Page 24 of Exile and Embrace

“There’s nothing else.” Zoe’s tone is sharp. “I support your need to know, but I don’t want to talk about our father anymore. I know that you need to know the truth, but I want to forget all of that and move on with my life. Please respect that.”

I clear my throat, trying to swallow the lump that threatens to choke me. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go, Zoe. Love you.”

I hang up before she can respond.

As I slip the phone into my back pocket, my eyes burn. My nails dig into my palms as I look up and try to keep the tears from falling.

The balcony door slides open and soft footsteps make their way to me.

For such a large man, Finn is quiet when he moves. Although, I suppose if killing people for a living was my job, I would want to be as silent as possible too.

What the hell am I doing here? This is a mistake. I never should’ve agreed to come out here and do this with him.

Finn says nothing as he sits on one of the chairs and stretches his long legs out in front of him. He runs his fingers through the damp strands of his hair. Those green eyes flicker over to me before darting away.

I glance down at the rose tattoo on the back of his hand. “Did that hurt?”

He lifts up his hand and flexes his fingers. “Not too much. It could have been worse. I hear the head is pretty bad.”

“Right. I only have the two on the back of my arms, just above my elbows. Didn’t hurt that much. Not a walk in the park either.”

Finn swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I know. I saw them the other night.”

Warmth spreads through my body.

This is the closest we’ve come to discussing what happened.

I keep my mouth shut, hoping that he will say more.

Maybe he’ll want to pretend that we’re back at the other motel, sipping whiskey and making bad decisions.

Instead, Finn does what he does best and changes the subject.

“Why are you out here looking like you’re on the verge of tears?” He shifts in the seat, his legs spread. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, though. I have food waiting inside.”

“You infuriate me.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. “Yeah. I suppose I do.”

“I don’t think I can eat right now.”

His fingers tap against the dark wicker of his chair. “Then tell me why you’re about to cry.”

“It’s nothing, really. I just had a hard phone call with my sister.” My voice breaks a little as I stare at the streaks of orange lighting up the sky. “She’s hiding something from me about our dad. I know she is, but I can’t even begin to guess at what it could be.”

“I don’t want to sound like an ass, but have you considered that it’s her business and not yours?”

His low rumbling tone is too close to the one I heard last night. My core clenches just thinking about him whispering words to me again as we get lost in each other.

Nothing but trouble, Ava. Keep it together. He’ll only hurt you in the end.

“I don’t see how.” I cross one leg over the other, my foot bouncing. “He was my dad too. He wasn’t perfect, but he was better than my mother. She’s the real reason why I went to school in Virginia. I just needed to get away from that life.”

“And then you met Declan.” His tone is bitter. Finn’s hands curl into fists as the muscle in his jaw twitches. “I’m sorry about that.”

I bark out a sharp laugh. “Yeah. Me too. I had to pick between the lesser of two evils. It’s why I went back home to Tennessee. I was barely moved back before you went into prison.”

“The lesser of two evils?”

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