Page 98 of Karma

Jesus, what had he just done? “Liza—” He reached for her hand, grasping her wrist.

She flinched and pulled away. “Don’t touch me.” Shaking, she glanced at the door. “I need to go.”

“Not alone.” The protective words came automatically.

She narrowed her gaze. “Well, you sure as hell don’t think I’m going anywhere with you.”

Dare winced, the damage he’d caused just now settling over him.

Nash strode over to Cara and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and stepped forward, pushing herself off the wall. “I’ll go with you and stay the night.” Cara’s blue eyes flashed as she shot a scathing glare Dare’s way.

Liza swallowed hard. “Thank you. After today, I’m not going to deny myself protection,” she muttered.

Dare shook his head, wondering what she meant by that. And stunned at how he’d just sent his life crashing down around him. Why the hell had he just blasted the one person he knew damned well would never hurt him?

Liza bolted through the exit doors with Cara right behind her, leaving Dare in a room full of silent family members who stared at him in disbelief.

Shaking, he lowered himself into a chair, needing a minute.

Nash stalked over and yanked a chair up, settling in beside him. “Care to explain?”

Dare rubbed a hand over his face. “It wasn’t…I didn’t mean…”

“Try again,” Nash said. “Because what you just did made her brother look like a saint.” Disgust echoed in his tone.

Not that Dare blamed him. “Fuck. I don’t know. I found Tess on the bed, and all I could see was Stuart Rossman lying on the ground.” He lowered his head. “Then Liza said how at least she didn’t have her stomach pumped because she remembers that part being the worst. The only way she could know that was her damned brother, and something inside me snapped.”

“It sure as hell did,” Ethan muttered.

Dare looked up.

Kelly and Faith stared at him, disappointment radiating from them in cold waves.

“I need to go see her.” Dare stood.

Kelly stepped into his personal space before he could move. “You’re not going anywhere near her tonight.”

Dare raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Even before that display, she knew how you felt about her. She knew you didn’t plan on sticking around any longer than she needed your protection. She has Cara now, so do Liza a favor and leave her alone.” Kelly folded her arms across her chest, her face hard and unforgiving.

“I never told her that.” Hell, he’d never thought that. He’d needed space, but…

“You didn’t have to say a word. She told me that Brian was a living, breathing reminder of your past—and, by extension, so was she. And sincenobody in her life ever stuck around—her words—she didn’t expect you to be any different.” Kelly’s tone told Dare exactly what she thought of him at the moment.

“God,” he muttered, remembering everything Liza had confided to him about her parents. How lonely she’d been. How alone. His shoulders sagged.

“Exactly,” Kelly snapped. “So I suggest for the moment that you don’t go over there with excuses and apologies. Take some time to get your head on straight. Don’t approach her again unless you’re in it for good. She doesn’t deserve to be jerked around.”

Dare stared at his sister-in-law in stunned silence.

Kelly drew a deep breath. “I’ll be with Tess,” she said, glancing at Nash. Then without waiting for Dare’s reaction to her speech, Kelly turned and walked out.

“She’s right,” Ethan said, cutting Dare no slack.

Nash nodded in agreement. “No argument here. But there is something else you should know. And I’m not telling you this to add more guilt or to send you running over there. Cara will handle it.”

From the tone in his brother’s voice, everything in Dare stilled. “What is it?”

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