Page 8 of You for Her (The Edge of Retaliation 2)
Celia,
Tanner came by today. I thought for a second he was there for me, and I freaked out. I know you said you’d never tell anyone, but I thought maybe you hated me enough to change your mind. I’m worried. I wish you’d talk to me, so I can help you through this. You can’t do this alone. Things are bad right now, Celia. I’m not doing so well. I might not be around, soon. I wish you would let me in.
I’m scared, Celia.
Please talk to me.
Chase x
Why would he be afraid of Tanner’s wrath?
Why would Tanner be visiting him? That makes little to no sense. I’m sure Tanner wasn’t friends with Celia’s boyfriend.
I click on Chase’s email address and read his full name. Chase Redford.
Redford.
Where have I seen that name before?
I rack my brain, but I can’t figure out where I’ve seen or heard that. I know I have, though. I know that name, I just don’t know from where. Is Chase somehow closer to Celia’s family than I first thought? Do they all know each other? I don’t understand, the questions are killing me, but at least now I have something to work with.
I know something for sure.
I have to find Chase.
He is the only one with the answers I seek.
The only one.
I RAISE MY HAND, IT trembles. I shake my head and lower it, taking a deep and steady breath, and then I raise it again. I’m nervous, I don’t know what’s going to happen when I come face to face with him. With the man that has lied to me from day one, not only that, but he’s been playing me like a masterpiece in his revenge game. I’ve thought so many times about how he must have something wrong with him to have been able to pull it off the way he did.
Maybe he’s a sociopath?
It’s questionable. Especially considering he did it all so easily, so effortlessly.
My chest clenches, and I fight down the anger. It’s becoming stronger than the hurt in the last few days. It’s become so powerful I want to stab them all with a damned knife until they plead for mercy. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, but the fire brewing inside me is deadly, and it’s going to explode sometime soon.
I don’t know how facing Tanner is going to feel.
I don’t know if I can keep my anger in check.
I don’t know anything.
All I know is I have to go in there. I have to figure this out. I have to get my answers.
I bang on the door.
It takes a moment but, eventually, it opens, and Tatum appears. He looks down at me, and for the first time, I see something different in his eyes. Of course it has been there all along, I just didn’t notice it before. This time, it’s there, loud and clear. So damned obvious I feel like a fool for not having noticed it before.
It’s the look of secrets and lies. It’s a look that says he knows me. He knows what I’ve done. He knows who I am. He knows what’s happening to me. He knows everything.
There’s something else there, too.
I’d almost say guilt, but it flashes past so quickly it’s hard to pick out.
What would Tatum have to be guilty about?
“Callie, how are you?” he asks, putting on a smile that I know now is so damned fake.
I want to wipe it off his face. Instead, I force a smile of my own, and say, “I’m well, Tatum, and you?”
He nods. “Good good. How’s Jo?”
Jo.
He won’t be getting anywhere near my Jo.
“She’s good.”
He pushes the door open and says, “Tanner is in his room. Go in, he’s expecting you.”
I smile and walk into the house, I can hear chatter and laughter coming from out back and I’m guessing all the other guys are here, too. Do they all know about Celia? About me? Or is it just Tatum and Tanner? Am I being made to look like a fool in front of all of them?
My anger bubbles again, but I shove it down as I walk to Tanner’s room.
I can’t let him see it.
I have too much to find out first.
When I reach his room, I push open the door and find him on the ground doing push ups. He’s shirtless and his hard body ripples as he lifts himself up and down with ease. He’s covered in a fine layer of sweat and he looks like a god. That makes me hate him even more because my damned body hasn’t caught up on the fact that we don’t like him yet.
Damn you, body.
He’s horrible.
Turn yourself off. Immediately.
I stare for a few moments before clearing my throat to let him know I’m here. He turns, and his eyes lock onto mine. My heart does a funny little flip, and I hate it, I hate that I still feel that when I look at him.
