Page 38 of Then and Now (The Edge of Retaliation 3)
That was never going to happen.
I know this, so why does it feel like a knife being plunged into my heart every single time I look at him.
“We’re here because they’re here,” Tatum says, his voice clipped. He crosses his big arms over his chest, and looks over to me, his eyes meeting mine and making me turn away with how intense they are.
“They’re here?” I ask.
“You thought you got sent a finger in the fuckin’ mail?” Tanner mutters.
Ouch.
God dammit.
I don’t acknowledge him, instead I keep my eyes in Tatum’s direction. “I know someone put that finger here, I thought it was just one of his men he put on the job. I didn’t know it was him.”
“Well, it fuckin’ was him. He tracked you down, and we’re certain he has Chase here, too.”
“Why would he come here?” I question, confused.
“To throw us off. He thinks we sent you here to protect you, has no fuckin’ idea it was your choice to up and leave without an explanation. So he is coming to get you both, he’s goin’ to make us wish we were never born, remember? He’s goin’ to use everything he thinks we love to do that.”
Thinks we love.
Ouch.
Jo looks down at her hands, and I know those words hurt her, of course they do.
“So you came here to do what exactly?” I growl, frustrated with how they’re treating us.
I know what we did.
Believe me, I know, but I don’t need to be forever fucking reminded every time they open their mouths.
“To find him, and to end this. He’s goin’ to come after one of you, but mostly likely both of you. He’s got Chase. He’s plannin’ somethin’ and we’re here to stop it before it happens,” Tatum goes on, his voice still that same monotone.
“Okay,” I say, not wanting to ask any more questions, because the questions I do ask are met with hostility.
“He’s watching the both of you, no doubt. He’s got you scared, and he wants you to freak out. He’s goin’ to make a move soon, and we’re goin’ to be here when he does. We’ll split up and stay between the two of you.”
“I beg your pardon?” I say, my voice horrified.
“You think we’re goin’ to leave you here unprotected when that motherfucker is planning something? Doubtful,” Tatum says, his eyes daring me to challenge him.
“You’re not staying in my house,” I say, my voice almost frantic.
The idea of Tanner and his girlfriend staying in my house makes me sick to my stomach. The idea of her holding him in my spare room, of them making love.
Nope.
No.
Not happening.
“Oh, but we are,” Ethan says, his voice a low mutter.
“No,” I throw out there again. “No, you’re not.”
“Tatum and I are stayin’ with Jo, Tanner and Madeline are staying with you.”
Madeline, is that her name?
No.
Nope.
No way.
“No,” I say again. “No thanks.”
“It’s not up for negotiation,” Tanner says, and I avoid his gaze, not wanting to speak to him, let alone have him and his little … lady staying in my house.
“It’s my house!” I yell, throwing my hands up. “You can’t force yourselves into my fucking house.”
Tanner stands, abruptly, and starts storming toward me. I’m so shocked, my mouth drops open and I can’t move. Even when he walks right up close and leans down, “You fuckin’ left. You left without reason or cause. You left us with this fuckin’ mess. Now you’re goin’ to help us clean it up. If you want a fight, I’m ready for a fight, but we’re not doin’ it here.”
I exhale, my breath shaky, my eyes locked on his, every single part of my body on high alert. Him being this close has it remembering just how good it felt to be with him, to have him inside me, to have him around.
I’m not over it.
I’m not over him.
“Now,” he goes on, just loud enough so that I can hear. “We’re goin’ to get our things out of the truck. You can show Madeline where the spare room is. Make sure we’ve got clean sheets. Yeah?”
“I hate you,” I whisper, tears burning underneath my eyelids. “I fucking hate you, Tanner Yates.”
“Feeling’s mutual.”
He straightens and turns, looking to Madeline. “Goin’ to get our shit out of the car babe, Callie here is goin’ to show you where we’re sleepin’.”
With that, he disappears out of the front door.
My knees wobble as I look over to Jo, who looks as helpless as I do right now.
We’re fucked.
Royally fucked.
“THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING,” I whisper to Jo, as we make up the spare room for Tanner and Madeline. The very thought of him lying in this bed with her making my stomach tight with jealousy. “Why are they doing this to us?”
“You know why, honey,” she says, her voice pained too. “They’re getting back at us. They could have stayed in my apartment and we could have stayed over here together, but they’re not going to allow that. They want to torment us, to come into our space and make our lives hell.”
