Sex Retreat(13)
“Look a little closer, Ansley,” Mitch said steadily. “What you see is your sister. You see a woman with two men who love her. You don’t notice what is clearly absent.”
Without any reluctance whatsoever, he withdrew a picture from his jacket and tossed it to the bed. “That’s what your sister misses. I’m the void in her life.”
Ansley picked up the photograph and studied it before handing it back to him. “All I see are three men frolicking in the water with a young woman who looks like a tease.”
Mitch laughed as the memories came rolling back. She was a tease, until she wasn’t. Then Trixie became a saucy siren, a seductress to be reckoned with, and a woman who not only stole away with his heart, but took him on one hell of roller-coaster ride.
The ups and downs he’d endured were impossible to define. He’d served time in prison for her. He’d gone back to Jordie Anne in order to save her and the others from the disruption she might cause them, because he’d known—yes, he’d known all along—what Jordie Anne was potentially capable of destroying. He’d feared what Trixie might face, what kind of hell Jordie Anne might bring.
“I was desperate to protect her,” Mitch finally admitted.
Ansley narrowed her gaze. “Why?”
“Ansley, this is really between your sister and—”
“Why now, Mitch?” She waved her hand in front of the bookcase. “Years, Mitch. She has a history with Rory and Brock. They’ve started their family. Cazeron and Winter are happy children. This is the life they’ve created.” Her expression softened. “And as much as this hurts you, I have to say it, Mitch. This is the life they’ve created without you.”
“Ansley, it’s not our business,” Tristan said.
“Caz and Winter are my business,” she snapped, her eyes filling with tears.
Tristan gathered the photos and returned them to their respective shelves. Then he pointed at the door. “I think we should go. Brock and Rory wouldn’t appreciate this.”
“Yes, they would,” Ansley said, dabbing the corners of her eyes. “Wouldn’t they, Mitch?”
He snorted at that, fully understanding her underlying meaning. “You’re probably right.”
His gaze went to the king-size bed, and sadness washed over him as he thought of all the nights he’d missed. He considered the mornings, too, as he thought of how it might feel to wake up here in this room, wrapped around Trixie’s body, cradling her in his arms.
“I’ll give you credit, Ansley. You showed me precisely what Brock and Rory would’ve wanted me to see. Without a doubt, they’d be proud of you. You’ve done your job and served their purpose. I’ll leave.”
He’d almost made it to his vehicle when the screen door slammed behind him. “Mitch, wait.”
He stopped and turned around. “What is it?”
Ansley opened her mouth to speak, made a slight throaty sound, and then pressed her lips together again. They stared at one another for a long time before she finally said, “Okay, look, I don’t know where they are.”
“So you’ve said.”
“But…”
“You have a good idea where they might have gone?”
“No,” she replied. “I’m out of line here, but I feel like I’m sort of caught in the middle anyway. Trixie thought she was going crazy. She thought you had been here. She could’ve sworn she saw you a few times.”
“What did she say?” Mitch asked, uncertain why Ansley had chosen to share pertinent information before he left. Did she know something about Trixie’s feelings for him? Did Trixie still care for him? Had she discussed her feelings with Ansley?
“Damn it.” Ansley stomped her foot. “Okay, here’s the thing, buster, and you didn’t hear this from me. My sister still loves you. I know she still loves you.” Ansley’s gaze ripped through his. “But if you come in here and screw up her life, I’ll hold you personally accountable and make your life a living hell. And I can do it.” She shot Tristan a quick glance. “If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
“I won’t do that,” Mitch promised, believing Tristan was probably more in control than Ansley might have thought. He stood watch as if he were her lone protector, the only man who could indeed save her.
He’d met guys like Tristan. He’d gone up against a few. He recognized an Alpha male when he met one.
Mitch knew something about protecting those he loved and making sacrifices, too. He’d once walked away from Trixie in order to keep her safe. Now, he realized he’d made a mistake.