fuck’s sake. The second time, there had been people inside the place.
Innocent people.
No, we had to get to the bottom of all this acting out. Even if she never spoke to me again when we made landfall. Of course, that was the last thing I wanted, but we would address the charred elephant in the room, even if it was the last conversation we ever had.
Thinking she probably could use some alone time, and hopefully come to her senses that I wasn’t the enemy here, I checked my email. Even though I had posted an away message on my account, there were still a few legitimate issues that needed to be addressed. Before going to find Rio, I called Elijah to check in and see what the general climate around the Shark household was.
“Hey, man,” my friend said in greeting.
“How’s it going?” I asked, my tone void of energy.
“Well, whatever went down with you and Bas earlier left me with a real hornet’s nest around here.” He chuckled. Sort of. “So yeah, thanks for that.”
“I’m sorry. Honestly, man.”
And indeed, I was. But at the same time, I knew if anyone could handle Sebastian’s ire, it was Elijah Banks.
I paused for a few beats, hating to start the next topic. “Hey, listen though, when Bas called me, it dawned on me that you and I need to make sure we have our stories straight.”
“Stories straight? About what? He knows why you took off with her. Everyone knows you’ve got it bad for the little firebug.”
“Elijah,” I growled. “Don’t.”
“Proving my point perfectly,” he said smugly.
“Can we be serious for a minute?” I raked my hair back and continued, “I’m talking about the night of Sean Gibson’s accident.”
“Oh, right. That.”
“Yeah, that. He’s not letting this drop. I thought for sure he’d move on to more important things, like…oh, I don’t know?” I said sarcastically. “His woman about to drop his spawn?”
“Grant,” Elijah said, a slight hint of warning in the one syllable of my name.
“What?” I barked and then instantly felt bad for it. My sour mood wasn’t his fault.
My friend’s voice softened to the peace-keeper I recognized. “This isn’t like you. I know you’re spooked about him figuring out it was Rio, but calling his son his spawn? Really? A little much, don’t you think?”
“He was such a dick when we spoke earlier, and then Abbi chewed my ear right after. And the storm of a woman I’m dealing with here.” I rubbed my throbbing forehead with the pads of my thumbs. “Shit, Elijah. I’m catching hell no matter which way I turn.”
“No one ever said playing the hero was easy, my man.”
“I’m not hero material, and we both know it,” I said dryly. “Anyway, doesn’t the hero always get the girl?”
“And gets to wear primary-colored tights!” he said with mock enthusiasm.
“I’ll be lucky to get a knee in the balls and a stern lecture.”
My buddy burst out laughing at my comment but eventually said, “I always figured it would take a ballbuster like that firecracker to settle you down.”
“Whoa there, big man. Who said anything about settling down? She’s my friend, and I care about her. I want to help her get over the death of her husband,” I protested.
“Over him and under you, I think is what you’re trying to say.”
Frustrated, I raked my hand through my hair again. I’d be bald by the end of this damn trip if I weren’t careful. “For Christ’s sake. Why do I have to keep repeating—”
“Cut the shit, Twombley. It’s me. One of your best friends. You’ve totally fucked that woman already; I can feel the possessiveness coming off you in waves. Probably again since you’ve been stowed away on the high seas if I were a betting man.”
“You have no idea what—”
“Yep! Knew it. But for fuck’s sake, man. Why is it so hard to admit you’re into her? Do yourself a favor and face the feelings you have for her.” He paused, and I was seconds from denying his assessment when he finished with, “You’ll be in a better place mentally to give her what she needs.”
And that was the thing about Elijah Banks that earned him such a cherished role in my life. He gave it to me straight, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Additionally, with the fucked-up relationship he had had with Hensley Pritchett years ago, he’d gained a ton of insight. The man knew what it took for a couple to stay together, even when