“I’m searching online for a position. I might have to take something in the interim,” she said, taking another bite.
“You can’t work yet,” Jameson interrupted. “It’s a safety risk. We do it with everyone.”
“How long will I need to wait?” she exclaimed. “I’ll have to make a living.”
“It’s all right. We have a fund to get you started until we assess the risks,” he explained.
Shaking her head, Caroline made a face. “No. After seeing some of those survivors, I can’t take money. I’m one of the lucky ones.”
“You still have battles to fight. You never should’ve left. We made an agreement,” Jameson reminded her.
“You’re not the boss of me,” she gritted out, thinking of her friend, Riley.
“I see you’ve hung around Riley. When you give me your word, I expect you to follow it,” Jameson seethed. “What if something happened to you on your way here?”
“Will I ever be safe?” she said, rising from her chair. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’ve suddenly lost my appetite. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Honeybee. He knows what he’s doing. Maybe instead of reacting, you might try listening,” he suggested.
Caroline rolled her eyes. “He said everyone has a choice. I made mine.”
Jameson rose, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “Excuse me, sir. Nancy, thank you for the dinner. Caroline, may I speak with you for a minute?”
“No. I want to forget about what happened and get on with my life. I can’t do it with you always lurking around,” Caroline said, slamming her napkin on the table and stomping toward her pool house.
“Wait,” Jameson called as she swung open the patio door. “Damn it, Caroline. I’m sorry. Go back and enjoy dinner with your family. I’ll leave,” he offered.
“I texted you and told you my whereabouts. Why did you come?” she demanded as rage filled her.
“You agreed when I gave you the car. Why did you change your mind?”
“Victoria told me what happened to James. I’ll never get any closure. Cain will find someone to replace me. Why can’t I go on with my life? I’ve spent the last six years being told when to eat, where to sleep, how to fuck, and forced to ask permission to pee. Don’t I deserve happiness? I’m tired of feeling despair, fear, and heartbreak,” she sniffled, but the tears refused to stop flowing.
“You deserve a happy life. I’m trying to keep you safe,” he justified. “I can’t do it when you don’t tell me where you’re going.”
“I’m not a child. You can’t follow me forever. The team must save the others still out there,” she said, putting the coffee table between them. “Go, Jameson. I don’t know what’s going onbetween us, but we can’t be anything else. Your father made it impossible.”
“Did he have sex with you, Caroline?” he whispered. “Did my father rape you?”
“No. Another woman held his attention. I became nothing more than a transaction between his friends,” she confessed. “There’s nothing you need to feel guilty about. You saved my life. You did your job and kept your promise. It’s time to move on.”
Jameson swiped his jaw, staring at her. Her stance appeared rigid as she steeled her backbone. Caroline reminded him of Victoria, which seemed likely since his father put them both through hell.
“The team will keep an eye on you. If you plan to leave, contact Rebecca,” he said softly before turning toward the door. “I’ve never treated you like a job. You’ll always be more.”
Jameson felt like someone reached into his gut and twisted it into several knots. It took everything to walk away from her, yet Caroline’s refusal of him hurt him to the core. She discovered his last name, and like everyone else, she discarded him like garbage.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Something trickled on her face, making Caroline squint and bring her hand to her cheek. The cool liquid brought her from a sound sleep, and a scream formed in her throat when she heard Victoria’s voice.
“Did I not say be ready by four?” Victoria demanded.
Sitting up, Caroline rubbed her eyes. “You meant it?” she exclaimed.
“No shower for you, get up, get your workout clothes on, and meet me by the pool. You have five minutes before I tack on another ten laps,” Victoria threatened. “Ten minutes late, Ivan will drag you from the bed, and you’ll run around the block in whatever you’re sleeping in.”
Caroline’s eyes popped open, and she leaped from the bed. Grabbing her workout clothes, she ran to the bathroom to pee, brush her teeth, and get into her outfit. She slipped into her tennis shoes and ran outside, still pulling her hair into a ponytail.
