Page 55 of Newton

"That look," Kincaid says. "It worries me."

I don't say a word.

"It tells me that you'd do anything for her, and that can be a very dangerous place to be."

"I—"

"Before you argue or try to explain yourself, please know that I feel the same way about Em."

I shake my head. That can't possibly be true. He loves Emmalyn. They've built a life together for the last almost thirty years. They have kids and grandkids.Brielle just needs a safe place to land until her abuser is removed from the equation.

"I just want you to be safe, and to try and think before acting. Have a good day, Beck."

"That's all?"

"Did you expect more?"

"I thought you were going to grill me for information."

"Would you tell me anything if I asked?"

My jaw flexes, anger beginning to swell inside of me for being put on the spot.

"No," I answer.

A slow smile spreads across his face.

"She's lucky to have you then."

Chapter 26

Brielle

He left me in the room alone, but when he did, he made a promise I knew to be true before he left. He was happy and I could see the anticipation filling his eyes before he walked out.

When he returns he seems a little out of sorts.

I don't ask him what's wrong because I don't want to force the man to lie to me.

If he wanted me to know what his meeting was about he either would’ve told me when he got back or he would've invited me to go along with him.

We're sitting on the bed, the furniture rearranged so we can press our backs to the headboard and watch TV.

He pressed his lips to mine once in a very quick, too quick if you ask me, kiss before plopping down on the bed and grabbing the TV remote.

He hasn't said much, and he's been back for over an hour.

As the minutes tick by, my anger grows. I've said so many things, and even though he made his own confessions last night, they don't even begin to compare to what I've opened up to him about.

I thought he trusted me enough to talk to me about things that were bothering him, but apparently, that was a miscalculation on my part.

"If you regret what happened last night, then maybe just be a man about it and say so rather than being a douche and ignoring me."

I clamp my mouth closed, wondering if I've said enough to make him pull off the mask he's been wearing for the last month. I've questioned his sincerity more than once since coming here. No one is as calm and patient as he's been pretending to be.

Instead of getting up and leaving or yelling at me, he simply lifts the remote and turns the TV off.

I fully expect a sinister look in his eyes when he turns a little on the bed so I can see his full face. All I've ever known are monsters, and they don't hide who they are for very long. It only took Nathan six months to become my worst nightmare.

---