I needed to go to my job and quit.
I also needed to go see my family and let them know what was happening.
Give them an in-person explanation as to why I wouldn’t be here anymore.
Not to make them feel bad about what they’d put my wife through all these years—they were just feeding off of what I’d done myself—but because they deserved to know.
“What are you doing?”
I looked up from where I was doodling on a piece of paper I’d put down quotes and who would be here when and where, to find Dory standing in the kitchen staring at me with confusion.
My eyes took in the length of her body, and barely hid the urge to growl in appreciation.
She was wearing my T-shirt, what I assumed was a bra and panties, and slouchy socks that had been mine from high school.
They were ones that I wore while on the football team, and I hadn’t seen them in a very long time.
It made me wonder if she’d had them all along.
Which made my stomach and heart do weird things.
“I’m getting quotes.” I paused. “Or I got quotes. I have the movers coming tomorrow to start packing up the house. I spoke with the lady about another house that she has as a rental. She’s having the place cleaned now, and it’s right on the water—bay side, not even a block from where we were at originally. But it’s more spacious, and a little more secure. Which she figured I’d want. Which I do. It’s about twice the amount of money in rent every month, but I thought being waterfront would be worth it. She also mentioned renting to own, but not having seen the house, I can’t very well say that I want it when I’d have to get your opinion on it first.” I hesitated. “Unless you want me to do it?”
She blinked owlishly, then shook her head. “No, no. That’s okay. Let’s look at it first.”
I flashed a grin at her. “I have a couple of preliminary appointments with a few underwater welding jobs there, too. That starts next Monday. Which, might I add, is about twice what I get paid right now. So this might work out really well for us financially. They’re in high demand down there right now due to that last hurricane that hit the Gulf Coast.” I stopped. “And I also talked to that chick about your upcoming job interview. Though that wasn’t because I called her, but because she called here looking for you. I asked her if she’d mind moving it to Monday as well, seeing as you’d been really sick and couldn’t hold any food down. She agreed, and so I’ll drop you off at yours before I go to mine. It’s a good thing we got you a new vehicle.”
She continued to blink. “You’ve been busy.”
“I’ve been motivated,” I admitted. “And now, I have to go quit my job and talk to my family. One of which I think I need to do alone, and one of which I think you’d rather me do alone. But, if you want, I can take you to both. It’s completely up to you.”
She licked her lips, then shook her head, causing her hair that’d obviously been twisted up and loosely tied to fall down around her shoulders.
She immediately started to twist it back into place.
Which I watched with rapt attention.
God, I wanted to sink my hands into that soft hair.
“I’ll stay and help you pack since I haven’t really unpacked,” she said softly. “I don’t… I don’t want to talk to your family, if that’s okay with you.”
That made my heart sink, because even though I knew that’d be her answer, I still had hoped for a different one.
God, what had I done?
Why had I allowed this to go on for so long?
“Sure,” I said softly. “In the meantime, if you get tired of packing, you can eat some of the food I had delivered?”
I pointed to a few bags on the counter.
“They’re just a couple of orders of breakfast style food. Some pastries. I made a run over to Jeremiah’s bakery and got you a few things that I knew you might be able to hold down.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Thank you, Bram.”
I winked at her. “I’ll be back. If you need anything, call?”
She nodded, and I was just about to pass her to head out the front door when an urge to touch her struck.
And instead of denying that need to touch, I chose to stop and honor the need.
I caught her around the neck and pulled lightly, pressing her body close to mine before leaning down and giving her a kiss.
It wasn’t long. It wasn’t short, either.
And there was zero tongue.
But the way she melted into me made my heart fuckin’ soar.
“And even if you don’t need me, feel free to call.”
• • •
“What do you mean, you’re moving?” Haggard looked stunned.
Sophia blinked, turning to look from me to Haggard and back, before getting up and quietly walking out of the room.
Shine, Tide, Price and my father were also in the room.
“I’m moving to Florida,” I repeated my earlier statement. “I’m gonna go there where Dory has a job interview. We’re going to try to sort out our shit.”
It was my mother who said, “Maybe that’s for the best.”
I raised a brow at her in question.
But it was Tide’s. “I don’t know why you would think him leaving us would be a good thing. In fact, all I can think of are bad things. Such as, isn’t this the place that she was attacked, and nothing was done?”
I’d been thinking about that, too.
“Yes,” I admitted. “It was. But I’m already on the horn with a few people there that are looking into it. The man that lives up the street from where she was renting, Wake Westfield, has been giving me updates when they come in. Which, I’ll admit, aren’t very often, or very good. It looks like the sheriff isn’t really doing anything about it.”
“Well then I don’t see how that’s a good idea,” Tide argued. “I mean, what if it happened again?”
He wasn’t saying anything that I wasn’t thinking.
“It won’t, because I won’t allow it,” I told him bluntly. “I’ll stay on her. She’s not stupid, either. She won’t go putting herself into danger when she doesn’t have to.”
Tide sighed. “And I’m sure, you being there, it’ll be easier to look into. That’s one of your reasons, right?”
“The least one,” I agreed. “Her safety is my first priority. But she doesn’t want to be here. And I can’t make her be here if that’s the case. Not to mention, she had this job interview. She was excited about it, and I want her to live out her dream.”
“We can’t argue with you,” Shine said. “Because then it’ll make us assholes. But how do you expect us to repair anything if you won’t keep her here?”
“You can’t repair anything until I repair what I’ve broken first,” I told them honestly. “So, we’re leaving, and we don’t know when we’ll be back.”
“That sounds pretty permanent,” Dad said. “Are you sure?”
Are you sure it’s worth it? She was worth it?
Hell yes, she was worth it. And him asking that sent a ball of fiery anger through my veins.
“Was Mom worth it?” I asked.