Page 199 of Guardian Daddy

“It’s also your fault that you brought that bitch into your home around your sister,” Ethan said.

Rhodes flinched as though he’d been hit.

“Ethan!” she said.

“No, that’s fair.” Rhodes ran his hand over his face. “I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you, Cate.”

“I’m fine. Really.”

“I’m going to go and make sure that she’s leaving. I’ll let you all know when the coast is clear.”

Shoulders slumped, he stood and left the room. Ethan gathered Cate close.

“It’s not Rhodes’ fault. You shouldn’t blame him.”

“He’s supposed to protect you. Therefore, he is at fault. And I don’t like that woman getting off scot-free. We should press charges.”

“I just want her gone. If I press charges, it means I have to keep thinking about what happened. And I just want to forget.”

“She’ll still have to pay. I’ll find a way.”

47

“Rhodes wants us to meet with him in the living room,” Ethan said after his phone beeped.

There had been plenty of screaming. So much that Ethan had taken her back into her closet and put her headphones on with some music to block it out.

Still, she felt shaky and overwhelmed.

“I’ll tell him no, if it’s too much for you.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Rhodes might need me. That can’t have been easy on him.”

Ethan lifted her and then held her hand as they walked out into the living room. Kevin was there. So was Seth. There was no sign of Polly or Butch.

“She’s gone?” Ethan asked as Cate let go of his hand and walked over to Rhodes.

He opened his arms, letting her come to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed.

“Yeah. The new bodyguard agreed to guard her until we find this stalker and in the meantime, they’re staying at a hotel downtown,” Seth replied. “Butch took Polly home. She was shaken up.”

She felt Rhodes grow tense. Stepping back, she looked up at him. “Are you all right? Did you break things off with her?”

“Yeah.” Rhodes grimaced. “She didn’t take it well.”

“Of course she didn’t take it well!” Kevin threw his hands up in the air as he paced back and forth.

Cate tilted her head to the side, trying to work out why Samantha didn’t take it well?

“I’m not sure why she put up so much protest,” Cate said.

“Seriously?” Kevin asked.

“Watch your fucking tone,” Ethan growled at him.

Cate was emotionally overspent, and she was struggling to follow all the subtext of what everyone was saying.

“She had to have known Rhodes was going to break things off. She seemed to know earlier before she slapped me.”

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