwantedto see her. Fuck, he’d wanted to touch her, talk to her, with every fiber of his being. He couldn’t keep doing this much longer. He needed Sadie. And more than that,Averyneeded Sadie.
But Jamie’s threat toward her had made every protective instinct in him scream to life. He didn’t want Sadie entangled in his mess. She deserved more than that. That’s why he’d texted that they should pause things. Because he wanted to protect her.
His muscles tensed at the thought of Jamie. The woman had been blowing up his phone for days, demanding to see his daughter. To rant at him about her rights.
She didn’t have any damn rights after what she’d done. He’d told her that she could see Avery whenAveryagreed, and so far, that hadn’t happened. No way was he forcing his kid to see her mother if she didn’t want to. Avery had been through enough.
When the door to Sugar and Spice opened up ahead, and Sadie stepped out, his breath caught in his throat. Fuck, she wasbeautiful. And after a week away from her, he felt like he’d been starved of that beauty.
He forced the air to move through his lungs as he walked faster to meet her. “Hey.”
She jumped and turned, pressing a hand to her chest when she saw him. “Eastern! You scared me.”
He frowned and stepped closer. “Are you okay?” Was she still jumpy because of the break-in? Fuck, he’d barely checked in on her about that.
“I’m fine.” She furrowed her brow. “How are you?”
Angry. Frustrated. About a million other emotions that were just as shitty. “I’m doing okay.”
She stepped closer, her eyes studying his. “You don’t need to pretend with me, Eastern.”
“I miss you.” The words slipped out completely uncensored. Not that hewantedto censor them.
Her eyes flared, a hint of pink tingeing her cheeks. “It’s only been a week.”
“Then why does it feel so much longer?”
Her chest rose as she sucked in a large breath, her gaze dipping to her feet. “Eastern…”
Something in his gut twisted because the tone of her voice told him he wouldn’t like what was coming next.
“I’ve missed you too…but I think you were right about pausing what’s going on between us until this Jamie stuff is sorted out. I don’t want to make things worse.”
She thought she could make things worse? For who? Not Avery. And certainly not him. That was something he’d come to realize over these last few very long days. So why would she—
He stopped, a sick feeling crawling through his veins. “Did she say something to you?”
“No. I mean…yes, she did say something. But that’s not why—”
“What did she say?” He clenched his fists, trying to hold on to his anger.
