Page 11 of The Sacrifice
Hadley stirs in my arms, making her arms and legs curl tightly into a ball. Or what if she’s not his? It’s not like this lady sounds like the kind of woman who sticks with one guy.
Surely, she’s his. I trace the stork mark on her forehead. How many people have birthmarks in the exact same places? Unless she’s intentionally trying to get money out of him.
I swipe my finger over my tongue and brush over her forehead. Still there. Okay. That part is real. I glance at the stairs. What is taking him so long? Did he fall asleep?
Is he naked in the middle of his king-sized bed with a piece of white comforter draped over his lower body? My eyes close.Shit. Breathe. Girl, that’s a very specific vision.
“Okay, let me know when you get back to town.”
Crap. I didn’t tell her I wasn’t coming back to New York.I straighten my back and wait for the impending explosion. “I didn’t put back in for positions on the East Coast. There are too many bad memories there. I wasted too much of my life there.”
“And you’re just now telling me?” I jerk the phone away from my ear. Yeah, that went about as well as I expected.
“I’m only opening up for positions in the Midwest and on the West Coast.”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to Montana.”
“Not unless a good job opens up there.”
“You’re a trader. See. I told you taking this job was a bad move. You’re already deciding to leave me for good.”
“I’m not leaving you. I’m looking for less complicated opportunities.”
“Fine,” she huffs. “Whatever.”
“Don’t get mad. You knew this was a possibility. I told you when Warren skipped town with the Hooter’s girl that I was getting out of town.” Hadley stirs against me, and her eyes flutter open.
When her hand reaches out toward me, my heart swells, and tears fill my eyes.
Please, don’t do this. Don’t fall in love with her. This is only temporary.
I inhale, and all emotions get shoved into a tiny box, where I toss away the key. No emotions. I’ve got this.
“I thought you were butt hurt and talking out of your ass. I didn’t realize you were serious.”
“Well, I am serious. I’m not going back to New York.” I don’t even know if I can keep doing this. Maybe after this job, I’ll become a telemarketer and sell siding. Nobody cares about siding. I don’t care about siding. That’s a guarantee that I won’t get heartbroken.
Except, they probably get paid by a commission. I can’t sell anything. Maybe I can be the door greeter at a supermarket. I can say, ‘Have a good day. Here’s your cart.’
Chapter Seven
Jackson
Mia’s loud screeching carries up the staircase, and every nerve in my body goes on full alert. As I race down the stairs, my heart thunders in my chest. What if something happened to Hadley? Cold fear washes over me.
Where did the sound come from? I quiet my breathing to listen as my feet land on the wooden floor. The living room is empty. So is the dining room. The kitchen? The light from the kitchen washes onto the floor of the dining room. That wasn’t on when I went upstairs.
“Mia? Where are you? Is everything okay?”
“Shit,” she mutters and walks to the open threshold with Hadley in her arms.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m so sorry.” Her face is beet red as she eyes me sheepishly. “A spider landed on the sink, and it scared me.”
“Are you serious?” I stomp toward her. “A spider? Who screams like they’re being kidnapped over a spider?”
“Me.” She shudders forcefully. “I hate spiders. I realize it’s irrational and something a five-year-old would do, but it startled me. I don’t react as badly if I see it coming.”