Page 62 of Tempt Me

“Why?”

“In case she wants to talk about my sex life. I don’t want you feeling shy.”

Tack smirks at my laughter. He’s still grinning when I roll off the bed and leave the room.

I end up in Bear’s former bedroom. Settling in a chair at the window, I dial Suzanne who answers on the first ring.

“I want to fly back to Banta City,” she blurts out rather than say hello.

“Okay, but is that a good idea?”

“No. The estate staff is grieving, and my return would prove disruptive to them. I’ve also been informed by our new security chief how my absence from Banta City protects you. Most people think you’re traveling with me, and I’m currently hopping from country to country. Those are all good reasons to remain gone.”

“But?”

“I need to see you,” she says in a tone stuck between domineering and miserable. “I can’t stand how far away you are from me right now.”

“I miss you, too,” I reply, feeling the distance between us. “But you can’t be here yet. What if you got hurt because of me? I couldn’t live with that guilt.”

“I don’t care about my safety. I need to know you’re safe.”

“Can I be honest?”

“Always.”

“You don’t trust others to take care of this situation. If you were here, you could throw your power around to make people do what you want. But instead, you’re stuck far from the action, hoping no one fucks up here. That’s killing you.”

“But I do miss you, Hunter.”

“I know, and I miss you, but we both know you shouldn’t come back.”

“I need to know you’re safe.”

“Today with Tack and Siobhan has been great. I’m excited about Carys’s baby. I’ve temporarily fooled myself into forgetting about what happened on the road that day.”

Sighing, I realize how comforting life was when Suzanne could swoop in to fix problems. I miss the reassurance of her presence. Yet, I want to learn to depend on Tack rather than my mom.

“We have to be smart right now,” I explain in a softer voice. “We need to step back and let the professionals do their jobs.”

“Very reasonable suggestions. However, I feel like I could sneak into town and wear a wig to visit you.”

We laugh at the idea. “But then what? You’d need to go to the estate. Everyone would quickly know you were back.”

“Are you sure staying at the farm is a good choice? It made sense when everything first happened, but what if this situation drags on?”

“Carys is about to have her baby,” I say, hearing a whine in my voice. “Tack and I are living together in his room. Siobhan is here with the twins. I got to feed mini donkeys today. I don’t want to leave.”

Suzanne surprises me by laughing. “You sound like a little girl.”

“Right now, surrounded by these particular people, I’m able to stop thinking of Atticus dying. Or the chaos in the street. Or the way my body just collapsed when I got tasered. Maybe it’d be smarter to go somewhere else, but I feel like I won’t be able to breathe anywhere but the farm.”

“Okay, baby. I knew I shouldn’t come back. Everyone was telling me how I ought to stay away, but I don’t bow to everyone. I’ll bow to you, though.”

Tearing up, I feel a heaviness in my chest. I wish Suzanne could hug me. A mom’s embrace holds a special magic.

Rather than whine about how much I miss her, I stay strong on the phone. That way, Suzanne will keep her ass away from Banta City until the authorities have tracked down the stalker.

Once I hang up, I hurry back to Tack’s room. I cry in the pillow like I used to when I was a kid and my dad would blow me off. Every time my heart broke, my sobs would fill the house. Then, I’d wipe my tears and move on with my day.

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