Page 164 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Fury flashed in Corbin’s eyes as he glared at Judy. “So they won’t have to deal with her outbursts?”

She gave him a funny look. “No, because of the brain cancer.”

The only sound in the room was the ragged intake of Corbin’s breath. His knees buckled as he caught hold of the metal footboard on the bed for support. He looked at Addie through crazed eyes. “Gram has brain cancer?”

“Pops and I didn’t know how to tell you,” she stammered. “That’s why we wanted you to come here … to find a way to tell her goodbye.” She looked to Delaney for help, but Delaney could only shake her head.

Corbin’s face turned a shade darker, his eyes blazing. Delaney shrank back, afraid he might punch something.

Instead he straightened his shoulders and balled his fists. “Let’s go!” he roared, turning on his heel and storming out. Delaney looked at Addie who spread her hands in defeat, then rushed to catch up with him.

Chapter Twenty

Corbin raised the axe and brought it down full force, the blade slicing into the dense wood of the chopping block. He pulled the blade free and raised the axe high, bringing it down again. Curses flew from his mouth, his mind on fire as he hit the block again and again. Tears mixed with his rage as he used every last bit of strength he possessed to obliterate the block. It was so utterly unfair! Not only was Gram robbed of her mind, but now she was dying. And Pops and Addie hadn’t told him. What would’ve happened if he hadn’t come home? Would they have waited until Gram passed to tell him she had cancer?

When his anger was spent, he dropped the axe blade to the ground, keeping hold of the handle. His shoulders slumped, his breaths came in short bursts, sending puffs of steam into the air. After they left the care center, Delaney had tried to offer comfort, but he barely heard a word as he sped back to the cabin where he’d jumped out and grabbed the axe.

He glanced at the cabin and realized with a start that Delaney was pressed against the window, watching him. The stricken expression on her face said it all. His blood ran cold as the knowledge pricked him like a thousand needles all at once. Delaney was afraid of his anger … afraid of him. Whenshe realized he’d seen her, she stepped back, the lace curtain falling over her face. Shame covered him, giving way to a numb coldness that touched every speck of his body. He’d lost himself in the scorching river of anger that raged through him, giving no thought to how this might look to Delaney who was ultra-sensitive about violence, considering her background.

He breathed out a heavy sigh as he put the axe away and trudged up the steps. When he opened the door, his eye caught on Delaney sitting on the couch, her hands clasped tightly, a pinched expression on her tear-stained face.

He ran both hands through his hair, feeling like an idiot. He removed his coat and put it on the rack before going to her side. He sat down beside her. “I’m sorry,” he began, touching her arm.

She whirled around to face him. “Don’t!” Tears pooled in her eyes, her lower lip quivering. “I thought you were different.”

The accusation mixed with hurt in her eyes made him want to crawl under the couch. “I am different.” The fact that she kept comparing him to Tuck Allen was insulting. How could she think he was like that monster?

A hard laugh gurgled in her throat. “Clearly.”

“Look, I was upset. The news about Gram threw me for a loop.”

“I can understand you being upset … angry.” She shuddered. “But what I can’t tolerate is violence.”

His voice rose, the anger resurfacing. “Because I pounded a chopping block?” His eyes narrowed. “Everyone gets upset, Delaney.”

She hugged her arms. “But not everyone goes berserk.” Her dark eyes filled with fear. “I can’t go through that again.”

His jaw tightened. “Through what? I’m not a robot. I have feelings.” His voice broke. “I just found out that my grandmother’s dying. Cut me a little slack here.”

She bit her lower lip to stay the trembling. For a second, they sat looking at each other until she finally spoke. “I’m sorry about your grandmother. I truly am. But I can’t be with someone who’s so … angry.”

He rattled off a hard laugh. Yeah, he was angry, so furious that it was roasting him from the inside out. “Just because I’m angry doesn’t mean that I’d ever hurt you.”

Tears slipped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she croaked. “But this isn’t gonna work.”

Corbin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. She was giving up on him so soon? Before they even had a chance to get started, just because he’d gotten mad and pulverized a chopping block? “I love you,” he said quietly. “Does that mean anything to you?”

The door opened. Pops’ eyes rounded as he looked at the two of them. “Is everything all right?”

Delaney hiccuped with emotion, her hand going over her mouth. “Excuse me.” She got up and fled the room.

A look of concern washed over Pops. “What was that all about?”

Corbin gave him a hard look. “Why didn’t you tell me about Gram? The brain cancer?”

Pops blinked a couple times, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I tried yesterday.”

“What?” Corbin flung back.

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