Owen smiles.“Wanna get it for me?”he asks, pressing a kiss to Sloane’s temple as he adds, “Why don’t you girls go finish talking shop plans and let me and Miles take care of this?”
“I think I need to go with you,” Daisy says.
“No,” Owen and I respond at the same time.
“Miles,” Daze says, my name a plea.
“Daze,” I say to her, walking over to cup her face in my hands.She blinks up at me, and I can see the fear and worry in her eyes.Not at what this asshole has done, but I think because she thinks my anger is directed at her.
“Yeah?”
I smile, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips.“We’ve got this.Go do shop stuff with Sloane.We won’t be long.”
She blinks, her eyes filling with tears.“I’m so?—”
I cut off her apology with another kiss.“Nope,” I say, my mouth brushing against hers.“No more, babe.This isn’t your fault.”
“But, I mean, if I’d?—”
I cut her off with another kiss.“Again, no,” I whisper.
“Miles,” she says, her hands gripping my t-shirt.
“Daisy,” I reply in the same tone.
She huffs out a laugh, slapping a hand against my stomach before she wraps her arms around my waist.“I love you, you stubborn ass.”
Chuckling, I drop a kiss to the top of her head.“Love you too, babe,” I tell her.“Go wait in the house.We won’t be long, promise.”
Daisy rolls her eyes, but she kisses me once more before she heads inside, grabs another mop for Owen.After she hands it to him, she and Sloane disappear inside, closing the door behind them.
Once they’re out of earshot, I glance sideways at Owen and say, “You realize I’m not gonna be talking, don’t you?”
Owen laughs, shaking his head as he says, “Why the hell do you think I wanna come with you, dude?That dick deserves an ass kicking.”
As soon asMiles and Owen leave the house, I know it’s a terrible idea.This is exactly what Isaac wants: attention and for Miles to show up at his door.Isaac is smart enough to know it won’t be me coming there, but if he can get Miles there, who knows what will happen.
I grab my phone, quickly calling Miles as Sloane watches me with concern blanketing her face.I hate that she’s experiencing this with me, hitting too close to home with everything she dealt with in her past.Especially with Owen joining Miles in his crusade to end Isaac’s harassment.Because in the end, that’s what this is.
Harassment.
He hasn’t crossed any lines into illegal territory, or at least I don’t think he has.There was the whole daisies decorating the inside of the house and then spray-painting ‘whore’ on the bedroom wall, showing up at the bar and staying for hours.
The only thing I can definitively link to him is loitering at the bar, and again, not illegal.It’s a public place, and he ordered food and paid for it.
Even as I hear myself, I hate it.I’m making excuses for him…still.Defending his actions is something I’ve done for so long now that I can’t seem to stop myself.
And as much as I would love for Miles to just beat the shit out of him, I know that isn’t the right way to deal with this.I don’t need Miles ending up in jail.
“You okay?”Sloane asks, a hesitation in her tone, and I mouth the words, “I’m sorry,” as the phone rings, waiting for Miles to answer.
“Babe,” Miles barks out.“What?”He’s keyed up, ready to have this out with Isaac, but I hope I can talk him down.
“I want you to come back.Don’t go,” I say insistently.“He wants you to show up at his house.He wants you to threaten him or beat him up so he can call the police.Please just come back.”The last line comes out shaky, and I can feel the sting of tears burning my nose.
Letting out a long, slow exhale, I try to calm myself before the tears start flowing.I’m frustrated and scared, angry and hurt, guilt weaving through all of it.
But even with my best attempts, the tears spill over, Sloane resting a comforting hand on my back, rubbing soft circles.
