“You’re not really giving me an option here.”
“I know.” He crosses his arms over his wide chest and continues to stare down at me. I expected him to try to deny it or something, so I lose a little more steam and find my rebuttal weak. It boils down to me being embarrassed, and that’s not nearly as important as his safety.
“They’ll figure it out, your men. They’ll know it’s about me, about what he did to me,” I warn, unsure how Winger feels about people knowing I’m damaged goods, unless he’s planning on keeping me a secret. That’s nothing new for me.
“They know better than to ask questions, Max.” The way he says it makes a clear distinction between them and me, and it hurts a little.
“Whatever,” I say, feeling defeated as I turn my back and walk away. You’d think I’d be used to people stealing my power at this point, but I’m not.
“Max,” he calls to my back, but I don’t stop. I don’t even think I would care if he did leave me here at this point.
WINGER
I saw the shift in her eyes after I told her she would have to wait outside, the slump in her shoulders. I knew before she walked away from me that what I said hurt her, but I felt validated because my intent is good. I’m trying to keep her safe.
When I called her back, I wanted to ask why she wouldn’t let me handle this, but she ignored me, which is what I deserve. Fuck, I need a drink. I look through the empty cupboards, checking under the sink to see if someone who stayed here left something behind. I even check the space above the fridge and find two empty flower vases.
I look at the clock on the microwave. I could run to the store—there’s one at the corner—and be back in under ten minutes. She wouldn’t even have to know I was gone.
My heart beats fast at the thought, and even my fingers are shaking. One drink wouldn’t be so bad. It would just calm my nerves.
I scrub my hand over my head and take a step toward the door. Something in my gut twists, and I stop myself from going any farther. It takes me a few seconds, but I force myself to turn around and plant my ass on the couch.
A drink is the last thing I need. I have never once found the answer to a problem in the bottom of a bottle, even though the escape it provided often felt like it did.
I put my phone to my ear and make a call. She picks up on the second ring. “Hey, Wing, everything okay?”
“No,” I admit truthfully.
“What’s wrong?” Her voice grows serious. I have her complete attention.
“I could use some advice about a…a woman,” I finally tell her.
I hear a door close in the background, and her voice sounds a little echoey, like she’s in the bathroom. It’s probably the only place where she can escape Rex. I drop my head into my hands. Am I as bad as him?
“About what?”
“How do you deal with Rex being so…” I don’t finish.
Lucy chuckles like she knows exactly what I mean. “It’s not always easy, but I love him. It helps that I know why he’s so…” She chuckles again.
“What if you didn’t love him?”
“Then I wouldn’t put up with it. Like I said, I do it for him, and it’s not as bad as it seems to other people, Wing. He just wants to protect me. There’s not much Rex needs, and it makes me feel…special that I’m so important to him. Are you… Do you have someone?” she questions hesitantly.
I hum because I can’t commit to answering. Truth is, I don’t know if I have Max or if she’s just biding her time to get the hell away from me.
Lucy sees through my response. “You need to talk to her, Wing, and explain yourself a little. I bet it will go a long way, especially if she loves you.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
Her laugh is soft. “That’s impossible, Winger.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just trust me, okay? Talk to her.”
* * *
