Page 118 of Brewing Temptation

There it was.The inevitable hurt, betrayal, and disbelief I’d so desperately wanted to avoid. All the emotions painted across that beautiful pixie face. At least this way, we were home. At least I didn’t have to put on some bullshit front and could just be…herJameson.

“Baby,” I said calmly, although no bone in my body could echo the sentiment. “I can explain.”

“You fucking better,” she snapped, fear consuming the irises I loved so much, chest heaving.

“We’ll,uh, just be going,” Broderick said gently, as he and El made for his car. For as much as they drove each other to madness, I was so grateful he’d been by her side today. They might not admit it, but their friendship was equal parts respect and endless debates. He knew as well as I did, my sister could break when there were problems she couldn’t fix, and I’d always been terrified she wouldn’t remember how to put herself together again. Broderick was a master at keeping people centered. The glare Noel leveled their direction told me they’d stuck to my plan, and she knew they’d held out on her, betrayal radiating from the tight hold of her shoulders and set of her jaw. El’s eyes watered as they fell to her feet, and she reluctantly followed Broderick as he drug her away.

ShelovedNoel.

Probably more than anyone shy of Rhyett, the two of them had connected over these last months, and guilt ate at my stomach at the idea of driving a rift between them over El’s undying loyalty to her family.

To me.

Fuck.

“Wait,” Noel snapped her fingers, halting Broderick and El a foot away from his sedan, both of them shifting nervously on their feet. “You both stay.” She whirled on me, ire in her eyes, my stomach sinking.

“Baby.”

“Don’t,” she snapped, pulling away as I reached for her. “Don’t touch me.Explain.”

I stepped back, the agony twisted with terror threading through her voice as good as any physical blow. It would’ve been better if she’d hit me. Crossing my arms to keep myself from going to her to do exactly that, I assured her, “I’m okay.We’reokay.”

“But we’re not going to be…are we?” she said, blinking back against the water threatening to spill down her cheeks. Fuck, I couldn’t live with myself if that hint of fear became the real thing. If I couldn’t pull off what I thought I could, and she suffered more for it. If there was the slightest inclination that he was going to win this thing, I’d fucking kill him. Make it worth it.

“Rob and I have no doubts we’ll win the case, Skittles. Evidence is overwhelmingly on our side.” Okay, about ninety percent certainty, but that was pretty damn close. “It’s just money and an aggravating amount of time he’ll get from me.”

“Who the hell is Rob?”

Fair question. Keeping my tone steadier than my pulse, I said, “Broderick’s dad. He’s our family attorney.” Broderick gave a little wave, his expression more grimace than smile, obviously uncomfortable being dragged into this.

That seemed to appease her for a second before she scowled. “How bad is it? I need to call Vallie.”

“Yeah, we should probably do that,” I agreed simply. “It’s a bogus assault charge. It won’t hold up. It’s my word versus his and—”

“He’s a Connely,” she said flatly, leveling me with a glare that dripped in a pain I couldn’t understand. “They do whatever the fuck they want to do.”

“I have eye-witnesses,” I pointed out, rocking on my feet in an effort to not reach for her again. “All of them will vouch for me. Including a sheriff. There’s no way that he’s going to win, baby.”

“You don’t understand,” she said, her chin wobbling as she blinked up at me.Thereshe was. My brave girl. It was the tremble in her lip that threatened to undo me altogether. I needed to kiss the worry off her face to ease her fear.

But I couldn’t.

Couldn’t touch her unless she allowed it.

Couldn’t promise her something I had no technical control over.

“He’ll destroy us, Jameson.” She could barely get the words through her lips, the tremor in her jaw giving away the depth of her fear. “When people cross their family, theydecimatethem. They don’t leave enough of them to recover.”

“Not me, baby. Notus. This family can’t break—we’d never allow a coward like that to breakshit. And you’re not facing them alone. Not anymore.”

“Don’t you get it?!” She demanded, throwing her hands up. “He won’t stop.Theywon’t stop. And as well-intentioned as you all are, none of us have the resources that they do. Men like Eric do what they want; the people around them be damned. Do you know what went through my head today?! When you didn’t come home.”

The way she glared up at me left no room for error, so I just answered honestly, shame bubbling like oil in my gut. “No, baby. But I can imagine.”

“Can you?” Her tears came then. “Because against all odds, Ifound you, Jameson. When I was at my lowest. When the world would have me—whenhewould have me—think I was alone and helpless against the big bad wolf banging on my door…I found you. And I…I can’t do this without you. Ican’t. I can’t imagine a life where you’re not by my side.Against all odds, I moved five thousand miles from home—ran like a coward—and the world, universe, God, or whatever deity is looking over us, let me run right intoyourarms.” Her voice cracked, the dam breaking into a steady flow as she shook her head. “You should have told me. I should have been allowed to at least go with you. Should have been able tohold you,” her voice broke again, and she shook her head, blowing an angry breath out as she wiped at her eyes, jamming her fingers against the corners like she could contain her tears. “What if it wasour last chance? How could you fucking take that from me—takeusfrom me without even giving me a moment tosay goodbye?”

Her sob decimated me, my composure breaking. Unable to help myself any longer, I shifted forward, scooping her little face up between my palms, lifting her chin as I demanded, “Look at me.” When she just jammed her eyes closed, lower lip trembling, I repeated myself. “I said look at me. Good girl. Listen here, Noel McShane, you’re one of us now. And they might be loud, overwhelming as hell, and obnoxious at times, but they’re not about to let this little shit hurt one of their own any more than he has. And they’recertainlynot going to let you face this alone.”

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