Page 47 of Always Red (Chasing Red 2)

“Maybe it was Beatrice-Rose.”

He froze.

“Remember at the station when your mom said she had to hear it from Beatrice-Rose? How did she know you were in jail?”

His eyes turned cold as his whole body tensed.

“Where are your spare car keys?” I asked.

“I—” He paused for a moment. “I remember looking for them one time, and they weren’t in the last place where I put them, so I just didn’t bother looking for them.” He clenched his jaw.

“Does Justin know the code to your flat?”

“He doesn’t.”

“Remember that night when I told you I saw her leaving your building? And you said she knows the code to get into your flat. What if…she stole your spare keys and planted the drugs in your car?”

His eyes flashed. “She wouldn’t dare.”

I let him digest what I’d said for a moment.

“Son of a bitch,” he growled after a moment. “Son of a bitch!”

The energy around him vibrated. I could tell from the way his eyes sparked with anger that he was starting to realize Beatrice-Rose’s potential role in this fiasco. I knew he still couldn’t believe his childhood friend could be so deceiving, so manipulative.

I could be wrong—maybe she didn’t have anything to do with the drugs in Caleb’s car—but I wasn’t going to eliminate the possibility. Caleb might think she wouldn’t dare cross a line that could cause him real harm, but I knew better. I knew she was capable of anything.

“Is Justin pressing charges against you?” I asked.

“Why the hell would he press charges against me?”

“Because you nearly killed him?”

“No.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “My lawyer has taken care of it. Look,” he started, his tone softening. “I don’t want you to worry. Leave it alone, okay? Trust me to take care of it.”

“Don’t tell me you’ll take care of it.” I felt a flash of anger. Good, I thought. I was coming back.

I had been feeling disconnected from myself since I had that nightmare, exhausted from trying to push back bad memories from my childhood. Feeling anger was good.

“I don’t need your caveman, ‘me man, take care of business; you woman, no-worry’ bullshit right now.”

I narrowed my eyes when he started laughing.

“I’m serious—”

“Baby,” he said softly, turning me around and cupping my face in his hands. “Look at me,” he pleaded. “I will do everything in my power to protect you. There is nothing he can do to you as long as I’m here. And it’s not because I don’t trust you to take care of yourself. I need you to believe in me.”

His green eyes were tender as they looked into mine. “You are the strongest and most independent person I know. But you don’t have to be strong by yourself anymore because…” He brushed his thumb against my cheek. Helpless, I leaned in to his touch. “Because now you have me.”

My throat felt thick with emotion. No one had ever made me feel this way.

I reached up for his hand, pulling it from my face. I kissed his palm, then his lips. “Caleb,” I said. “When you know that someone in this world is thinking about you…when you know someone wants to be with you, that they think the world of you…when they make you fall in love with them over and over again…it makes you feel like the world is a better place after all. Even when everyone is against you, it’s okay. Because you know that one person will never leave your side. For me, that person is you.”

He looked down for a moment, and I saw him swallow. When his eyes turned up to meet mine, the look of tenderness in them made me feel loved. But I didn’t like the guilt I was feeling. It didn’t belong between us. I felt the need to apologize.

“I’m sorry for everything. The fight, you going to jail, your mom getting upset with you. These things wouldn’t have happened to you if it wasn’t for me—”

“No.” His voice was firm. He pulled back. “Listen, Red. My mom was wrong. Whatever she said to you at the station was based on what Beatrice-Rose told her. You didn’t cause that fight with Justin—I did. That bastard did. He was asking for it.” His upper lip curled into a snarl. “It’s not your fault he’s a sick, perverted, hateful asshole. Why are you blaming yourself for other people’s mistakes?”

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