Page 102 of A Better Place

So ridiculous.

So furious.

When will I ever overcome my past?

“Hey,” he says, his voice so full of kindness as he pulls me into him and wraps his strong arms around me, the most patient man on the planet. Letting me get through my freak-out, he holds me as I quietly cry on his shoulder, my arms encircling his waist. He kisses the top of my head as the tears start to slow and my breaths even out.

“Wanna talk about what just happened?”

“Not really,” I joke.

His bright blue eyes look between my own chocolate ones, softening when he sees the tears continue to develop. “That’s fine. I’m not going to push.”

“I know. That’s part of what makes you so frickin’ amazing. It’s irritating.” I laugh lightly.

“Ha! Well, my apologies.” He smiles at me, and I feel like such an ass. He really is amazing.

“It’s the past,” I say as I gesture a hand around. To what, I’m not sure. I can tell he had an idea what happened before I moved to Liberty, but I haven’t given him any details. I’m not sure if I ever will, but part of me feels like I should. The other part of me says to hold onto it and not let anyone in. Entrance is power. And I won’t allow myself to lose that power again.

“Got that, baby. You need to know this. I may be a patient man, and that’s not gonna change. You give it to me when you give it to me. I’m not going to push. But you are gonna give it to me. Because this…” He gestures between the two of us, very surely. “…is gonna happen. You know it. I know it. I’m not going anywhere, so you take your time with that, but you gotta give me something. This is moving forward, and I’m pretty damn happy about that, but you need to give me a little blip of whatever is going on in your head so I don’t overstep.”

I look away just briefly then back at him, into his striking blue eyes. My eyes move over his features. His short hair, the small scar on his cheek that only adds to his hotness, down his tattooed arm to where his hands are gripping mine with understanding. He squeezes lightly, and my eyes make their way back up to his. I look deeply for anything that may tell me my instincts are wrong. But all I find is sincerity and something that looks a little like love.

He gives me a small smile, and my heart flips.

“James, I need to tell you something.”

“I’m all ears, beautiful.”

I swallow several times, trying to piece together in my mind what I’m going to say to him.

He moves us to the living room so we’re sitting on the couch. He pulls me down so I’m close to him then lifts my legs so they’re draped over his. He rests his large hands on my thighs and squeezes lightly. “Carly, baby. I’m here alright? I’m not going anywhere. No matter what you tell me. You have to know I have a little bit of a clue about Vince, right?”

His eyes go soft, and I almost weep at the sight.

“Bear with me, okay? Just listen?”

“Of course.” He lifts his hand and cups my cheek then brings my face down to his for a kiss.

“You want Jack home for this?”

Damn him. He’s too perfect.

“No. I’ll be fine.”

“You sure? I can text him, tell him to come home.”

“My husband,” I start, letting him know that I don’t want to wait for Jack to come home to tell him.

His jaw goes hard, and he nods once.

His shoulders deflate, his eyes close tightly, and he blows out a breath. He squeezes the back of my neck lightly. “Before you continue, I need to tell you something. Something I know I needed to tell you when it happened yesterday, but dammit, I didn’t want to ruin another one of our nights. It seems like he keeps getting into every damn date we have, and I just wanted us to have something without him. The guy I fought at Tate’s? I can’t be sure, but I have a feeling it was him. I saw a car parked outside your house on Christmas Day, but I hadn’t heard any of this from Will yet, so I didn’t think much of it and I didn’t get a good look at the guy inside. When I fought at the gym, I truly had no idea who he was, though I had my suspicions. I could tell he was pissed about something, but didn’t connect that it could possibly be him, you know? But, when I was leaving the gym, I saw the same car driving away… and the guy I fought was driving it.”

“Wait. He was here? At my house?” I shriek.

“I think so.”

“And at the gym? James! That means he’s following me. He’s following us! What about Jack?! Why would you hide this from me? I can’t handle lies, James! Don’t lie to me. I need to know the truth. What’s happening?”

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