Page 81 of Every Broken Piece
“Thank you for all you’ve done for me.” I rush the words out past a rapidly closing throat before he has a chance to say anything else.
He frowns. “You misunderstand, Spitfire. I’m bringing you with me.”
I jerk my chin from his hold. “What?”
“Did you think I’d leave you? I told you I wasn’t leaving you.”
“Yes. No.” I press my good fist into the couch cushion to push myself away from him. “I live here.”
He scoots forward and now I’m caged into the corner of my couch. I draw me knees up to my chest to draw away from him because if he touches me I really will shatter.
“I want you to come with me.”
“ToColorado?” My voice squeaks.
He grins. “To Colorado.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re still healing. And you need someone with you.”
“I can’t go to Colorado, Gabe. This is my home.” Is it really my home? Wasn't I planning on leaving anyway? Yes, but not with Gabe. I can't just crash into his life like that even if he crashed into mine.
He looks pointedly at the half-packed boxes in the dining area. “Seems to me you were planning on moving anyway.”
“Not to Colorado!” I can’t go to Colorado.
Why? Why can’t you go? There’s nothing keeping you here and maybe Sandra and her goons won’t follow.
No. I’m not involving Gabe or his family in any of that. He knows nothing about my mother and the shit she brings with her. I need to get as far away from him as I can before Sandra finds out my former boss is a successful businessman with loads of money.
He crosses his arms, a stubborn look coming over him. “Okay, then. I’ll stay here.”
I open my mouth but only a large huff of frustration escapes.
“I’m not going without you,” he says.
“But... You have to. You have a big meeting.”
“Fuck the meeting.”
“Gabe.” This is not the man I met when I first started working for him. Nothing interfered with his work. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do mean it.” He pries my hands from around my knees, being gentle with my injured wrist. “Nothing is more important to me than your wellbeing. I can’t be in Colorado while you’re in Ohio. It would drive me crazy.”
My heart. It doesn't know whether to break or soar. “You can leave Roger if it makes you feel better.”
He scowls. “I’m not leaving Roger to take care of you. I don’t want another man watching out for you. I want you to meet Jack and Pax. My place is big enough and it’s safe. It’s locked down so no one can get to you.”
“No one’s going to get to me here.”You’re such a liar.
“Stop!” He pushes off the couch, all angry motion as he spins around so his back is to me, then just as quickly spins back to face me. “Why won’t you admit that what happened to you wasn’t some random drunk guy? Why won’t you tell me what’s really going on?” His hands are balled into tight fists, but that’s not what scares me. What really frightens me is the hurt in his eyes. Hurt I caused because I can’t tell him the truth.
I want to tell him. I should tell him. But admitting my past, my messed up family, and the world they keep dragging me into isn’t something I’ve ever done before.
I look away and he sighs. “Will you ever trust me? Am I beating my head against a brick wall with you? What will it take, Tess? What do I need to do to earn your trust?”
The walls around my heart crack a little more. “It’s not you,” I whisper.
