I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling as the events of last night replayed in my mind like a bad movie on repeat. Catherine. The ex-wife and her smug, smirking confidence. I hated everything about it. Especially the way she’d called Rhodes ‘husband’ right after we’d been in bed together. It made me feel dirty.
It made me feel like I had broken one of my rules, and doubt had wormed its way in deep like one of those tiny splinters.
We argued afterward, and my insecurities bubbled up like uncontrollable things. He was so upset, his hair stood on end as he growled, “She’s nothing, Sage. You don’t understand.”
He was right. I didn’t understand because we had rushed everything instead of doing normal things like going on a dateand talking about our past. I’d fallen right into bed with him without actually making sure that was the right step to take.
Her words echoed:He's always come back to me, sweetie.
What if she was right? What if he really went back to her? She was the mother of his child, after all. Even worse, I’d heard what he said—that her being the mother of his child meant nothing. I wasn’t sure how to deal with that. What sort of man said something like that to a woman? I thought I had the measure of who he was, but maybe I was wrong.
Yesterday, when Rhodes came to my rescue, it overrode my usual caution, and I just fell right into bed with him. Twice. Part of that was because I’d seen that protector side of him, and I thought that was who he was. Now I wasn’t so sure. It confused me, but it also made me realize I needed to slow down, no matter how cute he was with Opal. Not that I was going to slut shame myself over having some epic sexy time, but doubts were starting to creep in.
Space was what I needed.
I slipped out of bed quietly, not wanting to wake him or Opal. The house was quiet, the faint smell of last night's dinner still lingering. It was a reminder that my family had been here just last night, right before the whole fiasco—my family, with their bonds and unbreakable loyalty. It had been something I’d started seeing my brothers find. Their own half, like Maggie had with Levi. Someone they could love and build a family with, and it had got me thinking that maybe I’d been taking small steps with Rhodes.
I texted East.
Can you take me to the shop?
East
Sure, Sage-O-Rama. I’m actually outside right now working. I’ll take you.
Grabbing my clothes, I dressed quickly and tiptoed downstairs, leaving a note on the kitchen counter:
Gone to the shop. Need to think. Talk later.
It made me feel like an asshole, not giving him a chance to explain when we were calmer, but the whole drama had been too much for me on top of everything else that had happened at the gas station.
“Hey there.” East was waiting when I came outside, giving me a squeeze as he opened his truck door. “Ellis is following.” He nodded towards the truck already parked behind us and the hulking figure at the wheel. “Apparently, he’s with you today.”
I shrugged, not really willing to dissect the fact that I was two parts annoyed and relieved that one of Rhodes’s men was going to come with me. Last night still had me messed up, and I hadn’t slept well. Now I’d left without coffee and was starving, but I was still pretty scared.
I tried to ignore the fact that I could see Rhodes standing in his office window, watching us drive away. There was the tiniest bit of guilt in my stomach about leaving without talking to him this morning, but I smoothed my hands over my legs and took a breath.
The drive to the shop was short at this early hour while the streets were quiet. The town carried that peaceful, early-spring feel with birds chirping, a light mist drifting over the meadows, and the distant hum of a lawnmower somewhere. But that sense of peace felt hard to grasp.
Giant
You left without saying goodbye. We didn't finish talking last night. I didn’t like you sleeping away from me. Are you okay?
Rolling my eyes a little, my fingers hovered over the screen, insecurity burning hot in my chest. No, not really. Catherine’s showing up at the house reopened old wounds. Rhodes was different, intense, and protective in a way that made my heart race. But what if his past pulled him away? I typed back, my response sharper than I’d intended.
Okay? Your ex shows up at midnight, acts like you’re still married, and you want to know if I'm okay? Really?
God, I sounded like a bitch. Instead of dwelling, I changed his name on my phone to Rhodes, rather than the cutesy nickname I had. His reply came almost immediately, as if he'd been waiting.
Rhodes
She's my ex-wife. We’re divorced. It was over before it even started, really. She never wanted me, and she didn’t want Opal. I have full custody. She shouldn’t have even known where I lived. She fucked one of my men to get the address.
My stomach pitched a little as I tried to dissect all the information.
East gave me a sideways glance. “Are you okay? We can talk about it if you aren’t.”
My big brother was awesome, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle the way he was looking all concerned right now. I definitely didn’t want to talk to him about how I had sex with Rhodes Collins.
