Page 187 of Dirty Rival
Reid ignores Savage and focuses on Royce. “What if I hit him with the offshore accounts and then we get on a plane and leave town? That gives him space to act out without us as a target.”
“No,” I say. “Because a) it’s Christmas, b) we have the kitty now, and c) he could hurt someone else because we’re not around.”
“Staying close to family while a crazy man wants to hurt us only brings the crazy man to our family,” Reid argues. “And we’ll take Kesha with us.”
“Give me a day to dig,” Royce says. “We’ll have men with you at all times.”
“A day,” Reid agrees, and we take a few minutes to work out the security detail.
Royce and Savage head to the door and Reid and I see them off, but the minute we’re shut inside, Reid grabs me, and I’m quickly placed between his big body and the door. “What did Elijah really say to you?”
“That you knew you were sleeping with his wife and you did it in their bed.”
His jaw sets hard and he surprises me—no, shocks me—by pushing off the door and walking away. I think of my earlier words: something doesn’t add up. I think I was right. What don’t I know?
Chapter ninety-four
Carrie
My questions about what doesn’t add up are not questions I intend to keep to myself. Reid exits to the balcony with no coat on, which tells me he’s shaken. He wants an escape or to punish himself and I’m not sure if that’s the guilt over sleeping with Elijah’s wife, which I know he owns, or something more. He shuts the door, effectively using it as the division between him and me, and I don’t like it. Whatever the situation, we’re talking it out. I rush after him with the kitty at my feet and open the door. Cold air rushes in and Kesha meows, running the other direction. I suck in a breath and push forward into the bitter winter eve. Once outside, I shut the door to keep the house warm and flip on the fireplace in the corner.
The minute it fires up, Reid turns to face me as if he didn’t hear me exit, but he knows I’m here now. Reid isn’t one to tune out anything to that degree, let alone me. “Crazy woman,” he says as I rush toward him. “It’s freezing out here.” He grabs me as I stop in front of him and pulls me to him. “Go inside.”
“You’re here. I’m here. That’s how this works now. Talk to me, Reid.”
“Inside. I’m damn sure not taking care of you by keeping you out here.” He wraps his arm around me and walks me toward the door and pretty much physically moves me from the patio to the living room. The minute I’m inside, I rotate to face him. “What don’t I know?”
He snags my waist and pulls me to him. “Did you believe him? Do you think that I knowingly slept with his wife and did so in his bed?”
“No,” I say. “That would mean you lied to me and I don’t believe you lied to me.”
“Are you sure about that?” he challenges, his voice sharp with barely contained anger, and it’s not at Elijah. It’s at me. “Because you just asked me what don’t you know, Carrie, and that doesn’t spell trust to me.”
I receive those words like the blow they are. “You’re right,” I say quickly. “I did ask that. I did think there was something you hadn’t told me, but I didn’t think for a minute that it was what you think it was. I just—that was the wrong place for my head to go.” I flatten my hand on his chest. “I’m sorry. I should have asked you what’s in your head right now because you’re shaken, Reid, and you’re never shaken.”
“You are the one person in this world that knows that’s not true. I just don’t show it, except with you. If that’s a problem for you, Carrie—”
“No. God no, Reid. I’ve really screwed this up tonight. You’re right. I do know how much you worry and fret and try to control everything. And right now, you don’t feel in control.”
His eyes sharpen. “If you know this, if you know me, why did you ask me that question?”
“It was the wrong question,” I repeat, “but I know you. You want to go throttle Elijah, but you know it’s not the right move, and not just because safety is an issue. You feel guilty. It eats you up inside to know you slept with his wife, and yet, you’re going to have to go after the man you hurt.”
“And yet, you asked me what you didn’t know.”
“Reid, I—”
“Yes,” he says. “I am going to have to go after him, but you’re wrong. I don’t feel guilt. Not anymore. Not after he came at you tonight. Now it’s war and I’ll win.” He releases me and runs a hand through his hair, turning away from me.
“You were a victim in all of this,” I remind him. “I know that and he’s forced your hand.”
He whirls around on me. “I fucked her. That doesn’t make me a damn victim. It makes me a fool. And for the record, it was at a hotel where an event was taking place.”
“I didn’t need to hear that,” I say. “I didn’t doubt you.”
“You did. We both know you did.”
“That is not what happened. Damn it, Reid. That’s not what happened. I knew you had more going on in your head than met the eye. That’s all.”