Page 93 of Protecting Hailey

Jager groaned. “How are you married and know nothing about women? Telling a woman she has nothing to worry about will only make her worry more.”

I looked at Jake and shrugged. “He has a point.”

Jake shook his head. “I’ve never seen Christian as happy as he is now. He’s completely in love with you.”

“I know, but does that mean he’s ready to leave everyone behind?” I asked.

“I know I would if I were in his place. I would do anything for Nikole,” Jake said.

I sat at the table sipping my coffee as I thought about what I was asking Christian to do. He would be leaving his parents, his brothers, and his career behind. Yes, he would be traveling the world with me, but he’d already seen so much of it and he wouldn’t be ‘immersing’ himself in any place while I was touring. We would be in and out of a city in a day or two. Is this the sort of life Christian had envisioned for himself after his time in the military? Or had he hoped for a quieter life? One more structured and predictable. That sounded more like him.

Was he just settling for this life for me? And if he was, would he come to resent me for it? The thought drew a shadow over my joy. When Jager looked at me, making a funny face, trying to cheer me up, I knew my smile looked a little bit off.

25

Christian

The night air was warmer than the air-conditioned restaurant. My father drew out two cigars from a pouch he had strapped to his waist.

“Where did you get those? Are they Cuban?”

He shrugged. “I still have some contacts there.”

With a flick of his wrist, the match burned to life. He lit the end of his cigar and took a couple of puffs. Then he passed the matchbox to me and I did the same.

I hadn’t smoked in several years. Thinking back, not since the night we all set foot on American soil again. That was a good night. So was tonight, if not for my father’s earlier comments.

“What were you trying to prove back there, giving Hailey a hard time? I’m still upset about that.”

He pulled a deep drag out of his cigar and opened his mouth wide, expelling the smoke. “I wasn’t giving her a hard time. I was trying to make you realize what you’re giving up while she’s sacrificing nothing.”

“I’ve never asked her to.”

My father narrowed his eyes. “Marriage isn’t easy, son. But if you’re going to give in to every one of her demands now, it’s going to be even harder for you.”

I refrained from rolling my eyes by taking a small puff of the cigar. “I’m not giving in.”

“But you are, Christian. Your dream was to build this successful business after your tour. You didn’t want to continue with a military career, which I understood, but we talked about business ventures and investments. Now you’re just going to be some pop star’s lackey?”

The smoke caught in my throat, and I coughed. “Her lackey? Is that what you think of me?”

“Well, how else am I supposed to see it?”

“You’re supposed to see how much we care for each other. You’re supposed to see how happy she makes me. And you’re supposed to see that I’m a grown man, able to make my own decisions and you need to respect them.”

“Well, I don’t agree.”

“You don’t have to agree with me, Dad. You don’t even have to like my decisions. But you have to respect them and Hailey. You can’t keep making snide remarks and making her feel uncomfortable. I won’t allow it.”

“You won’t allow it?”

“No.” I put my cigar down. The taste was bitter in my mouth.

“See. You never spoke to me like this before you met her. She is sinking her claws into you already and you’ll be whipped before the end of the month.”

I crushed the cigar underneath my shoe and turned to face him. “I will forgive you this once,” I said, holding up a finger, “because you are my father. But if you ever speak about her like that again or make her feel anything less than welcomed in this family, you and I are done.”

He scrunched up his face. “You can’t quit your family.”

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