Page 76 of The Revenge Plan

I went over to Hailey. “Do you still want to do anything more here?” I whispered the question to her. She shook her head slowly.” I think we better leave.”

We marched out past Bryce, who still looked shocked. She took a deep breath once we were outside the house. I led her to the car, and we went back home in silence. When the elevator doors opened, she got out of the reverie she had been stuck in.

“Thank you,” she said when we both entered her apartment. This whole staying apart thing should be remedied soon. Today, even. “You can go now.”

“Hailey. About what happened at your Dad’s house.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Isn’t there? What about what really happened to my brother? One would think that’s something important to talk about.”

“You can believe whatever you want, but I was drugged before I got into that car. It doesn’t absolve me of course. I shouldn’t have driven. I should have been more careful. Liam was drunk as well. That’s why I thought it was better if I drove. I don’t know what I was thinking and—”

“Hailey.” I stepped forward. She stepped back. I stopped. “It’s not your fault, Hailey.”

“It is.”

“No. The amount that was in your system was so large it’s amazing you even got away at all.”

“How do you know about that?”

Fuck. I might have given out too much information. I could lie, but where would that get us. So many lies were between us. It was past time to be truthful. “My investigator uncovered it.”

“Ah, so now you believe me because someone else told you so?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Really? Then how is it like, exactly?”

I had no response for her. How could I explain to her I had so much hate in me for her for years, almost nothing would make me believe her? And then I saw the tape. It only confirmed my suspicions.

“Can you please get out? I want to be alone.”

“Hailey.”

“Caiden please.”

I respected her wishes.

48

As soon as I got to my apartment, I sent her a text.

I’m sorry.

She didn’t respond. I had to give her time. She had gone through a lot. But I also wanted to comfort her. She was hurting. She had no one, and I didn’t want her to be alone.

I checked my messages and got to work to distract myself. Ax asked me what had happened at the funeral, I told him everything, at least the part that concerned him. I dove into more work and by evening, she still hadn’t responded. I should go to her. The thought was irrational. I knew that she probably wanted to be left alone, but I couldn’t let it go.

What if she disappears again? That thought made me lurch from my seat and within a few minutes I was banging on her door.

“What do you want?” her eyes were puffy and her voice was groggy in an almost sexy way. Calm down, you ragged dog.

“Checking up on you.”

“I’m here. What?” her lips were pouty and pillowy. I clamped down the need to kiss her and tried to think of a reason I would be back at her door. None came to mind that made sense, so I said the first thing that popped into my head.

“I thought maybe I could cook you dinner.”

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