Page 38 of Until Presley

“I don’t understand. I’ve always done what I’m asked. I’ve never gotten into trouble, but he acts like I’m a disappointment to him.”

“Baby, you aren’t a disappointment.”

“I was denied my doctoral advisor change because my father and Professor Blackman told the doctoral board not to approve it. They are demanding I come back to Miami.”

“We can do that, babe. It’s only a four-hour drive. I’m not worried about distance. Are you?”

She tips her head back and looks up at me. I twist her around so she’s facing me and we’re lying back on the lounger. Presley rests her chin on her hands on my chest. “I’m not afraid of the distance. I trust you. It’s just going to be hard to be without you all the time. I also hate that my father says I’m being overly dramatic about the serial killer.”

“On that, I will have a talk with him.”

I brush my hand through her hair. I really just want to take her upstairs and make love to her, but I know we have to leave soon. I hate that she’s going through this with her father. He won’t believe her about the serial killer because her stepsister is saying it’s a lie. Why he won’t look it up for himself is beyond me. I’m going to contact one of the Special Agents and have them get ahold of her father. They can confirm they are looking at her being the object of this psycho.

“Please don’t. I need to do this. I need to stand up to him.” I don’t tell her about my plan to contact the FBI.

“Okay, baby.” I’ll give her this chance, but one more time, and I’ll be interfering.

We sit here, just her cuddled on my chest, and I feel complete with her in my arms and in our space.

“Merry Christmas, Ham,” she coos as she slides up my body. Her lips connect with mine, and I kiss her deeply. My tongue dances with hers, and my body comes alive. Every time I kiss her, my skin tingles with awareness. She’s mine, and I know it to my core. This woman is my forever. I’ll do everything I can to keep her.

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

PRESLEY

My phone rings on the counter next to me, and I glance at it before ignoring the call. I’m in the lab, studying the stomach contents of a shark that was found dead. The necropsy revealed that he, along with a few others, was killed by several bullets to his body. Damn poachers! Coast Guard officials arrested the man and his crew responsible for the act before turning the shark bodies over to us. Now, I’m inspecting this one to determine what it possibly ate.

My phone rings again. I don’t bother looking at the screen; I know who it is. I don’t want to talk to them. Ham and I are doing so well, and I’m finding it hard not to tell him how I feel. He’s so attentive and makes me a priority. Only in the last few nights has he been busy at the dive school with the guys, doing extra lessons for clients.

When my phone rings for a third time, I decide to answer. I notice it’s not my dad but Thea this time.

“Hello.”

After our fight at Christmas, I’ve only texted my dad. I haven’t called him. I didn’t even call him for New Year’s because I didn’t want to talk to him after what he said about my mother.

“Hello, darling.” Thea’s voice comes across the line. “I know you don’t want to speak to your father, but he has something important to show you.”

“I don’t want to fight anymore, Thea. I’m an adult, and I make my own decisions. I care a lot about Ham. I can see a future with him.”

“Darling, we just don’t want to see you hurt. Please just look.”

My phone pings in my ear, and I pull it away. I see a picture of Ham with a brunette sitting on his lap, and the jealousy hits hard. My heart shatters, and the tears come instantly.

“I need to go.” I hang up and secure my data, along with the samples I was working on, before heading out to my car.

I lean my head against the steering wheel and cry until my shoulders shake. This can’t be happening to me again. A voice deep inside me says, “All men cheat.” But it can’t be true.

I pull up the picture and look at it again. I can’t tell where it was taken, but the woman has her arms wrapped around his neck, and he’s smiling up at her. He’s smiled at me like that so many times.

I wipe my face and make the decision I should have months ago. My studies are more important.

When I pull out of the parking lot, I only have one thought. I’d already closed out the lease on my house. So all my stuff is already packed. Ham is working late at the dive school again, so I won’t expect to see anyone at all.

I have my clothes packed and set a note on the counter for him to see when he comes in.

“Hey, sweet girl, what should we do this evening?” Flo asks from the sliding glass door. She takes one look at me and rushes over. “What’s the matter? What happened?”

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