I’m in his arms and clutching at his shoulders as I bury my nose in his neck. He’s so warm and solid and safe that I can’t help wanting to be closer to him, no matter what he just confessed.
It’s hard to accept it all, to know that the man I have feelings for is related to that sicko, and even harder to think that the family I so badly want was Bolton’s.
But one thing I will not do right now is push him away for something that was not his doing. Wyatt is good, and I deserve good, Goddammit!
“Baby? I…can you forgive me for—”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I say, laying my fingers across his lips to stall his words. “You’re not him, and I won’t have you blaming yourself for what another man did. And I also won’t deny us both a good thing, something we’ve only just found because of him. I like you a lot, I told you that, so why should I run away from the first thing that’s made me happy in years?”
The answer is that I shouldn’t, and more importantly, I won’t. There, Bolton, you dick. Take that and shove it in your foul ass!
My answer has the desired effect and I feel him smile against my fingers even as he lets out a harsh breath and lays his forehead against mine. Damn, did I ever once think this guy was bad? I see that’s not possible when he looks so happy just to be here with me that he almost glows.
“I make you happy?”
Oh, I can see he’s going to be a handful anytime I pay him a compliment, the incorrigible man.
“Yes, you do, and no, that doesn’t mean that you can start using that to your advantage. You still know what you can do with those nasty protein shakes of yours. Now, tell me the rest. Why do we have to leave?”
That wipes the smile right off his face, and I shiver when his eyes go an eerie blue that looks to be swirling with anger.
“Jerry Conrad, Bolton’s father, seems to have a bug up his ass about you and has started looking. I don’t know why now, after four years of nothing, but the fact remains that the man is dangerous and I need to get you home where it’s safe.”
“But, but isn’t it safer far away from him?”
I remember Jerry Conrad because sometimes I’d hear Bolton raging at the man over the phone. From what I heard, it sounded like that relationship was dysfunctional and that Jerry was not exactly father-of-the-year material.
The conversations were mostly about money and Bolton’s hatred of his mother, which seemed to upset Jerry a lot. I got the distinct impression that no matter how much Bolton wanted his father to throw his mother away, the man seemed to love his wife. A lot.
It’s strange that Wyatt thinks he’s out to get me, but then I don’t know Jerry and I trust Wyatt. If he says Jerry is dangerous, then I believe him.
“The safest place for you right now is in the bosom of our family where I and my brothers will protect you. My cousin Roman is a cop and he’s gathering evidence as we speak to make sure Jerry is put behind bars for a very long time.”
I agree, if only because it means that I get to meet Jude soon.
“Okay then. When do we leave?”
“Yeah? You’re okay with it all?” he asks incredulously.
“Sure.”
“Well damn, baby, if I knew you’d take this all so well, I would have told you this yesterday and spared myself the ulcer.”
“Liar. You wanted to reel me in with sex first and then drop the bomb. That’s such a male thing to do. I’m almost tempted to call Hanley and tell her, if I didn’t think she’d be tickled pink that she was right and I was wrong about my avoidance issues.”
Damn woman. I’m almost tempted to split and leave Wyatt just to prove her wrong and not admit defeat. Lucky for us all, I’ve never been the type to spite myself just for a win.
“You’re probably right,” he admits sheepishly, giving me a long deep kiss before pulling me up and hustling me out the door. “Let’s go home, baby.”
“Shouldn’t you pack?”
“I’ve got everything I need right beside me.”
Chapter Ten
Ellie
The journey to Wyatt’s family home takes just under two hours. According to Miah and Jared, Wyatt has only ever left New Orleans when absolutely necessary, and only if he couldn’t con one of them into standing in for him.
My guy seems to be attached to his family and unwilling to leave the nest for very long. I laugh while they rib him about being a mama’s boy and he shoots glares their way, retorting that if Jared or Jace breastfed any longer, they’d have missed their own proms.
This is a first for me, knowing that I’m probably the first and only woman in recorded history to be glad that her man is attached to his mama’s apron string and will forever be a daddy’s boy.