Page 79 of Wicked and Ruthless

As the call ended, Haisley gripped her phone with a heavy heart.

God, how horrible for Charli… And how badly her friend’s teary heartbreak had reinforced all her own worst fears.

Nash wandered closer, his expression carefully neutral. “Is she all right?”

“Not really. You overheard?”

He shrugged apologetically. “Hard not to. And I hate to hear she’s contemplating divorce. He’s not putting her first?”

Haisley shook her head. “He’s too busy working and saving. I know those are supposed to be virtues, but not when you don’t spend any time with your spouse. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t be the first couple to split up because they both wanted different things…”

When she realized what she’d said, she squirmed in her chair. But Nash didn’t notice. Or he didn’t seem to care that she’d brought up the very issue that had torn them apart.

Then again, how could he understand?

Not going down that rabbit hole now…

“Anyway, this older guy I know online lost his wife or something, I think,” she went on. “He told me recently that he’d sacrifice anything for just another ten minutes with her. I know Daniel means well and he’s trying to do right by Charli, but she’s a flesh-and-blood woman with a soft heart and needs…and he’s just never there. I think about what my friend, Jasper, said, and I wonder if Daniel will wake up one day when he’s older and alone and realize how badly he screwed up.”

Nash didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Haisley held her breath as a weighted pause hung between them. His stare drilled into her. She swallowed.

Oh, god. It felt like he was talking about her. About them.

“You really believe that?” she breathed.

“I know it. And if he gives up, he’s an idiot.” Nash sat beside her, still naked as the day he was born. “And let me be clear, Haisley. I’m not stupid.”

Her mouth suddenly felt like the Sahara, and her heart was beating wildly in her chest. “Nash, don’t do this…”

“Why not?”

“Look around. Except for the lucky few like Matt and Madison, love doesn’t usually last.”

“Lucky? Maybe it lasts for the people willing to work hard for it and learn to communicate and compromise. My brother and Laila are wildly in love still. But it took a lot of shit to get there. She had to figure out how to trust him. He had to be patient. And when she ran away to solve her problems alone, he had to show her that he’d be there for her. Then he had to forgive her for nearly ripping them apart. It wasn’t easy, but they both wanted their relationship to work. They were both willing to put their all into it.”

Maybe that was true. Maybe she’d been too afraid to try. Hell, she still was. But if he wasn’t jaded by love, if he’d grown up with a fabulously supportive family and never had his heart broken, why hadn’t he put his all into their relationship two years ago?

Did it matter? He was all but declaring he would now.

God, she felt battered and confused and needed some time to think.

Haisley stood. “I’m going to shower. Unless there’s some big break in the case, I’ll see you Monday. Good night.”

Except for the lucky few, love doesn’t really last…

As Haisley made her way up the stairs, those words stabbed Nash in the chest. The sadness etched on her beautiful face twisted the blade even deeper.

That’s what she truly believed? Was that her despondence over her friend’s situation talking? Or had she always felt that way? Was that why she’d sworn to him the first night they’d ever spent together that she wasn’t interested in any sort of commitment or future? The reason she hadn’t been willing to even see what they could have together? And why she wasn’t willing to try now? Nash guessed yes.

He had his work cut out for him.

“Wait.” He followed her up the stairs and caught her just outside her bedroom door, clasping his fingers around her wrist and tugging her against his body before brushing a strand of fiery hair from her face. “You okay, baby?”

Haisley shrugged. “I’ll be better tomorrow. Just worried about Charli and those missing women and…”

That wasn’t all, but Nash didn’t dare call BS. Or tell her again that he loved her. She wasn’t in the frame of mind to hear either.

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