Page 21 of Mine to Protect

“You never asked.” She groaned. That came out ass-backward.

He took a large gulp of his beverage and held her stare. “In Key West, I was trying not to get too deep, even though I was having pretty intense feelings for you.”

Her heart got stuck between the center of her chest and her throat. It constricted her ability to take a deep breath.

Or respond.

“If I learned too much about your life—if I got close—well, you’re the kind of girl I would have fallen for, and I didn’t think that would have ended well considering my headspace. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“I can relate to that concept.” Nothing about her three weeks in Key West had been fair. Nothing about how her life had turned out had been just. But what was she to do about it? She’d made those choices, and she had to live with them. And now her brother needed her help. Again. That was what she needed to focus on.

“We’re really good at not getting into the nitty-gritty,” he said. “How did your mom die?”

“She took a bunch of pills.”

“Jesus,” he muttered. “That sucks.”

“It was her choice. I’m a strong enough person to know it had nothing to do with me. Of course, I’ve been in therapy since I was eleven. By choice. My brother would never go, and my dad only went occasionally, though he always supported my decision.”

“That’s good,” Rhett said. “Why wouldn’t your brother go?”

“Because my mom was proud of him for being the strong one. She told him that therapy was for the weak and that only losers went.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s kind of fucked-up.”

“I know. I tried to encourage him, especially after she died, but he wouldn’t have it. Of course, he was hooked on cocaine before my mom passed, so his head wasn’t even in the game.”

“That’s a rough life. And not just for him.”

She couldn’t agree more. Shelby worried about her brother much like she’d feared for her mom. It had been constant. “We hid my brother’s drug use from my mom. My dad and I thought it would make things worse. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer the first time, I wanted to hide that from her, too, but that didn’t happen, and that’s when she took her life. But what I was thinking about just a bit ago was that after my brother got out of rehab, which was the first time he’d really given getting clean a try, the only big trigger he had in five years was my father’s cancer and then his death.”

“So, what you’re saying is that you no longer believe he’s on a bender?”

She needed Rhett to know that her brother was in trouble. That he needed help. But that he wasn’t a criminal. She had no idea what the counterfeit money meant. Or where her brother had gotten it. And he hadn’t addressed it. He’d only been focused on the key. The necklace.

Which she didn’t understand. All she knew was that her brother needed it.

“I don’t know. But I wasn’t upfront with you about something.” Lying didn’t come easily, especially with someone she cared about. Sleeping with Rhett last night had only made this harder.

Rhett stood tall. “I’m listening.”

“My brother took something from my house. Something that belonged to my mother. And I want to know if your mom and brothers will let me go through his stuff to see if it’s there.”

“You’re in luck. It’s all in my home office.”

She jerked her head. “Why didn’t you tell me last night?”

“Because we got a little preoccupied with other things, and it was one in the morning.” He lifted his finger. “However, before we go through his stuff again—”

“What do you mean byagain?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Obviously, I went back to the hotel since I have Chris’s and Jackie’s belongings. Before I brought it here, Emmerson and I went through it all.”

“I should be really pissed at you for lying to me.” My God. That was so uncalled for, but he didn’t know her lie.

“You just told me you weren’t totally honest either. So, let’s call that one a wash,” he said. “Now, what exactly are you looking for?”

“A necklace with a key attached to it.” She didn’t see any reason she couldn’t tell Rhett what she was looking for since it was a simple piece of jewelry—or so she’d made it out to be. Lots of people had keys attached to jewelry. “My mom was wearing it when she died.” God she hated lying. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. “It has sentimental value to both of us.”

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