Page 16 of One Quick Obsession

“It’s nothing,” I lied.

I pulled away from her, bumping into a few others as I moved back to the main street. I’d done my duty, shown up as a Cage in a town that our family owned. I nodded at a few townspeople, knowing they would probably gossip about me later. Just another soldier coming home from deployment, jumping at loud noises. A shocking development.

I sighed and turned down an alley so I could take a deep breath.

I wasn’t like most of the people who had come home. I could sleep during a thunderstorm, and fireworks didn’t bother me. But every so often, a single loud noise would take me right back to a time I didn’t want to remember.

But it wasn’t what came at me. It wasn’t the memory of the burning metal tearing its way through my skin, leaving puckered scars. No, it was those left behind. Every loud sound that slammed into me was a lashing at my brain of those who didn’t come home.

And the person I couldn’t save.

I ran my hands over my face and knew I needed to get back to my truck. Maybe I did need that dog. Somebody that would be at home waiting for me. Or hanging out with me at something like this. Maybe then Isabella and the rest would get off my back.

I let out a breath and turned, only to run smack into Scarlett. I reached out, grabbing her shoulders to keep her balanced.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, embarrassed that she had seen me trying to catch my breath.

Her eyes widened. “I was just checking on you. No need to yell at me.”

“I’m not yelling,” I yelled.

“It sure sounds like it. But if you’re just going to shout, I’ll go.”

“I didn’t need you here to begin with, Scarlett. That’s what we do, right?”

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

I didn’t know what the hell I meant by that. Because if I went down this path, we would talk about the one thing that we didn’t ever talk about. “It’s nothing.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re not still mad that I wouldn’t let you help me, right? Because I didn’t need help.”

“Just like I don’t need help. Now, if you’re done, I’m heading home. I did the small-town thing. I’m out.”

“Then go. Isabella’s already here, and your family takes turns doing the Cage thing and showing the rest of the town that you’re nothing like your father. There’s no reason for you to be here.”

“What the hell would you know about it? Is that what you think? That we’re trying to right wrongs? Everyone knows that we’re not our dad. He was a philandering asshole who didn’t like his kids. Which is funny because he had so many of them. He didn’t like this town. Didn’t like anything. He only liked gaining power. So I don’t think this entire town thinks we’re anything like him.”

I couldn’t believe I had said those words. Or even spoken at all. What was it about this woman? And why did she have to ruin everything?

“We don’t think that any of you are like your father. Even Aston turned out to be a nice guy.”

I snorted. “I love the qualifications on that. Though marrying Blakely did seem to make him a little nicer.” My lips twitched.

“That is true. I like Blakely.” She let out a breath. “I’m sorry, Hudson. For intruding.”

My shoulders stiffened again. “There’s no need for an apology. I’m heading home.”

“Because you did your duty.”

I nodded, feeling the disappointment dripping from her tone. “Because I did my duty.” I moved past her, out into the crowd and towards my truck.

I could feel her gaze on me, but I ignored it.

We didn’t need each other. And we sure as hell didn’t need to help each other. Life would be better off if I just stayed out of the main part of Cage Lake.

And away from Scarlett Blair.

Chapter Five