Page 67 of Savior Complex

Am I aware of how many corporate laws I’m breaking if she decides to press charges?

They don’t understand, of course. How could they? But I should have seen this whole intervention coming, starting from the moment Jake saw us kissing that night in the bar.

Did I really think we’d get away with it? Or that they guys wouldn’t say anything about it?

Of course they would. We’re family, it’s what we do. But in this moment, I want to kick the living shit out of all of them, starting with Jake for alerting the masses. Especially since he knows that things with Jordy aren’t exactly that great.

I keep my eyes on the back of Nina’s head. She has her headphones on and she’s looking out the window, and I can practically feel the chill from her icy demeanor all the way back here.

I hope Levi is getting frost bite.

I pull my phone out, giving a side glance to the guys just to see if they’re watching. It’s stupid, really. It’s not like they own me. They even said they’re not telling Jordy, and what I do in my time is my own business, as long as it doesn’t affect the ranch. But I’m pretty sure fucking my employee is not on their approval list. Neither is texting her, but I’m going to do that anyways.

Brayden: Are you okay?

I wait a few beats, and finally see the read receipt show under my text. But that’s all. I could tell she was looking at her phone, but now her head is turned back to the window.

So what do I do but try again.

Brayden: I’m sorry about Levi. They got to me back here too. Apparently we weren’t as secretive as we thought.

This time, my message stays unread.

Correction. My text turns from blue to green, meaning she’s turned her phone to airplane mode, no doubt to avoid me.

But she’s got to read them sometime, right? So I text her one last time.

Brayden: The only regret I have about this weekend is that it had to end. The more I think about it, the more I don’t want it to end. You and me, we just make sense. Things are easy with you. Waking up to you every morning was like coming home after a long day. I would just open my eyes, and there you were in all your radiant beauty. This morning, I woke up extra early just so I could watch you sleep, and it made me realize how utterly, devastatingly, wonderfully in love with you I am. I’ve been a fool to think otherwise, or that I could even go back to my old life after being with you all weekend. The truth of the matter is that I want all of you always and forever, and nothing less. I’m ready to make those sacrifices. Damn the consequences, because the only thing I’m scared of is what will happen if I let you go. Nina, I’m not letting you go. Let’s make this work.

I take a moment to read through the text one more time before I send it, my heart pounding the whole time. Once I press the button, there’s no turning back. I’m ready, I know I am. So why am I so scared to just pull the trigger?

Fuck it. Let’s do this.

I lift my finger, but then the screen changes and there’s Jordy’s face, beaming back at me. And damn it all to hell, my finger hits the button and answers the fucking call.

I say nothing for a beat, paralyzed in this moment where I’m literally holding two paths in my hand.

“Brayden? Are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here. Hey.” My heart is pounding, the words I need to say stuck somewhere in my throat. It’s over.

“Oh, good. I thought I caught you in a tunnel or something. How was the conference? I bet you’re exhausted!”

“It was good. Yeah, I’m pretty tired.”

More silence as I drum up the courage to say what I need to say. But is this a phone conversation? Or do I wait for an in-person conversation? What’s the proper way to break the heart of the woman who gave birth to our dead daughter?

“Well, obviously you’re already napping on this conversation,” she laughs. “So I’ll just talk, you listen, okay?”

“Sorry, baby, it’s just that—”

“I got us a venue!” she squeals, and I pull the phone away from my ringing eardrum.

“A what?” I say.

“A venue. And a date. I’m sorry I didn’t confirm with you. But I told you I wouldn’t bother you during the conference, and there were decisions that had to be made, and I figured you would probably go with what I wanted anyways, so I just went for it.”

“What are you talking about?” My head feels like a jumbled mess, made up of Nina, breaking up, long texts, our weekend. The wedding.