It felt like it was too late.
“And, then what?’
He palms the back of my neck, tilting my head up towards his. “Then I’d do whatever it took to get you smiling again.”
Jensen Hayes has always had a way of putting me under his spell. Even when there was nothing between us but friendship, I was in love with his smile and his charm. I’d dream about the day he looked at me like a man in love…
With nothing to hold back, no friendship to preserve. I wanted his full, undivided infatuation.
But now I’m seeing that look on the night of my canceled wedding to another man, and it’s entirely too much to process.
My emotional cup is empty.
“Go get some sleep, baby girl.” His lips press to my forehead, lingering only a second before he lets go of me completely, backing into the shadows.
Even after he disappears, I know I’m not alone. He’ll watch me until I get inside safely, blanketing me in his warmth while he waits.
I feel it until I slide through my back door, shutting myself into my kitchen. It lingers so long that I convince myself it’s here to stay…
But when I crawl into my cold bed, beside my best friend, I know it’s only temporary.
He leaves, and his warmth disappears with him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hayes
“Hey, Malec is here to see you,” Lochlan announces as they both walk into the garage. I’ve been holed away for days, trying to keep my promise to give Liv space.
I want to see her again, and I really want to make sure she’s okay. I think my record is 13 minutes for the span of time that I’ve not been hyper-focused on her well-being.
“What can I do for you, Sheriff?” I wipe my hands on my rag as he eyes my punching bag.
“Another gift arrived for Liv today. I’ve been keeping an eye on her cottage while she’s been at Thea and Jesse’s house, and this was in her driveway this morning.” He holds his phone out, showing me the image he took.
‘YOU ARE MINE’Is written in spray paint, surrounded by rose petals and scraps of white.
“What the fuck?” I grab his phone, looking at it closer. “Is that paper?”
“Her wedding program, torn into pieces.”
“Her son of a bitch ex is behind this?”
“That’s what I thought, too. He seemed angry enough whenshe called off the wedding.” He sighs. “But I checked his alibi already. He arrived for their hotel reservation in Toulouse six days ago… With the wedding planner.”
I stare at Malec in disbelief. “I’m going to kill that fucker. Does Liv know?”
Malec holds his hand up as if to ward off my idle threats from hitting his ears. “I’m going to see her next. I just wanted to fill you in since you’ve taken a personal interest in her safety.”
“No, does she know he’s with the wedding planner?”
“She knows. He made sure to tell her after she dumped him. Figured she would have told you.”
“She isn’t ready to see me. All I do is hash up bad memories for her.”
“You didn’t drop by the other night?” Lochlan calls me out, and I glare at him.
“I went for a walk.”
