Page 139 of Always Red (Chasing Red 2)

Tears started to pour down her face.

“But I need you,” she said quietly, brokenly.

I wasn’t sure if her tears were real or fake, but the sight of her sitting across from me, her thin shoulders curved forward and her hands covering her face as she cried, made me pity her.

“I need you, Cal.”

“I need her,” I said simply.

Her hands fell limply to her lap as she looked up at me.

“I need her,” I repeated more firmly.

“You don’t even know how much I love you. You have no idea, do you?” she asked.

“If you really love me, you’ll want me to be happy. And nothing makes me happier than being with Red. Nothing.”

She drew in a sharp breath.

“I know you’re sick. Ben told me about Paris.”

Before I could say anything more, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and cursed. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” I told her, walking outside to take the call from Clooney, the private investigator I hired. “Hello?”

“Caleb, we got him.”

“They’ve arrested Justin?”

“You bet. Bastard’s been hiding at his uncle’s place in Devil’s Lake,” he replied.

“The small town south of here?”

“Yep. Apparently, the uncle’s old as dirt and never leaves his house. He had no idea what his little nephew had been up to. That’s why he hasn’t reported Justin.”

“How did they find him?”

He scoffed. “Idiot got roaring drunk and vandalized a resident’s property. He’s in a holding cell. I’m here now, and if you want to talk to him, I can arrange something with the constable. I go way back with the guy.”

“Yeah, I want to talk to him. Be right there.”

“Just hurry up before he starts squealing for a lawyer.”

Beatrice-Rose was just taking a seat as I went inside. The food she’d ordered was on the table. I stood in front of her, noticing that she looked more composed.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go. Don’t worry about this. I’ll pay for it,” I said, holding my phone tighter in my hand as she shook her head, her eyes filling with tears again.

“Caleb, please. At least stay to finish your meal. I promise I won’t bother you anymore after this.”

“Hi, guys! How’s the food so far?” The server appeared, looking confused about why the food was sitting on the table untouched.

“I’d like to pay for this now, please,” I told her.

“Of course. I’ll be right back with the swipe machine.”

I nodded and sat back in my seat.

“Ben is right. He saw me in Paris. I do need help, Cal. After the last time I saw you, at the parking lot in school, I-I fell apart. I had a nervous breakdown.” She paused, watching me.

Was she trying to send me on a guilt trip?

---