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“You told me six years ago what you wanted and I promised to make that a reality for you,” I said. “We had our fun. It’s time…it’s time to get back to the real world.”
Her lip trembled. “I hate this part,” she whispered.
“I hate it too. I’m going to unpack and then I have to be in at the office,” I said. “I’m sure Candice is dying to see you.”
The house was silent after she’d gone to her room and that silence drove me out of my mind. I showered even though I hated to because the last remnants of her scent were gone now.
I met Caden at one of our secondary warehouses. He’d just spent the week with Trystan, the head of our training base in Wyoming. Things were going according to plan, except work had stalled until we could have the next shipment of building materials brought in.
“We need more money,” Caden said, staring out over the harbor.
We stood along the shore, outside the warehouse. Inside, I could hear the faint hum of machinery, dulled by the ocean roaring against the rocks. Caden stood in his leather jacket, his face pale from the cold. That cigarette hanging from his lip.
“I’m getting it,” I said.
He gave me a sharp glance.
“Where the fuck were you?” he said.
“Watch it.”
He swiveled, shifting his weight to one leg. “You left Yale and I in charge of the first meeting with Trystan in weeks. And what business meeting could be more important than the business you’re doing with the Cardiffs?”
I cleared my throat. “It was important too.”
“So the story’s changing,” he said shortly.
Caden’s eyes narrowed, washed out to pale blue in the insipid light.
“Did you have Clara with you?”
“Enough,” I said firmly.
His gaze bored into me until I turned away and strode back into the warehouse. I heard his boots crunch on the gravel behind me.
“You’re fucking her,” he said, through a haze of cigarette smoke.
I spun around. Livid, but successfully keeping it locked away under a calm exterior.
“Do we have a problem, Caden?” I said.
His mouth thinned. “I apologize, sir,” he said flatly.
I nodded curtly, striding through the warehouse to the other end where I’d parked the Audi. My phone buzzed as I got into the car and an alert popped up for Clara’s location.
She was on her way to Candice’s house.
I sank back into the front seat. My body was raw from the last week. Forever altered by her touch. But it was my brain…and my heart that were having the most trouble recovering.
I had no idea what I felt for her, but I did know that the last thing in the world I wanted was to give her up.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CLARA
The day after we got home, I went over to Candice’s house. Her parents were home, having coffee in the kitchen. Owen was a burly man with a pleasant face and a head of silver hair and Catrin was willowy and soft-spoken. I’d spent a lot of time with them over the years, especially while my father was still alive.
I stopped to talk for a minute, feeling guilty although I wasn’t sure why. Catrin offered me a hug and brushed my hair back, looking me over.
