Page 114 of By His Vow
“Calmed down?”
“Fucking hell, man. How have you managed to get so much action when you can’t even talk to a woman?” Kian teases.
“I’m going to hurt you,” Kingston warns.
“Oh, I’d like to see you try.”
“Go back to work, Tate,” Miles says, attempting to usher me out of his office.
Anger vibrates through me as I keep my eyes locked on Kingston’s.
“What? I was doing something nice for you. It’s not like you even deserve it.”
“The only person who is in the wrong here is you,” I spit.
“I’ll see you at home later, baby. I’ll see what I can do about expelling some of that pent-up anger you’re harboring.”
“You’ll be so lucky,” I shout as Miles finally gets me out of the room.
“Seriously, Tate,” he hisses. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I’m not doing anything,” I fume. “If you want to accuse anyone of anything then you need to be looking at your best friend. He’s an asshole, Miles.”
“I’m fully aware of Kingston’s qualities.”
“Qualities.” I scoff.
“Listen,” he starts, holding my shoulders as if I’m a little kid again, “I don’t fucking like this either. The thought of the two of you…” He shudders. “But the alternative would mean I have to see you lose everything.” His eyes search mine, and I see pain and regret swirling around within his depths.
“You decide not to do this, I’ll back you all the way, but there is only so much I can do. All this bullshit is tied up with Dad’s will.”
“I know,” I mutter, my anger starting to ebb away.
“We’ve just got to make the best of it for now. It’s not forever.”
“Feels like it,” I muse.
“Just think of the outcome. That’ll be worth it, right?”
As he continues to study me, I can’t help but wonder if he’s silently begging me to say no and turn my back on all of it.
I can’t, though. Even if Aunt Lena’s cottage wasn’t at the end of this, I’m not the kind of woman who will back down from a challenge.
If I were, I certainly wouldn’t be standing here right now.
“Yeah.” I sigh, the rest of the anger seeping from my body, allowing exhaustion to take its place.
I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was too angry, too confused. Too…I don’t even know. Overwhelmed, maybe.And I missed my Griz.
“You should go home, Tate. You look like you could use a few hours to yourself.”
“I’ve got all of tomorrow, thanks to that jerk.”
“Well, maybe he was on to something. The last ten days have been stressful for all of us. There’s nothing wrong with admitting that and taking some time.”
I swallow, trying to force down the lump of emotion that’s crawled up my throat.
“Go home, Tate. Relax. We’ve got a big night tomorrow, and plus, you deserve it. Something tells me that the crazy has only just started.”