Page 536 of Savage Bosses

“I’ll escort you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Not having you travel back there alone. Besides, I’m heading to the same place.”

“I said no.”

“And. I. Said. Yes.” I snarl in a stare-off with her, anger punctuating my words.

“Fine. What about your cousins?”

“I’ll say goodbye, and then we’ll leave.”

I’d danced with her once earlier in the evening and spent the rest of the night talking business with my cousins. We say our goodbyes to everyone at our table and catch a Lyft to the North Springs Marta station a couple of blocks away.

“Why are we getting out here?”

“I thought it would be nice to catch the train as far as we can at this time of the morning, then catch another Lyft to the hotel.”

She nods, shaking her head. “Okay.”

The ride to the train station is almost silent.

“Could I ever be enough for you, Ro?”

My heart aches at her words, and I grab her hand, turning her to face me as the driver pulls away from the curb.

“You were always enough for me, Bryn. More than enough. Then and now.

“Didn’t feel like it at the time. I remember you were always with her and hung on her every word. Going back there with you again, I’m scared.”

Pulling my wallet from my back pocket, I pay our fare. I turn to her and caress her face.

“Don’t be. I’ll fucking protect you with my last breath, Bryn. I’m not that naïve starstruck guy anymore. I protect what’s mine and battle for it every time.”

“Who says I’m yours?”

Anger fires inside of me, but I choose not to answer that.

“We have five minutes before the next train arrives. The one at the Arts Center isn’t running so we’ll catch another Lyft from Lindbergh.”

“That’s fine.”

The train station’s mostly empty at this time of night except for workers. I know there’s only one more training running at one in the morning. I glance at my watch as we approach the platform. We sit down on a bench and wait.

“Are you okay?” she asks with concern dancing in her eyes.

I shake my head and say, “She’s exposing my daughter to shit I would never allow.”

“I know you don’t want to, but maybe it’s time to pursue full custody.”

“I am. There’s only so much one man can take, Bryn. To keep my sanity, I had to forge my own path. Create my own happiness. It’ll be complete when I know my daughter is safe,” I say, standing as the train arrives.

We step into the empty car as the doors close behind us, and she looks up at me, her eyes wet with tears.

“What?”

“I’m just angry that I wasted so much time.”

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