Page 129 of Fierce-Hyde

For so many years in his life, he’d been with women who wanted him to do everything for them or those that didn’t want anything but fun.

He found who he thought was a nice mix and maybe he was wrong.

“Whatever you want,” he said.

“I know you’re mad.”

“I’m not mad,” he said.

“You’re hurt,” she corrected. She stood up to go toward him. “I’m sorry. I’m doing exactly what you said. Barely balancing and I need to think this through. I’m not even sure I’m going to see him or talk to him, but I need a clear head to do it.”

“And you can’t have that around me?” he asked.

She laughed and he knew it was forced. “I think we know that there are times both of us speak without thinking. This just can’t be one of those times. I hope once you think it through you’ll understand.”

He didn’t think he had much of a choice.

He pulled her into his arms. “I’m here if you need me. I don’t want you to even hesitate to reach out. I promise I’ll be there for you.”

“Hyde, there is no doubt in my mind that you would be there for me. I want you to know that.”

“Really?” he asked.

“One hundred percent. But I need to do this alone.”

He nodded his head, then watched her leave his office.

He sat back down to work, but his mind wasn’t on it.

Rather than try to force the work, he went to see Raina, then he’d try Ryder. But Raina would know the most. Whether she’d talk to him about it or not was up for debate.

“You took longer to come down here than I thought,” Raina said. “I was almost going to check on you.”

“Why is that?” he asked.

“Because as upset as Tori was, I’m afraid she might have stepped on your ego some.”

“Right on the first try,” he said.

“Sit,” Raina said. “I feel like a counselor like Tori used to do, but I’m not. I’m not sure how much I’m going to tell you, but I hope what I say makes you feel better.”

“I’m willing to listen to anything.”

“You know Tori hasn’t talked to her father in forever. Just a few texts a year.”

“Yes,” he said.

“I told her a while ago that I think she can’t open herself up for any man because of him. She has no idea what happened to them. Why he left her mother other than her mother’s version.”

“Which is one-sided and very dramatic, I’m sure,” he said.

“Exactly. And that doesn’t matter. That is between her parents. But he allowed an eighteen-year-old to just stop texting and didn’t seem to care. Looking back, I know it bothers her.”

“I’d want to know why,” he said. “It bothers me. And then to find out his new wife has wanted him to do it for years and he doesn’t until he’s dying? That’s bullshit.”

“And you probably said that to her and she doesn’t need to hear what she is feeling. She needs to tackle this with an open mind. That is how she operates. I know you haven’t always seen her open mind,” Raina said, smirking.

“I want to say yes, but that isn’t the case. She was open-minded enough to give me a few chances and see where things went with us.”

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