Page 22 of Second Chance Serenity

“As a matter of fact, no.” She sneers.

“You don’t tell your boyfriend where you’re going to be?”

“Michael,” Lance warns.

“No, it’s okay.” Reyna turns her full attention to me, her glare furious. “As a matter of fact, he is not my boyfriend. We’ve had one date, which—in case you were wondering—has nothing to do with this case and therefore is none of your business.”

My thoughts travel back to the way he’d hugged her. To the fear in his expression and the way he’d wrapped his arms around her without hesitation. “You only had one date?”

“Yes,” she snaps the word.

“He seemed awfully familiar with you for one date.”

“That’s how emotionally healthy men are.” She glares at me. “They’re not afraid of their feelings.”

“If that’s?—”

“I’ll pay for it,” Carter says, interrupting me. Which is probably for the best given I have a habit of putting my foot in my mouth when it comes to her. “Whatever it costs.”

I take a deep breath, knowing a tangent is the last thing I need to go off on. Especially when it comes to her dating life.

“Do you already have a security system through another company on your house?”

Reyna shakes her head. “You guys monitor the school, but I don’t have one at home. I’ve never needed one.”

“You do now,” Carter says. “You can install one of those as well?”

“We can.”

“How soon?” he asks Elijah.

“As soon as this afternoon,” he says. “We’ve got a lean day.”

“As far as protection goes, we will monitor the house at night from here and have someone shadow you during the day.”

“Not Michael,” she says.

It’s another hit. A blow to my already tattered soul.

“I can’t do it, anyway,” I reply. It’s not entirely true. I could—and would—drop anything and everything for her. But my plate is full as it is. With my trip to L.A., I’ve got things here to catch up on. “And since it doesn’t seem like I’m needed here, I’ll be going.” I push up from my chair and head outside to suck in a breath. Everything hurts. The walls are closing in. I’m eighteen again, signing over my life as I leave behind the woman I love because I didn’t feel good enough.

I still don’t feel good enough.

“Michael.”

I turn, surprised that Carter follows me outside. “What? Come to take another swing?”

His jaw tightens, and he walks down from the porch. “I hate you for what you did to Reyna. But I know you still love her.”

He’s got me there, so I don’t argue.

“She won’t give you another chance,” he says.

“I gathered that,” I snap, turning away from him. The ocean is stormy today, a direct reflection of what’s happening inside of me, too.

“But I’m asking you to not turn your back on my sister.”

I face him again. “Why would you think I’d do that?”

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