Avenger(12)

“I love you, Sophie. I’m your husband, you can talk to me about anything,” he pleaded with me to open up.

I hated being seen as…weak and right now I was an emotional wreck. I was afraid if I opened my mouth I’d just start crying.

“Sophie, please,” his thumb grazed over my bottom lip and a shudder racked my body.

“I just want this to be over,” I admitted. “I want the fighting and the bloodshed to end. I want everything to go back to normal, Caeden. I don’t want to bring our baby into this,” my hand naturally fell to my stomach.

“I don’t either,” he brushed strands of my hair away from my eyes and tucked them behind my ear. “That’s why I’m doing all this,” he motioned to the books scattered all over the office. “It’s why I’m not calling pack meetings. I need to get all this figured out in my head,” he pointed to his forehead for emphasis, “before I say anything to anyone. I want to be one hundred percent ready this time. The next time I see Travis, I will kill him. My family—you and the baby—are the most important things to me. I won’t let Travis take you from me.”

I leaned into his touch, desperate to believe those words. But I wasn’t the naïve girl I once was. I was a fighter now and I knew that words meant nothing. Promises held no backing. Caeden could tell me everything would be fine as much as he wanted, but that didn’t make it true, no matter how much I might wish it so.

But I didn’t tell him that. Instead, I closed my eyes and pretended that he was right. It was what he needed. I wasn’t about to burst his bubble…at least not right now.

Caeden needed to believe that everything would be okay, so I’d give him that, because I loved him.

My phone started ringing and I pulled away from Caeden. I reached for my back pocket and looked at the name flashing across the screen. My brows furrowed together in confusion. I felt Caeden’s curiosity as he stared at me. “It’s Evan,” I said. “I better take this.”

I stood from the leather couch and walked across the office to gaze out the window for some semblance of privacy. “Hello?”

“Hey, Sophie, it’s Evan,” he said in a lazy drawl. Hearing his voice made me realize how much I had missed my human soccer-playing friends. With everything going on I couldn’t remember the last time I saw them. I was a sucky friend.

“I know,” I smiled, placing my palm against the window. “What do you need?”

“Well, I was just talking to Brody and we’re sorry that we didn’t get to see you before we left for Virginia Tech. I know it’s a few months away, but do you think we can all get together over Thanksgiving break? I’ve already talked to all the other guys and we’re all coming home. It can be sort of like a reunion  ,” he rambled in typical Evan fashion.

I laughed, looking over my shoulder at a smiling Caeden as he eavesdropped on my conversation. “I’m sure we can work something out. I miss you guys.”

“We miss our she-wolf!” I heard Brody yell in the background. I shook my head despite the fact that they couldn’t see me.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t see you guys before you left for college. I’m the suckiest friend ever,” I frowned, feeling sad.

“You’re busy,” Evan replied. It sounded like something fell somewhere in their room. “Shit,” Evan cursed, “I have to go.”

“Bye,” I said as he hung up.

Caeden was snickering behind me. “Those guys are highly entertaining.”

“I think you’re easily amused,” I smiled easily, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body into his.

“I lived with Bryce for too long, so yeah, I’m easily amused,” he chuckled, kissing the end of my nose sweetly.

I was tall but I had to stand slightly on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. “I’m tired,” I yawned, covering my mouth with my hand. “I’m going to go lay down for a while.”

Caeden frowned, studying my face. “I don’t like you being this tired, Soph.”

I rolled my eyes at his worrisome nature. “I did lose a lot of sleep last night after spotting Travis. You should be sleepy too.”

“I’m fine,” he stated, “and you got more sleep than I did. Remember? You went to bed early.”

“Caeden,” I said his name in a scolding tone, “stop inventing stuff to worry about. I’ve been under a lot of stress. A nap won’t kill me.”

He watched me like I was a specimen under a microscope he was trying to decipher. “Alright, fine,” he finally said, releasing his hold on me. I kissed his cheek and scurried out of the room before he decided to ask me a million questions about how I was feeling.