Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
He kept his distance. “They aren’t going to take Lou. I’m going to call a lawyer right now.”
Her head shook. “I can’t deal with that at the moment. I’ll deal with lawyers in a little while, but you have to see what position you’ve put me in.”
He was the problem.
She’d been fine until he’d come into her life. She’d had it handled, and while it hadn’t been perfect, at least they’d been together.
He nodded. “I want to help you get out of it.”
“I don’t think you can. Boomer, membership to a secret sex club is not something you keep from your partner. It’s not.”
“I haven’t even been to Sanctum in months.” He didn’t miss it.
“It doesn’t matter. Do you understand how many strikes this is against me? No one’s going to believe I’m not going there, too. Or if they do, they’ll wonder what I’m willing to put up with.”
“I’m not having sex with anyone but you.”
“Babe, I know that. I know that but I…” She stopped, tears in her eyes. “Boomer, I am on the edge right now, and I’m not capable of being reasonable and rational. I am trying not to say things I would have a hard time taking back. I need you to give me a little bit of space. I’m sorry I didn’t return your calls. That was wrong of me. I was going to call you from the road.”
“You were going to leave?” His brain was still whirling.
She picked up her keys. “Yes, I’m going to Austin to get Lou. I worry if I don’t, Amelia will simply take her back to her place and try to lock me out. They’re planning on springing this on me tomorrow. I want Lou with me, in my physical possession, when they do.”
“You don’t want me to go with you? I could drive.”
“I think I need some time to think. I need some time to talk to my daughter. I’m sorry. I do need your help, but I also need some time.”
He couldn’t stand the thought of not being with her. “Please let me talk to Tag.”
She frowned his way. “Okay, I need to make this perfectly clear. You will talk to Tag. You will call this lawyer person and tell him I’ll take a meeting with him. Hell, by now your friend Karina probably knows about it. I told Susan I was okay with her telling Karina what was happening. Susan might need a lawyer, too.”
At least she was going to let him help. From a distance.
He’d gotten her into this trouble. He’d put her in this position.
Being in her life had caused this problem.
“I’ll do all of it, and you’ll have the space you need.”
“I’m mad at you.” Her normally generous lips formed a flat line.
“I understand.” He backed away. She wasn’t looking at him, might never look at him again. Not the way she had.
He should have told her everything. He hadn’t even considered Sanctum would be a problem. He’d been around Sanctum so long it seemed normal to him.
Had he opened all his friends up to problems because he hadn’t been smart enough to see the trouble coming their way?
He hadn’t put it all together the way someone else would have. He’d been happy, and he hadn’t wanted to think.
He never thought. He could hear his father telling him how dumb he was, how his carelessness would bring ruin to anyone he cared about. Hell, his father hadn’t thought he was smart enough to truly care about anyone.
But he loved Daphne.
His first impulse was to tell her that, that he loved her and he was sorry and he would do better.
Wasn’t that putting her in a bad position all over again? Was that asking her to choose between him and her daughter? That was no choice at all.
He had to choose Lou, too.
“I’m going back to the office. I’ll fill Tag in.” He felt numb. He’d screwed up, but this time the consequences weren’t something to laugh off. He could have ruined Daphne’s and Lou’s lives.
“Withholding important information is the same as lying, Boomer. Can we agree on that?” Daphne’s arms were crossed over her chest. As though she had to protect herself from him.
“Yes.” He hadn’t meant to lie to her.
“Good.” She nodded, but her eyes weren’t on him. She stared at someplace behind him like she couldn’t stand to look at him. “Text me when you’ve got everything in place. I’ll let you know when I have Lou.”
“I will.” One of the things that needed to be put in place was him. He knew that now. He couldn’t stay so close to her. It would be too tempting. She needed to show the world that he was out of her life. That would make the case infinitely less complicated. He had no doubt that Big Tag would handle the situation, but how could he come back from putting her child in danger like this? He walked to the door, his heart such a weight in his chest. “I love you, Daphne.”