This was a dangerous game.
I knew the stakes. But once everything had aligned in my mind, I couldn’t fathom giving her up. Like it or not she was mine. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to love if she’d let me.
You sound as crazy as Fenton.
That wanker was getting slapped with a protection order as soon as we settled back at the hotel. I was done with her being afraid. And I was done keeping things from her. I’d tell her everything tonight. I first needed to tell the lads about Rowan, because we needed to set plans in motion. And I’d warn them. My secrets, unfortunately, were their secrets. I had to tell them first.
She turned her head to smile at me. “You know, you’ve been holding on to me like you think I might run.”
“I’ll find you if you do. “
“And if I don’t want to be found?”
I lifted a brow. “Do you not want to be found?”
She laughed, the sound so light, it elevated me out of the darkness of my thoughts. “That’s not the point.”
“I already told, you. We are happening. I can be only so patient.”
She licked her lips, and I watched her tongue with rapt interest. “I’ll deal with Dexter and the house and all of that. You’re right. It does seem like we are inevitable.”
I lifted my brows. “Did I hear that correctly? Did you just say I was right?”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“I know. It’s my best tra—”
The car hit a slick patch and we fishtailed. I immediately tightened my hold on Livy’s hand and the hand grip above the door. Livy gasped, then squeezed her eyes shut tight. Our driver muttered what sounded like an expletive as he fought to control the car.
We finally came to a stop at the side of the road, bumping into one of the guard rails. The mini collision jostled us in the back seat enough to make my teeth rattle.
I reached for her immediately. She had her fingers to her temples and rocked back and forth. “Livy! Livy, you all right?”
Todd, our driver, turned around. “Sorry about that. Let me just get quick photos for the accident report. I’m sure it’s minor, but still.”
I wanted to rip him a new arsehole, but right now my concern was her.
She kept holding her head. “Ben…”
I unlatched my belt so I could pull her close and rub her back. “Yeah, I’m right here. I will have him severely reprimanded just as soon as we get you back. Let me call a doctor and have him wait for us at the hotel.”
She shook her head. “No. I’m fine. I just—” Her dark eyes met mine. “I remember.”
“Remember what?”
“The accident. Just now. We started to spin, and I could see it.”
“Fuck, I’m so sorry. The last thing I wanted was to have you triggered.”
Livy grabbed my arm. “No, it’s a good thing. I wasn’t driving. He was.”
My eyes went wide. “Just when I think he couldn’t be more of an asshole he surprises me.”
“Can you take me home?”
“Over my dead body. You need to get checked out. And I’m not letting you near him.”
“Ben, I’m fine. You’re fine. At most, we have a few scratches on the car. It was more a scare than anything else.”
I ground my teeth. “I’d like to be sure.”
“And I’d like to take care of this once and for all. He’s stolen enough of my life from me. I want this done.”
“Fine, but I’m staying with you.”
“You will do no such thing, Ben Covington. You were right. We are inevitable. But you have to let me do this my way.”
“If you think I’m going to leave you behind, you’ve grossly underestimated my desire to keep you safe from harm. Not bloody happening.”
Her lips pressed together, and I could sense that she was going to unleash her barely contained rage. “I won’t be able to do this with you there. Can’t you see that?”
I could but I didn’t care. “Answer is still no.”
She dragged in a deep breath. “Fine. Leave me with Todd here. He doubles as security, right?”
He did, but clearly, he was a git who couldn’t drive. “No. Not him. He doesn’t take enough precautions with your life.”
“For the love of God. It was an accident.” She crossed her arms and I could see the gears in her brain working. She wouldn’t let any of this go until she’d dealt with pencil dick.
“Fine. I’ll call and have someone meet us there, and Todd can take me back to the hotel. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll pick you up myself.”
She threw up her hands. “You are the most stubborn, obstinate, pain in—”
I lifted a brow and took one of her hands in mine. “That’s a yes.”
“See, was that so hard?”
I’d said yes, but it didn’t sit right by me. What if, after everything, she still chose him?
But then I looked down at our entwined fingers. No. She was mine. She just had to admit it to herself.
Livy
I knew what I had to do. There was no point in putting it off any longer. At the end of the day, I couldn’t accept that ring.
I’d known it before I left on Friday.
I knew it even more now. Dexter was a liar. He’d used my guilt to manipulate me. I didn’t even recognize the man I used to love. He was gone.
And as much as it had something to do with how much our relationship had deteriorated, it was more about me. This wasn’t about my feelings for Ben, though they were there and unavoidable and intense.
Somewhere along the line, I had changed, and he’d changed. And there was no going back. No recovering from that. He’d broken us.
I let myself in the flat, and Dexter was waiting for me. “Oh, I didn’t realize you’d be waiting.”
His brows rose. “I didn’t expect you home. I figured you’d send Telly over to get your things.”
My fury choked against my leash of control. “Dex look, you probably know what’s coming, and I do need to talk to you. I think this conversation had been coming for a long time.”
He raised a hand. “Look, I know you’re probably angry, and I don’t want to get into a huge fight. But I need you to hear me out.”
I was so tired. And I regretted insisting on coming alone. I wanted Ben’s strong arms around me right now. “I’m done, Dexter. I’m done hearing you out. I’m done listening to your excuses.” I frowned. “You made me believe I was driving that night.”
He went pale. “Y-you were.”
“No, you asshole. It is not the time to double down on that lie.”
He licked his lips. “Okay, look. It seems bad, but I’ve had a drunken driving offense before, and I couldn’t have another one. You were out of it, and I just put you under the wheel.”
“For six months you’ve lied to me. Made me feel guilty. Used me.”
“That’s not what it was. I just, I messed up. You weren’t drinking, so it just looked like an accident. They didn’t even investigate closely because you were clean. There was no harm.”