An uncomfortable sensation unfurled in my belly as my eyes automatically shifted to Cash. He was standing apart from the others, arms still crossed. He looked dark and forbidding.
Dangerous.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I couldn’t make myself look at my boss and thank him for his generous offer and tell him it wasn’t enough.
That it wasn’t what I truly wanted.
I didn’t know what I wanted, but something deep inside of me had me holding Cash’s gaze, willing him to see what I was afraid to admit to. The knot in my stomach tightened painfully and my chest felt like there was a lead weight on it as I stared at Cash. I could feel the tears pricking the backs of my eyes as the pain inside of me grew.
When he didn’t say anything, I felt something inside of me break. I somehow managed to quell the feeling as I dropped my eyes. “Ronan, thank you, I—”
“She’s going to stay with me and Sage in Arkansas,” Cash cut in before I could accept Ronan’s offer.
I barely stifled my cry of relief. Sage’s hand tightened on mine and I wondered if he’d understood what I was going through.
I needed to be with them. I knew it in my heart, but I didn’t know why. It made no sense because I knew Ronan better. Things with Ronan would be safe and easy.
But from the second Ronan had made his offer, it’d felt wrong.
No, not wrong, just not…enough.
Tension filled the room and I forced my gaze up to see both Ronan and Memphis looking at Cash in surprise. I could tell neither man was particularly happy about Cash’s announcement.
“Daisy,” Ronan said carefully. “Is that what you want?”
I nodded, but realized it wasn’t enough. I held Ronan’s eyes as I said, “It is.”
I willed Ronan not to ask me why, because I couldn’t explain it. The pain inside of me dissipated and was replaced with a bout of nerves so strong that I could barely sit still.
What the hell had I done?
Staying with Cash and Sage?
At their home?
Just us?
Oh God.
But I refused to budge when Ronan asked me if I was sure.
The men went back to talking as they discussed arrangements. I listened long enough to determine that we’d be staying here at the motel for a couple of days while the police finished up their investigation so Cash and Sage could get their guns back after it was proven neither man had shot the man who’d been killed in my apartment. After that, we’d fly on Ronan’s plane down to Arkansas.
I should have been more apprehensive about what was to come, but for some reason, it was one of the last things I was worried about at that moment.
I had no clue what would happen when it was just me, Sage, and Cash again, but I knew I couldn’t let what had happened the night of the wedding happen again.
No matter how much a little part of me wanted it to.
Chapter 6
Sage
It was fucking torture.
Pure hell.
And a little bit of heaven, too.
