Page 80 of The Texan's Secrets

“You’d have to tell her the whole story.” Rafe’s tone moderated. “You had your friend’s back. You sacrificed yourself for his family.”

“You’re assuming she’d stick around long enough to hear the whole story.” Nico wasn’t at all sure he’d have a chance to explain the extenuating circumstances.

The bald truth would frighten her, and she’d likely bolt before he could say much of anything at all. And he wouldn’t blame her. Fear of him would be a perfectly natural reaction, and leaving a perfectly reasonable course of action.

No smart woman would stick with a guy who had been judged violent in court, and who’d lied to her all this time about his criminal record. No. If he told her,whenhe told her, he had to be prepared for the relationship to end right then and there.

“I keep thinking just a couple more days,” he said half to himself. “I’ll just see her a few more times.” He went for a curry comb to clean Dancer’s coat.

“See her or make love with her?” Rafe asked as he began brushing his own horse with long strokes.

“Either. Both. I don’t know.” Nico only knew he wasn’t ready to let her go.

“What if she finds out on her own?” Rafe asked.

Nico paused over that. The possibility wasn’t far-fetched. There were a hundred scenarios where it could happen.

At first, he’d worried constantly about being recognized while he was with her. But, so far, it hadn’t happened. So, he’d grown more complacent, focusing on Emilia instead of the strangers around them every place they went.

“I know that could make it worse,” he admitted.

“It would absolutely make it worse. The only hope you have is if you tell her yourself.”

“I will.” Nico would.

“What about the wedding?” Rafe asked.

“Tell her at thewedding?” Nico couldn’t think of a less appropriate place to tell Emilia the truth about his history.

Rafe gave an impatient frown. “What if you’re outed by someone at the wedding?”

Nico rocked back on his heels.

It was a bigger possibility than Nico had considered. Maggie and Rafe knew, but he completely trusted them to keep his secret. But everyone who was anyone in Royal would attend the Del Rio–Winters wedding. Someone would likely recognize him. Plus, Emilia was sure to get a lot of attention as a bridesmaid. People would stare at her and see him beside her.

Nico might not be famous in this town, but he was notorious. There were dozens of people who might recognize him at the wedding and give away his secret.

“The wordsnow or nevercome to mind,” Rafe said.

Nico stilled, resting his hand against Dancer’s warm back. “Shoot.”

“Go,” Rafe said. “Do it right now. I’ll finish up here.”

Nico started combing again. He had no intention of leaving Rafe with the work of putting away the horses, even if a vague sense of panic was building up in his chest because he knew his friend was right.

“Go,” Rafe repeated.

Nico stepped back from the horse. “Are you sure?”

Rafe waved off his concern. “I’ve got this.”

“Okay.” Nico gave a nod, knowing he’d been a fool to let it go on this long. He started for the barn door. “Okay.”

He leaped into his SUV and roared down the gravel road. He maxed out his speed as he swerved onto the highway, small stones bouncing off the pavement behind him. It was miles back into town, but traffic was light and he gambled on a lack of strict speed enforcement on this stretch of highway.

It wasn’t until the lights of Royal came into view that he slowed down, taking his place in a moving line of traffic that marched into the outskirts of the city. He began composing speeches in his mind, imagining how they’d sound, picturing Emilia’s shock and disappointment, then discarding his ideas and starting all over again.

In the Del Rio driveway, he glided to a stop in front of their mansion, gazing at the front door and shifting the vehicle into park. This, right now, was his last chance to back out and roll the dice instead. The closer the moment came, the less he wanted to blow up their relationship tonight.

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