Page 30 of Hidden Ink

Resolved, she took a deep breath.

“I’m not going to let him go that easily,” she said simply. “I’m not that kind of person. Even if we weren’t dating, we’re friends. I…I can’t see him hurting and not want to do something.”

“We’re here if you need us,” Autumn said softly.

“And if you need us to hold him down for you, we can do that, too,” Maya added, bringing a smile to Hailey’s face.

“I might take you up on that.”

“Make sure you make him grovel, though,” Maya said with a sad smile. “I mean, after you talk and you’re on the right path, make him grovel. Because he hurt you. He might have done it for a reason, but you’re hurt and that’s not okay.”

Hailey pressed her lips together and nodded, tears once again threatening. “You can count on it,” she whispered.

Sloane was hers, and she’d be damned if anyone took him away from her.

Even him.

Chapter Eight

Sloane wanted a fucking drink but wasn’t about to use that to cope. He’d done his best not to when he came home from the desert, and he’d be damned if he did it now. But it was tempting. Damn tempting.

He’d known it was going to hurt like hell when he finally let Hailey go, but he hadn’t known it would be this bad. It had only been a day, and yet the agonizing minutes had gone by way too slowly.

He was such a fucking idiot, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He just prayed she’d be okay eventually, and hell, that he hadn’t lost his job at Montgomery Ink for leaving like he had.

Seeing Jason like that had ripped him open. He’d bled with that man and had almost died with him. Yet what right did Sloane have to be happier than him? Choices had brought him to the place where he was, but did that mean he deserved the outcome of those choices?

Hailey was far too good for him. She’d survived and thrived. He’d made it through his life, and that wasn’t the same. If she were with him, she’d know the truth.

That he was stained with the blood of his fallen men. That he’d killed to protect them, but hadn’t done a good enough job. He’d killed to protect himself and his men, yet how could he live with that? He hadn’t been enough for the others and yet somehow he’d lived.

He wasn’t going to end it—that wasn’t the kind of man he was—but he also couldn’t consciously bring another down with him.

Hailey deserved better than that. Deserved better than him.

The knock on the door surprised him, but it shouldn’t have. It was probably Austin here to kick his ass for leaving not only Hailey but also the shop. The big man could probably take him, and that was saying something.

Without bothering to look out the peephole, he opened the door and froze.

“Hailey,” he said, his voice a broken growl.

She had her hands folded over her chest and a glare on her face. She looked hot as hell and even madder.

“If you shut the door in my face, I’ll just keep knocking, so you better let me in.”

Caught off guard and a little turned on, he moved to the side so she could storm past. And storm she did. She let out a small growl and turned on her heel.

“Well? Close the door, Sloane. We have to talk.”

He’d done his talking in front of Montgomery Ink. If he did it again, he wasn’t sure what he’d say.

“I already said what I needed to.”

“Well fuck you, Sloane Gordon. You need to let me talk, then. And when I’m done, you better be ready to talk or I’m going to kick your ass.”

His eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything. He’d never seen her like this, but damn if he didn’t like it. He’d loved her passion before, but hell, this was something more.

He finally closed the door, and she lifted her chin. Before he could take a step toward her—or away from her since his mind couldn’t figure it out—she stripped off her top so he could see her scars. He froze, unable to speak, to think. Her face was one of fury, but her stance that of strength.