Because what Belle saw as a kid scarred her and has kept her from trusting men. Which brings me to what Trey was saying last night.
“This is the first time I’ve heard him bring up her parents and how Belle watched her dad have an affair with her aunt.” John’s eyes fly to mine, obviously unaware of that little fact.
It’s not a secret, but it’s not something we openly discuss, and for good reason.
“He was spinning it like Belle is a sick freak. He was screaming to anyone who would listen that she stood there and watched because she enjoyed it.” I punch the back of the passenger seat, my voice raw from shouting.
My stomach turns at the thought of him and the words he said about Annabelle. He took it to another level this time, and I couldn’t hold back.
He deserved it.
She wasn’twatching, she was in shock, and I know this because I was there and saw it firsthand.
Annabelle was maybe thirteen years old, spending her summer in the Hamptons with her family. This particular year, Belle’s mom had to fly back to London early, so it was only her dad, aunt, and brothers.
They came every summer and stayed at their aunt’s estate, which happened to be near ours— convenient as kids.
It was one of the last days of summer. I remember walking right in and running up the steps toward Belle’s brother’s room. As I turned the corner, there Annabelle stood, tears running down her ashen face.
On instinct, I’d run to her, dragging her away as fast as possible the second I saw what she was looking at.
Her brothers handled her dad and aunt… I’d consoled Belle.
When you care for someone as much as I care about Belle, their pain is your pain.
I drop my head in my hands. God, I hate this for her.
“I’ll take care of it,” John says.
“What are you talking about?”
John’s clearly aggravated. His foot pushes heavier on the peddle, his knuckles turn white from gripping tighter on the steering wheel.
“Don’t lay another hand on him, don’t speak a word to him. Do you understand? Leave this to me.”
I narrow my eyes with incredulity.
“I may not be in the military anymore, but I still have many connections”—he pauses, takes a deep breath—“in high places, and I think it’s time we put our mate Trey in his place, don’t you think?”
I nod.
“You should have come to me sooner. Or even Ethan, one of us would have handled it.”
He’s right. I didn’t even think of Ethan, one of Declan’s good friends who owns his own security firm. He’s ex-military as well.
Some time passes, and I think we’re finally done with the chit-chat since we’re almost at my place, but he breaks the silence.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
I shrug. “Sure, of course.”
“Why aren’t you and Annabelle together?”
Not what I expected him to say, but I don’t hesitate, because it’s an easy answer. “I’m not good enough for her.”
“What shit are you talking about? You love that girl.”
“Of course I do. She’s one of my best friends. Sadly, ‘friends’ is all we are, because I’ve never had a girlfriend, and Belle should be someone’s queen, not someone’s test run.”
