Page 122 of Reckless

“Motherfucker.”I take a breath to calm down before leaning closer. “I’m so sorry he hurt you and that I wasn’t there to stop him.” If I ever see that lowlife again, I will endhim.

Like a dam that breaks, her choked sob nearly does me in, and I whisper more apologies. Whisper how much she means to me. How much I loveher.

“Then why didn’t you say anything last night?” She’s wiping her cheeks and I stop her. I deserve to see each drop fall. To feel every bit of her pain. “Why didn’t you call me afterward? Or come over? Or something? I felt so stupid watching my phone, thinking you’dcall.”

Misery overwhelms me to know I did this to her. “God, I’m sorry. Cody broke his armand—”

“What?”Her small fists land on my shoulders, her eyes hugesaucers.

Remembering what happened, seeing my son crumpled on the ground, hits me with a wave of helplessness. “He fell off the swing set, and we weren’t sure if he also lost consciousness. After the doctors set his arm in a cast, they wanted to keep him here for observation overnight. My phone died, but as soon as he was discharged this morning, I got him comfortable at home and came to find you.” By the time my cell charged in my truck, I was almost home and wanted to talk face-to-face with Tori. “My mom’s with himnow.”

A trembling hand covers her mouth. “Oh, my God. Is heokay?”

“He was pretty shaken. Hell, I was too.” The last twenty-four hours have been pure madness. From nearly breaking my hand on James’s face to carrying Cody into the ER and watching Tori deliver Kat’s baby, my emotions are wrungout.

She hugs me, and I close my eyes. I know she still has to be hurt from what happened last night, but here she is, comforting me. So with my nose in her silky hair, I tell her what’s been eating at me, gnawing at me. “I should’ve said something last night. I wish I could rewind the whole evening and do it differently. At first, I was pissed that James knew so much about you that I didn’t. I was straight-up jealous.” Insanely jealous. Out-of-my-mindjealous.

I trace her shoulder with my lips. Up her slender neck. Behind the soft lobe of her ear. “I hated the idea of him touching you, baby. Being with you. Loving you.” Even now, I have to close my eyes to stave off theanger.

This possessiveness is new to me. I’ve never been a jealous guy or felt the need to mark my territory. But I’m different with Tori. I want her in a way I’ve never wanted anotherwoman.

I need her to forgive me for my missteps last night, but I have to know. “Why didn’t you tell me? About that shit in college? About the way James screwed you over?” That monster threw her in a goddamn closet while his wife gave him head. No wonder Tori gave me the hairy eyeball at the beginning of the summer. I’d have trust issues too after thatexperience.

Her tears wet her flushed cheeks, and I kiss them away. One byone.

“I felt ashamed, Ethan.” She hiccups and shakes her head. “It was all so humiliating. Jamie turned into such a creeper after we broke up, stalking me. Sending me flowers. Trying to talk to my friends about me. I let what happened with him suck me into a downward spiral that I never really recovered from. Failed out of school. Couldn’t get my shit together. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to be near my sister. Toregroup.”

Fuck, it hurts to hear all the ways he tormented her. “Last night I was reeling from shock that this friend I looked up to and respected had not only cheated on his wife, but was a scumbag to you. He had me completely fooled.” I’d known James through Felicia since she and Allison grew up together, but he and I became tight when he helped me renovate my house. At the time, I’d thought he was someone to admire. Someone I should emulate. What a fuckingjoke.

Years later, when he told me he was “struggling with temptation,” he made it sound like he’d only been flirting around, not cheating. Not that I condone either behavior, but clearly he was sugarcoating thetruth.

Tori chews on her nail. “Why didn’t you know about my driving record? Didn’t you do a backgroundcheck?”

“That was Logan’s doing. He said he had it covered and that you were cool. I should totally kick his ass for lying to me, but I can guess what he was thinking. That he liked you as a person and knew Kat and Brady and trustedthem.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve said something when he brought up my internship at the law firm.” Her lips twist, and her eyes cast down. “All of this stuff in my past was so embarrassing, and I didn’t want you to see me differently or think I couldn’t handle watching Cody and Mila. Didn’t want you to see me the way my familydoes.”

That gives me pause. “What are you talking about? They love you. Did you see the same woman I did today? Delivering Kat’s baby in a pick-up with nothing but towels from a diner, hand sanitizer, and a turkey baster? You’re a hero, honey. I’m not sure I would’ve been so even-keeled, and I’ve delivered a dozen foals over theyears.”

She laughs through her tears, the realization of what she did shining in her eyes. “I did do that,huh?”

“You kicked ass. I’m so fucking proud of you.” I drag my lips against hers, moaning when she opens to me. I’m ready to make all kinds of promises to this girl when the door bangs open, and we popapart.

A nurse wheeling in a very pregnant woman glares at us, and I laugh as I help Tori put on her scrubs. “Sorry ’bout that, ma’am.” Grabbing Tori’s hand, I drag her out, because we need more time totalk.

54

Ethan

The windshield wipersthump noisily back and forth on my truck, barely swiping away the rain before my visibility drops to zeroagain.

“This is crazy,” Tori murmurs next tome.

“Nothing like a summer storm.” This one blew in out of nowhere, darkening the afternoon sky and backing uptraffic.

Tori wanted to love up on Cody before she returned to her sister’s to prepare for the baby’s arrival, so I said I’d drive her. Told her I didn’t mind dropping her back off at the hospital tomorrow either. Life is hectic for both of us right now, but if I have to play chauffeur to see her a few minutes each day, then so be it. Because I need to be with mygirl.

Despite our talk at the hospital, she’s been quiet on the drive to the ranch. I’m about to ask her if she’s okay when the rain gets so intense, I have to pull off down an access ramp. I’d rather wait out the storm for ten minutes than get in anaccident.

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