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Her heart rate sped up as she started to digest his words The reason for his distance at the barn and now here at the house was suddenly all too clear "So what are you saying?"
He cleared his throat almost nervously "I think you need to leave town for a while Maybe take a long vacation"
"Excuse me?" What the hell was the matter with hiroup and noanted her to leave Nohen her friend was in soinside her And nohen December needed hiot a list of all APL members in the area now There aren’t oing to have a problem anymore, but I want to be sure You need to be far away fro away fro Especially not my home When I was seventeen, my brother and I packed up and ran away froain There will always be proble is not the answer"
He sed hard, his gaze haunted "This time it is You can’t be associated with "
"What the hell are you trying to say? Spit it out, Lia she knehat he meant, but she wanted to hear it
His expression completely shut down "There can’t be an ‘us’ anyht not be able to read his face, but he actually sounded like he was sorry All pitiful and pathetic and it just pissed her off even more
"You are a coward" She bit out each word "You pursued iven you what you want--given us a chance--you think pushing me away makes sense?"
"It’s the only way to keep you safe"
"Bullshit It’s the only way you can lock up whatever feelings you have forto protect yourself"
When he didn’t respond, she wanted to scream He simply stood there, his face impassive, as if he’d already made the decision and she had absolutely no say whatsoever in it
"So you’re not even trying to deny it?" she de to do withback the surging, bubbling anger coursing through her Was he really going to do this? Kick her out of his life? "I can’t believe you seriously believe the crap that’s co
Which only infuriated her evenback toLiam one last lethal stare, she turned on her heel and stalked froht--technically this et any sleep Not when she was so wired Despite the exhaustion overwhelh her ht But if Lia she knew for sure was that this conversation wasn’t over Not by a long shot After he stewed on his asinine decision for a day or two, she’d confront hiain and see how ready he was to shove her out of his life
Chapter 20
Three days later
Decelanced in the rearview s lately Sure enough, one of Liam’s packmates had followed her ho to the police, Kat had insisted on leaving the ranch She’d quit her job at the ski lodge and she didn’t want to be anywhere near Jayce or anyone really, and even though Connor and Liaht her decision, Connor had eventually relented as long as Kat accepted protection fro ho there were still possible APL threats out there, but right now her friend needed this and Kat didn’t want to be at the ranch If it would help Kat heal, Dece there were packthe house and she had a new top-of-the-line security systeht over safety issues Well, she was, but that was because of a certain pigheaded shifter who thought he could make decisions about their life because it suited hi his distance and staying out of her life, he sure had a duh She knew she’d seen hi her and Kat While she ht appreciate that, she felt as if he’d ripped her heart out, then stomped it into tiny pieces He wouldn’t even return her calls As if what they’d shared together ht not be true, but it hat it felt like each tihts of his to worry about Kat wouldn’t leave the house or even talk about what happened Her pain was obviously still fresh, and even if she wouldn’t talk to December, she really wished her friend would talk to someone
When December entered the house, the subtle scent of chili teased her nostrils She pressed a hand to her stomach as bile rose in her throat Normally she loved chili, but the s it up, then headed for the kitchen She found Kat at the stove, still in her pajalanced over her shoulder at her Her eyes were red and puffy, likely because she’d been cryingdown the unexpected nausea, she stepped farther into the rooe ahead "Hey…listen, I know it’s notmaybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk to a professional Maybe not in Fontana, but we can find a doctor in a nearby town and--"