Page 22 of Mistletoe Masquerade
The whole thing happens so fast, I can hardly wrap my head around it. I knew he wouldn’t like knowing I was friends with Tommy and Sante. This was something else entirely. It never occurred to me he might think I’d been sent by them to steal … what? Information? I’m too dumbfounded to even speculate.
Whatever conclusion he jumped to made him furious. And between my shock and the guys pointingguns, I never had a chance to correct him. Not that he would have believed me.
The image of his eyes bright with betrayal will haunt me forever.
I burst into tears.
“What the fuck is happening here?” Sante demands.
My sobs intensify as they all stare at me.
“It’s my … fault,” I stutter between heaving breaths. “I should have said something.”
I’m not even sure why I’m crying except the letdown of adrenaline. Between that and the culmination of my tormented emotions needing an outlet, I feel like my heart is spilling out on the floor all around me.
I take one shaky breath, then another.
Dani has her arms wrapped around me protectively. “Everything’s okay, Sach. Promise. It’s going to be okay.”
I know I can count on her support, which makes me feel even worse for not telling her the truth about my night. Why do things always look so different in hindsight?
“I went home with Dean last night,” I say on a whisper.
“Dean?” Tommy blurts.
“Malone, dickhead. She slept with Malone,” Sante clarifies oh, so tactfully. “That’s why he’s so fucking upset. He thinks I sent her.”
“I didn’t tell him who I was, so he had no idea I was connected to you guys. I never expected to see him again, certainly not like this.” I shake my head in shame. “I’msorry I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want you guys to be upset or cause problems for you, but it looks like I did anyway.”
“So that’s why you sounded so off on the phone.” Dani hugs me tighter. “Wait, you sounded kind of awful. She pulls back and studies my eyes. “He didn’t do anything he wasn’t supposed to, did he?”
My face crumples as I shake my head and dissolve into a new round of tears. “That’s … the problem,” I force past the knot in my throat. “He did everything right. It was amazing,” I rasp on a harsh exhale.
“Oh, honey.” Amelie joins in on our hug. “That’s not something to be upset about.”
“It is,” I explain to her. “How can I possibly be with a cop? I don’t want to put you guys at risk. And it was just one night—it shouldn’t have mattered.” The last words are no more than a wisp of air as my voice fails me.
“You really liked him,” Dani says with dawning realization.
“Yeah.”
Silence hangs in the air like a thick fog.
“Come on, Tommy,” Sante murmurs to his cousin. “Sounds like we have some things to discuss.” The two head back to his office, leaving us girls to talk in private.
I watch them leave, my worries intensifying. “I’ve made a mess of things, haven’t I?”
Amelie huffs. “No worse than they’ve done in thepast. They can sort things with Malone, no problem. I’m more worried about you.”
“Definitely,” Dani chimes in.
“I’ll be fine. It was one stupid night, right? It shouldn’t mean anything.”
Amelie sweeps a lock of hair behind my ear and smiles softly. “If Sante has taught me anything, it’s that following standards set by other people will only set you up for disappointment. Whatever you two shared last night, it clearly meant a lot to both of you, regardless of what should or shouldn’t be.”
“You really think so?”
“I do. I’ve never seen Malone so upset. I was completely stunned. Those guys do stuff to piss him off all the time, but it’s like water off a duck’s back. The accusation was pretty egregious, but his anger was personal. He didnotlike thinking you used him.”
