Page 24 of Lies Beneath Secrets

“She has to know on some level that you’re there and still care though.” Her hands clench into fists, then she drops them to her sides, again rubbing over the top of her thighs. She has on jeans today and not them damn stretchy things she wears that cling to her ass like a second skin.

“Yeah,” she whispers. “Look, I really need to just be alone right now.” She tries to go inside her apartment once more, but I hold out my arm again.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” This nagging feeling in the back of my mind tells me not to let her out of my sight.

“I don’t think that’s really up to you,” she retorts without missing a beat.

“Maybe not.” I step a little closer to her, eating up the space between us. “Doesn’t mean I can’t try to stop you.”

“What?” The word comes out in a husky whisper. I’m damn near crossing a line with her, letting my true nature come through this single father next door act I’ve been putting on. It’s exhausting. If this situation were different, I would have had her in my bed weeks ago. Instead, I’m being forced to pussy foot around to find out what she knows. What if I just dropped the act and flat out asked her? Pushed my way into her apartment… Jesus, I’m losing my shit over her.

“I’m just meaning that having someone to talk to could help,” I tell her and force myself back a step and drop my arms from her door. Before she even makes a move, I know the door will be closing in my face. I pushed things too far and spooked her. Strong willed as she may be, she still is human. The blood that had drained from her face floods back, and she makes one swift move to be fully inside her apartment.

“I’m good,” she snaps before closing the door in my face.

Shit.

That went fucking well.

CHAPTERTWENTY

Lauren

Standing on the other side of my now-closed door, I do my best to catch my breath. What was that? The man I just talked to wasn’t Conner. That man was someone else. His authoritative tone sent tingles running up and down my spine. What made it even more exhilarating is how much I wanted to push back. The way he kept me from closing the door and stepped in closer to me? I had completely forgotten why I was so worked up in the first place and forgot about what I had intended to do as soon as I stepped into my apartment. Even now, all I can think of is his scent. Whatever he wears has to be expensive. It isn’t the typical sandalwood masculine smell. It has hints of floral and something fruity mixed with smoke. The combination gets me all turned around. My heart is still pounding over our interaction. “What the actual fuck was that?” I say aloud to myself and walk over to my kitchen to get a glass of water. Then my phone vibrates with a text.

Eli: Hey, you. I heard you have the day off. Would you like to have dinner?

“No, thank you, Eli,” I say to myself instead of texting him, then pocket my phone and walk over to my couch. The thought of being around anyone is unappealing, especially Eli.

Through the thin walls, I catch the sound of a door opening up, then slamming shut. Against my better judgement, I walk over to my spy hole in my door and peer out. Conner is by his apartment but is looking right at my door. On instinct, I quickly move so he can’t see me. “You idiot,” I hiss at myself, then go back to look through the small hole. He’s still there and for some reason, I want him to come to my door again. Why is beyond me.

He doesn’t though. Instead, he stares for a bit longer before walking away. I let out a breath and walk over to my window now, knowing full well I can watch him get into his truck and leave. Which in about three minutes, is exactly what he does.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Con

I can’t help but glance into the rearview mirror to watch her. Gabby has a smile on her face, and her bag is clutched in her little fingers. Fingers with nails painted bright pink from the last time Kendra watched her, which seems to be all the time lately. Tonight, though, she’s going to a friend’s house for a sleepover.

“Excited?” I ask my little girl and try not to make it sound as though I’m terrified. Her response is to look up at me and smile, then nod.

I feel comfortable letting her go to the Parsons’ home. I have my connections, they’re good people, and their daughter is the only other person besides Lauren who can get Gabby to speak more than two words in a row. “Good. If you want to come home at all, you remember what to do, right?” She reaches into her bag and pulls out the note I wrote for her, saying that she wants to go home and to call me. The Parsons know that Gabby doesn’t talk much and are already aware of the note. I had to have a plan of some kind in place if she wanted to bounce. “Good girl. You show them that note, and I’ll be there asap.” She smiles and tucks it back into the bag, and I’m hit with the thought of ‘what if she loses the note?’ “What if she forgets?” My stomach fills with dread the closer we get and when we hit the driveway to their place, I nearly turn around and tell Gabby we can do this another night, but the way her face lights up when she sees Jannie standing outside with her mom, I don’t have the heart to kill her plans.

“Hello,” Kristy, Jannie’s mom, greets us when I lift Gabby out of the truck and walk over to them. “Gabby, we’re so excited to have you here tonight.” Gabby gives a smile, then looks my way as if silently asking if she can go.

“Have fun, kid.” I drop down to one knee and hold out my arms. She makes the two steps and falls into my arms, and I damn near pick her up and put her back in the truck. The hug is too short and before long, she’s bouncing away with her friend.

“She’ll be just fine. I have lots of things I’m planning to do with them.”

“She has that note to give you if she wants to go home, and you have my number too?” Fuck, I’m losing my composure.

“I do. You enjoy your night off, Dad. I got it from here,” Kristy gives me a polite smile and walks into the house. I’m left there, caught between grabbing my kid and leaving or just manning up and getting into my truck. I choose the latter and drive away before I change my mind. Staying at Knox’s with Kendra seems so much different from her staying at a friend’s house for the night.

Going to the club is the only thing I can think of to get me through the night—drink myself into oblivion until I can’t think about it anymore. Halfway there though, I slow down and make a U-turn back into town. If she does end up calling me, I need to be sober to go back and pick her up. No way will I be sending anyone to get her for me, and I sure as hell won’t be hammered in front of my little girl. I don’t ever want her to have that memory of me. My girl has gotten a second chance at having a stable, secure parent, and I sure as hell won’t be fucking that up. I know I’m classified as an outlaw, but I won’t let that shit touch her if I can help it.

I’m standing at my apartment door, ready to put the key in the lock, when I hear Lauren talking. I glance over and notice her door open a crack. I’m about to brush it off until a man’s voice joins hers, then I’m forgoing my door and stalking over to hers. My mind is suddenly void of all thoughts except for finding out who the hell is in her apartment and why.

“You always do this,” the guy, who I instantly place as Eli, complains.

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