“You handled things like a pussy. Face it. And move the fuck on. But honestly, brother, you’ll have to move on with someone else. I don’t think Cara will ever give you another chance.” He heads out of the bedroom, stopping to drop one more bomb on me. “She’s my friend. And I’ll keep her confidence. But I will say this...she hasn’t been on a single fucking date since I met her. And not once...not at the club or anywhere else, did I ever see her rub up on another man, especially not the way she did to you.”
9
CARA
I t’s a relief to close our new front door behind the last of the guys. Ever since that conversation with Declan, my nerves have been strung tight. I can’t take one more sideways look from him. I turn, leaning my back on the door to take in our new place.
It’s a serious upgrade from the old one. The floor-to-ceiling windows, the view of the lake, and the granite countertops are all stunning. And nothing I would ever pay for. For so long, Bree and I struggled. Now that I’m making good money at my day job and the business is running smoothly, I could maybe afford a place like this, but I’d rather spend the money building up our nest egg. Every time I see the balance in my investment account tick up, I feel a little more secure. A little more settled.
Heading to the main bedroom, I take in Bree, curled tightly on the bed. “Come lay down,” she mumbles, eyes closed. She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I lay with a groan, so thankful to be off my feet.
“We didn’t carry a single box, and I still feel like I got hit by a truck. Moving is exhausting.”
She hums out a laugh. “We haven’t done it in a decade. But you’re right. Last time was hard too.”
Hard is an understatement. Last time we were grieving, in pain, and missing the people who had anchored us in this world.
“Yeah,” I murmur.
“Do you need to go in tonight?”
“No. Avery has it covered. She’ll call me if they need anything.” I’m too tired to go in and deal with being the boss. The club is my baby, but I’m not a masochist. I hire great help, and I pay them well. I learned that from Ransom. Tonight, I just want to lie in this bed with my sister. “Bree, do you think you’ll be happy here? I mean, do you think you’ll be ok?”
Her eyes slit open, studying me. She reaches out and takes my hand. “It wasn’t your fault. I didn’t tell you what was going on. You gotta stop running over it in your head.”
“I’m not,” I say defensively. She gives me a look, and I cave. “Ok, I am.” I slide closer until we’re sharing the same pillow. “I just don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me? How did it get so bad, and I never noticed? How did you let...”
Her mouth tightens, and I regret my words immediately. “How did I let him hurt me? That’s what you really want to know, isn’t it? How would I let my boyfriend treat me that way?” There’s a bite in her words, but we’ve been dancing around this for weeks, and I think it’s time. Time to say all the painful things. Time to purge them.
“Yeah, little Bee. How?” A small smile curves her lips when I use my nickname for her. She loved bumblebees when she was a baby. She used to insist I walk her around our backyard, clinging tightly to my finger, so she could find them.
“It was mostly good, Care Bear. It just snuck up on me. I thought it was cute that he always wanted to know where I was. He would get me to text him when I got home safe. There weren’t any red flags for a long time. Then he started to get jealous, and I realized he’s not who I thought he was.”
Her words echo my earlier thoughts about Declan. He’s not who I thought he was, either. But I can’t imagine he would ever be someone like Tyler.
“When did the...when did he start hurting you?” The words are ashy in my mouth.
Her hand tightens on mine. “That was the first time. I swear. I never expected it, Cara. Maybe I should have, looking back, but it never once occurred to me he would get physical with me.” A single tear trickles over the bridge of her nose, falling to the pillow. “I was getting ready to leave him. He was extra possessive that night. I didn’t like the way he was looming over me at the club. He was acting like a jealous ass. So we left, and we fought the whole way home.” Her eyes drift closed, her lids almost translucent. “I told him I was done. That’s when he grabbed me.”
I snuggle even closer until we’re nose to nose, breathing the same air. “I was so fucking scared that night, Bee. I thought you were dead.”
A shudder runs through her body. “I thought I was dead, too. Then he turned on you, and I thought we were both done.”
Her eyes open, locking on me with an intensity that I haven’t seen from her in forever. “He doesn’t get to break us, Cara. I won’t let him. We’ve been hurting, but we’re done now. I won’t give him any more of my life. Not even a minute.” Her hands tighten on mine. “You saved us. Don’t you ever regret it. You don’t have to be happy he’s dead, but you should be damn happy that we’re alive.”
“When did you get so smart?” I ask, brushing her blonde hair off her forehead.
She snorts. “I’m trying something new.”
We dissolve into giggles, something we haven’t done in a long time either. This move is feeling more and more like the right decision.
We relax, dozing for a while. Her curious voice breaks the silence. “So...Declan’s hot. Somehow I pictured a long-haired geek. He is so...not that.”
“He used to have long hair. He even had a bright red mohawk too. He lost a bet.” Not the first time, from what I’ve heard. I’ve heard a whisper or two on the cost of losing other bets to his brother Jonas. One involving a tattoo on his ass cheek. I really hoped I would get the chance to verify that one for myself. Not happening now. Not with a man who thinks so little of me.
“Things seemed weird between you two.”
“Weird is an understatement. We’re...nothing.”
