Page 30 of Playing For Keeps
I get to the foyer and spin toward her. “What am I supposed to do? She’s out there alone because we kept her in the dark. Despite Hunter’s deranged mother and Aiden’s sick fucking father, this lands on me. If I had told her Hunter and Aiden were planning something, she wouldn’t have left my place.”
“Jami, you can’t do this now. She needs you to keep your head on straight.” Melanie inches away from me. “You cantake on as much guilt as you want after we find her. But if you walk out that door, our chances go down.”
“How do you figure?”
“If one of us gets contacted by her, we need to let the FBI know so they can find her. If we’re all going in different directions, then our efforts aren’t as effective.”
I huff heavy breaths as I take in her words. “I’m going crazy in here, Mel. This entire situation is so twisted, and I’m so far out of control, I can barely see straight.”
“I get it, big guy. I really do, but I need you to stay with me. Please, for me. Don’t leave. I’m about to crumble, and I need you.” Her big brown eyes burn into mine.
Melanie’s never shown me any weakness, so her admitting she needs me strikes me hard.
“Jesus Christ. Here I am, acting like this only affects me.” I avert my eyes and shake my head. “I’ll stay, but I don’t know what good it will do.”
“Thank you.” She softens. “I’m glad it was you who hit Aiden because I was about to do it myself. I don’t think the impact would’ve been as strong.”
“Mel, I could kill him for this.” My blood boils just thinking about it. “Dori will never forgive him for working with her father.”
“Should she?”
“Not if I have my way.”
“Jami, she’s going to be upset with all of you.” Melanie glances over her shoulder and then gazes back at me. “The three men Dori loves betrayed her trust in the worst way possible. It’s going to devastate her.”
My ribs cave in. “I can’t believe how much I’ve let her down. It’s like I’m doomed when it comes to her. Every time we get close to being happy together, I inevitably fuck it up. Every single time, Mel. What the fuck is wrong with me?”
“You haven’t let her in all the way.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means if you want to be happy with each other, you can’t hide things from her. She’s your partner, yet you purposely left her clueless. How could you do that to her after everything you’ve been through?” Melanie pushes my shoulder. “I could kill you for this.”
I'd think she was serious if she weren’t smirking at me. Who am I kidding? She is serious, but this is Mel’s way of dealing with her fear.
There’s nothing I can do. Hopelessness gets loose in my bloodstream and overtakes my strength.
I shrink into Melanie's arms. “Let’s just pray we get her back so she can lay into me.”
“Well, I’ve been sending her telepathic messages about what you did, so I’m sure she’s fuming by now. She must be well on her way back to you just so she can let you have it.”
Mel gives me a minute to be vulnerable as my heart aches for Dori. How could I not see how much danger she was in by keeping her in the dark? I could kick my own ass for doing this to her.
Hunter rounds the corner and peeks at us.
I step out of Mel’s embrace. “I just needed a second.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just checking on you two to make sure you were still here.” He motions to the bar. “Can I offer anyone a drink?”
I shake my head as Mel takes my hand and leads me away from the door. “We haven’t eaten. Would you mind if we order takeout while we wait? I know Jami’s weightlifting diet, and he’s got to be withering away.”
Hunter veers off to the kitchen. “Let’s see what I have in here. I know I have something we can munch on.”
We gather around the center island, and I glance into the formal dining room. Aiden’s sitting in the same spot with his head buried in his hands. His back bounces as if he’s crying in silence.
As pissed as I am, I hate seeing him hurting. There’s noway he could’ve seen this coming. And there’s no way he would’ve put Dori in harm's way.
I take a minute to go back through our childhood. There’s nothing I can pinpoint that even made me suspicious about Aiden being abused.
