Page 61 of Branded Betrayal

“Hey.”

My head snaps up. I squint up at Blaze, holding up a hand to shield my eyes from the bright sun. “Oh, so now you want me to acknowledge you?”

“I didn’t think you’d want Nash to see us talking. He pretty much hates me. Us being seen together would cause too much trouble.”

“And now is different because . . . ?”

“Well, his truck is gone.” He nods toward where Nash had parked, and I’ll be damned. He’s right. “So he can’t see us.”

“He just left me by myself?” I throw up my hands. “Jesus, every time I think I’m turning a corner with him, I end up taking ten steps backward.”

“He’s going through a rough time. He’ll come around.”

“I thought we were connecting,” I say. “It hasn’t been easy, but he’s been stopping by and helping me out. Probably a good thing that he’s got his own apartment. It might make things strained if we were forced to live under the same roof. But believe it or not, we’ve had actual conversations. And he smiled today.”

Blaze grins, and my heart does backflips. “Progress, yeah?”

“I’m trying really hard here. He’s the only family I have left.”

The longing in his gaze melts my insides. “It’s good you have him. He’ll watch out for you.”

“I thought you said you were going to do that.” My pulse throbs against my throat. “Right?”

“Yeah,” he says, his deep voice low and gruff. “Always.” He pauses. “You know, I can drive you home if you need a ride.”

“I don’t think that’s a great idea.” Even though my entire body screams it is exactly the right idea.

His gaze darkens. “I saw you with the vet before. You gonna get a ride with him?”

I lift an eyebrow. “If I am, how does that concern you?”

“Because I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

I jump up from the bench, seething. “You don’t fucking own me. How dare you say that. Not that it matters because I think I’m going to let him fuck me later tonight!”

Blaze looks at me like I just slit his dog’s throat and laughed about it. I’ve never seen him look so horrified. “Is that what you want?”

“You made it clear you don’t care what I want. And I’m tired of your mind games.”

“You think I’m playing games?”

“Yep. I do. I think you want to keep your claws in me because it makes you feel all powerful. But you don’t want me. Not really. So find someone else to control and let me live my life.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” He takes me by the arms, and my heart pounds so hard, it makes me dizzy. “I haven’t slept in days, not since that last kiss. You think it didn’t mean anything to me, but you’re wrong. I can’t get you out of my head, Savvie.”

“Then why did you stay away? Why didn’t you tell me any of that before now?”

His shoulders slump. “I stayed away because seeing you makes me want things I know I can’t have. But watching Tyler with you today . . .” He shakes his head. “I’m not strong enough to stay away. And you’re not strong enough to make me.”

I grab the side of the bench, my legs wobbly. I’ve driven down this road, and the aftermath of the crash hurts like hell.

He drops his hands and backs away, nodding toward something behind me. “Looks like Nash is back. Guess I’m gonna take off.”

I peek over my shoulder just in time to see Nash step out of the truck, firing a white-hot glare at Blaze that I can feel from here.

“Go home, Savvie.” His jaw tightens. “And when you’re thinking about me tonight . . . because I know you will be . . . just remember I told you to walk away.”

He turns and stalks over to his truck. I sit back down on the bench, covering my face with my hands.