Page 36 of Forbidden Impulses

Both Monte and I head for the front door, rushing to catch up with her. We get out the door just as she jumps into one of the Range Rovers and before we can stop her, she's down the driveway and out of the gate.

"We have to trust that she'll be careful," Monte says, his voice wavering slightly.

We stand there, looking at the taillights disappear before I pick up the phone to call her. I'm not worried about her using her phone in the car because all of them have been equipped with decent Bluetooth systems. I do, however, suspect that she's not likely to answer the call. When it goes to voicemail, I'm not very surprised.

"Suzie, you know you're not allowed to drive angry. Check in and let us know you're okay."

I cut the call and turn back into the house, Monte following close on my heels. When I sit down at the kitchen counter and rest my head in my hands, Monte moves up behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders and giving them a rub.

"Are we making a mistake?" I ask, my voice hoarse. I lean back against his chest and he wraps his arm around me, holding me tight. I grab hold of his arm and squeeze it. I love being able to get my strength from him.

"No. She needs this. Every moment with her was wonderful, but it was also pretty clear she wasn't ready to be all-in yet. Her heart needs to heal, and she needs to grow first."

He sounds confident. And I agree with him, I really do.

But couldn't she growwithus?Couldn't she find herself while she was surrounded by the love we wanted to share with her?

"Lo, baby, I can feel you overthinking it. My heart is just as broken as yours. I want to be there for her, I want to smother her in love and help her build a new life, but I don't think Annie believes she's strong enough to do it alone, so she needs to prove it to herself, more than us."

"Ugh!" I cry out before pulling my hands through my hair. "Can we at least go to her exhibition? Show our support?"

Monte is quiet while he thinks, too long in my opinion, before he answers. "I have a secret to share with you," he says carefully.

Turning in my stool, I dislodge his arm from my chest, forcing him to move back a step so I can look him in the eye. "Yeah?"

His face is drawn into a grimace and his eyes are focused on the counter instead of me. "She's been posting her stuff online. A new profile created for her work. Suzie sent it to us in one of her more passive-aggressive moments."

I remember her sending links. I'd not followed them because I couldn't stomach the thought of seeing her but not having access to her. But she also sent it to both of us, so that's no reason for Monte to look as guilty as he does.

"And?"

He shrugs in response, and I lean over, tipping his chin so he's forced to look up at me.

"I've bought them all." His cheeks turn red as he admits it to me, and the tension building up inside me dissipates.

"All of them? What about her showing?"

He shrugs again, and I reach up to grab his face, bringing it down for a kiss.

"I love you, Monte," I whisper against his lips. "But now you have to let her do the rest on her own, okay?"

Especially as the whole point of letting her go was so she could prove to herself she could do it.Andhe is the most vocal about pushing her to find herself.

"I know, obviously I do," he says, defending himself. "But I was worried that she doesn't have enough money, and she's not looking after herself properly, so I wanted to just do one little thing to ensure she's got everything she needs."

I hold on to him, keeping my head against his chest, and his arms wrap around my shoulders, and we stay together like that for a while, just staying in the moment until my phone chimes with a message from Suzie.

Suzie

I’m at Coles. I'll be here until you get your head out of your ass. I love you.

I show the text to Monte and he bursts out in laughter.

"We'll let her have this showing. And if she doesn't come home after, we'll go fetch our Annie, okay?"

I respond with a smile as I bring his face closer for another kiss.

Chapter Twenty-Five

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