“What did that bitch promise you? Did she say she’d stop what she’s doing to this town?”
The color drains from her face. “Get out,” she says in a low voice, pointing toward the window.
“There’s no way in hell I’m giving up on my wife that easily.”
“I’m serious, Gage. If they find you up here—”
I grab her waist, pulling her body against mine. She lets out a gasp as her chest knocks into mine. Then my hand moves under the t-shirt, spreading over her warm back. Her eyelids flutter, her body softening. Then she seems to realize her mistake and shoves me. There’s a vein jumping in her neck.
“Don’t do that.”
“Because you like it too much?”
“Stop grinning like an idiot! I’m done with Fair Oaks. Why can’t you leave me alone?”
“We said vows to each other.”
She rolls her eyes, and I’m tempted to bend her over the bed and spank the shit out of her. “While wasted.”
“We made a kid together. I’m more than just a casual fuck.” I take her hands and gently pull her close. “If you really think I’m just the guy who knocked you up, tell me. But if there’s a chance you’re only doing this to fight what’s happening to Fair Oaks, I deserve to know. You don’t get to make that kind of decision for both of us.”
She’s already falling apart. Her eyes are shining with regret, and a single tear spills onto her cheek. Then she opens her mouth, her bottom lip trembling.
“Who is that?” A man’s voice booms from the door. The doorknob jiggles violently. “Who are you talking to?”
I open my mouth, but she smothers me with her hand. “Nobody!” She glares at me, warning me not to respond.
“I heard a man."
“Unless you think there’s a warp hole in my bedroom, leave me the hell alone.”
His weight shifts in front of the door. “I definitely heard another person,” he says, a bit doubtfully.
“I don’t have time to deal with your insecurities. Go away.”
I bend my neck. Olivia jumps when she feels my lips on her ear. “Let me beat the shit out of him.”
“No,” she whispers. “Get the hell out!”
She presses the small of my back with every ounce of strength she has, nevermind that she’s too weak to make me budge.
“Don’t tell me to go away. I’m not a dog that you can snap at!”
“I have more respect for dogs. At least they don’t threaten to demolish entire towns when they don’t get their way.”
Black hair clings to her mouth as she whirls on me, pleading. “Get out!”
“Open up!” His fist hammers the door again.
“I’m not leaving you here alone with that fucking nutjob.”
She seizes the back of my head, her eyes wild. “Trust me. Go.”
“Why the hell should I do that?”
“Because, damn it. He’s going to arrest you the second he finds you here. Go!”
I lean forward, crushing my lips against hers as she kisses with a similar frenzy. She pushes me toward the window even as she pulls me back. Every instinct wants me to tuck Olivia under my arm and swing myself from the house like Tarzan, but she’s right. That bastard will have me arrested for breaking and entering.
“You’re going to get caught,” she pleads me.
“I’m not scared of Mark.”
But she is.
Mark seems determined to batter down the door.
Olivia shoves my chest. “Go, damn you!”
Fine. She wins this round. I turn around, sliding my legs through the window. Then I hang from the ledge, slowly making my way down. My heart hammers against my ribs as I slide down the column, and then I look up. Olivia hangs outside, her hair falling over her face.
Trust her.
I blow a kiss to my wife before she disappears back inside.
The meeting at town hall is packed to the gills. They had to bring in extra chairs from the elementary school next door, and even then there weren’t enough seats for everyone. People spill out into the hallway. They’re lined up along the walls as they watch the podium, waiting for the city council meeting. I sit in the second row with Mom, my brothers flanking us. Chris stands next to the podium with two other deputies, which is standard. Every eye is on that stage.
Angry mutterings break out in the crowd as a thin woman dressed in a pencil-gray skirt, black heels, and a hot pink blouse walks onto the stage, her son in tow along with an extremely uncomfortable Olivia. My guts clench