Page 13 of Free to Believe
Bryan’s face, which was pale before, flames in anger. “You brought your family into my home? How dare you!” He steps forward and yanks the sheet with him, exposing Dr. Whitacre’s nakedness. She screeches as she scrambles to cover herself with pillows. “Bryan, damnit!”
Ignoring her, I focus on him. “No, the better question is how dare you? You have no moral high ground whatsoever. You’re a pig of a human being, Bryan. A disgusting excuse for a man.”
Shifting his focus to Corinna, he mutters bitterly, “I saved your life.”
“And now I’m making sure Em has the rest of hers to live. Without you,” Corinna adds. “I think in the long term, we’ll all be better off without you in them.”
“In case you’re wondering, Bryan, we’re through.” I turn to leave when I feel his hand grip my arm.
“This was nothing—” he begins, but I cut him off. I’m pleased to hear a small whimper of sound from behind him. Maybe Dr. Whitacre will get out while she still can.
“Wrong.” His eyes narrow on me. I rip my arm away as his fingers start to tighten. I’m almost certain there will be a bruise later. I don’t give him the satisfaction of rubbing it. “I think you’re a dick for the way you treat women. And not just me.” My eyes drift over to where Dr. Whitacre is covering herself with pillows. “Good luck,” I tell her sincerely. “You’ll need it. The ring is on your kitchen bar. And don’t try to say I didn’t return it. If I know Ali, she’s likely taken pictures.”
Turning, I leave—disgusted and disillusioned. Another relationship dead.
What a shock.
My siblings don’t say anything as I lead the way back to my Rover.
Not until Ali climbs into the far back seat, muttering, “I don’t quite think this is over.”
I turn my head. “What makes you say that?”
“Not now. Later, once I check up on a few things.” Her eyes have gone unfocused.
Turning back in my seat, I face forward as Phil drives us back to Collyer.
I have no idea that the clusterfuck Bryan perpetrated is about to alter the course of my life.
8
Emily
Ali was right. There were more repercussions than just the end of my engagement.
Things are starting to settle back to our old normal. I’ve heard nothing from Bryan, much to my relief. Slowly, I’m releasing the tension that’s had me strung so tight I didn’t realize I was this close to snapping. So, it’s a pleasure to be eating Corinna’s baked goods while joking around the conference room table after a weekend birthday party we planned and catered.
My sister’s guys—Caleb, Keene, and Colby—are telling Phil’s husband, Jason, about a case they just wrapped up for their investigative firm, Hudson Investigations.
“So, this guy decided he really doesn’t want to have us digging into him,” Caleb says with a benevolent smile. “It doesn’t look good for a politician to have those kinds of secrets exposed.”
Keene’s sexy grin isn’t anywhere as polite. Then again, he never is. “I have little doubt we’d find something to nail him with six ways from Sunday.”
I roll my eyes. “Always so in tune with your sensitive side, Keene.”
He leans back in his chair, crossing his hands over his lean stomach. “Only with those I love, Em. The rest of the world can go to hell.”
“And that’s why we don’t let him in on client negotiations,” Colby pipes in, amused. He reaches for one of Corinna’s brownies on a platter in the center of the table.
“Colby, it’s a miracle you’re as healthy as you are living with Corinna. I say that as a doctor, mind you,” Jason muses. “How can you live with all of those sweets all the time?”
“Oh, Cori doesn’t bake like this at home. Only on special occasions. Our only indulgence is her caramel coffee.”
I can’t help but smile. “She made me a fresh jar the other morning.”
Keene levels his green-eyed stare on me. “Bad thing letting me know that. If you find it missing, just know it’s likely I’ve broken into your house to steal it. You won’t be upset by that, will you?”
I’m laughing even as I shake my head. “If we knew years ago the way to tame you was to feed you sweets, Keene, we’d have asked Jason”—I nod to my other brother-in-law—“to set up a glucose mainline for you.”
