Page 71 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

Shane’s expression turns dismayed. “Oh, so you expectmeto turn my back on the only man who’s had my back?”

I frown. “Shane, look at where we are. He’s got you, your cousin, and your friend hostage too. This isn’t right. I know you know that, and I know you feel like you owe him something, but you don’t. Not when he’s taken things too far.”

Shane’s expression darkens. “I can’t turn my back on him.Not yet. I have to believe that he’s still someone worth saving especially after everything he’s done for me. I can still get through to him. I can still get us out of here, and no one needs to know.”

“Do you want to save him because he helped you, or because you think that it’ll help you redeem yourself?”

Shane rakes a finger through his hair. “Jesus Christ, Evie. Not everything is as black and white as you think. What did you think was going to happen here, huh? That we were going to fall in love, and you’d end up saving me convincing me to turn Isaiah in? In case it escaped your notice, he wouldn’t be the only one to suffer the consequences.”

“Yes, he would,” I protest. “This is not the kind of life you’re meant for, and you know it. You can still choose something else,anythingelse. It’s not too late to wash your hands of him.”

A muscle ticks in Shane’s jaw. “No one forced me to go into business with Isaiah. I went into this with my eyes wide open.”

“No, you didn’t, Shane.” I bridge the gap between us and reach for his hand. “You can still do the right thing. You can make different choices. Better ones.”

Shane snatches his hand away and takes a step back. “Who the hell do you think you are? You don’t get to come here and judge me like you know me.”

“I know you better than you think.”

Shane pins me with an angry look. “You only know part of the story, not all of it. If you knew the truth about everything I’ve done and everything I’ll have to do, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

I shake my head. “I’m not holding you accountable for anything you’ve done before. We can start over together. We can—”

Shane throws his head back and lets out a dark, humorless laugh. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I’m not some damsel in distress who doesn’t know any better, Evie.”

“Shane, I—”

Shane holds his hand up and gives a sharp shake of his head. “No, we are not continuing this conversation. I’ve made myself really clear, Evie. I am not going to give up on Isaiah like people gave up on me. I am going to find another way, with or without your help.”

With that, he spins on his heels and storms out of the room.

For a long time, I stand there with my mouth hanging open until I realize Hayes is casting glances at me over his shoulder. I then straighten my back and square my shoulders. Gathering as much of my dignity as I can muster, I walk out of the room with my head held high and my hands curled into fists at my side.

At the doorway to my room, I stop and clench my hands tighter. “Where’s Riley today?”

“She’ll be here in ten minutes,” Hayes replies.

“I want to go on a run,” I announce in a clear voice.

“Alright.”

* * *

Two hours later,after a shower, I am sitting in front of the laptop in the quiet study in an empty part of the house. On the screen in front of me, my mom is talking animatedly while Sienna and TJ have pained smiles on their faces. Dinah’s face appears for a few seconds, and while she peers at the screen, I stare at her and frown.

She only offers me a tight nod before disappearing.

“Is everything okay?”

Alba glanced over at my grandfather before licking her lips. “Yes, everything is fine. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. You’re all acting weird.”

Alba waves my comment away and gives me a small smile. “That’s probably the stress talking, dear. You have been there for a month.”

I blink. “Have I?”

Alba nods. “Yes, but don’t worry. You’ll be out soon.”

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