Page 31 of Coff

“Before you got here, my dad said he’d buy us a place here in California, and you could work for him once you are out of the service. It would solve all our problems,” I say.

He stands up. “I can’t stay here. I’m sorry.”

Tears are streaming down my cheeks. He won’t even consider the offer. The fact that my dad is welcoming him to our family is a first. Doesn’t he understand that? “Why is it so important you get me to leave with you tonight?”

He stares at the floor and shakes his head. “I can’t be here around your dad or his business. Even if my brother wasn’t part of the FBI, I can’t be around this and condone this.”

“Condone this?” I open my arms and spin around. “There’s nothing here.” I drop my arms. “You can’t come in here out of the blue and tell me you think my dad is some major criminal and I must leave with you tonight. I told you I could leave in June. Maybe.”

He walks to me. His hands go to my shoulders. “Maybe? You’re not going to leave this place, are you?”

I close my eyes. “I was considering it until my dad made his offer.”

“The offer that keeps you here.”

“Yes.”

He sighs several times, but I still don’t dare look at him. This hurts too much.

“You’re right. I can’t ask you to abandon your family.” He sniffles. “Shit, I didn’t see this coming.”

I open my eyes and see a tear fall down his cheek. “Don’t,” I plead.

His eyes meet mine.

“Don’t say it.”

He gives me a weak smile. “I have to.”

I shake my head.

“Delaney, I love you. I’m afraid it’s not enough.”

My stomach drops. “What?” I pull away. “No. What we have is rare. You are my one true love. I know it. I feel it. And my true love wouldn’t leave me because I won’t abandon my family. There’s got to be another way.”

“Delaney,” his voice breaks, “I’m a military man. I live by rules and honor. I cannot turn a blind eye to criminal activity. It isn’t in my nature.”

“But my dad is not a criminal! Are you going to turn in my dad for whatever you think he’s done?”

He shakes his head. “No. It means I can’t live here and be a part of this life.”

This can’t be real. “You’re saying I have to leave everything and everyone I know to be with you? Otherwise, we’re over?”

He wipes the tears from under my eyes. “It’s too much to ask. But it’s the only way I see a future for us.”

Logan isn’t the man I thought he was. He’s just as controlling as my dad, but in a different way. He knew my life was here, and when we talked about our future, it was here in California. Now he’s changing it all.

“Was this entire trip meant to be some kind of game? Did you want to see if you could get me to do whatever you wanted?” My hurt is replaced by anger. Have I been duped this entire time?

“No, not at all. I was on board with you moving to Virginia this summer until I overheard your father.”

He’s so adamant about this. But maybe I can prove to him that he’s wrong. “Let’s ask my dad about what you overheard. I’m sure he can explain it.” I grab my phone to call him.

Logan takes my phone from my hands. “If he knows I overheard him, he’ll likely have me killed.”

Wow, now my dad is a threat to him, too? “Then what? He’ll kill me next?”

“No.”

---