Her Scream in the Silence (Carly Moore #2) - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,17
caveman when that happened. Max sure did,” I said in an accusatory tone. “But you stayed in your seat.” I swiveled my head to look at him, not sure why I was attacking him, other than I was just plain pissed. And overwhelmed. And frightened.
To his credit, he didn’t look ruffled. “I was watchin’,” he said evenly, “but you were holdin’ your own. You’re no shrinkin’ violet, Carly Moore, and you sure as hell don’t need a man to fight your battles for you. Now tell me why you’re out here, because I doubt you’re moping over Todd Bingham.”
Wyatt had a knack for seeing through my walls, which only served to remind me there was so much I didn’t know about him. I turned away to look back up at the sky. “Max thinks I’m a domestic violence victim, on the run from an abusive boyfriend. He wanted to know why I was standin’ up to Bingham, and I slipped up and told him I wasn’t backin’ down from men like him again.” I shook my head and released a bitter laugh. “Guess I’m not a good candidate for the CIA.”
“You’re doin’ the best you can in a very bad situation,” he said, moving next to me and placing his back against the wall, his hands pressed behind him. “Why are you really out here?”
“I keep slippin’ up. I’m scared that maybe Drum’s too small to hide in and I need to go to a bigger city.”
He stood up straighter, then said in surprise, “You’re thinkin’ about runnin’ again.”
“I don’t know,” I said, “but I’m worried I’ve made myself too visible. Especially after my name and those blurry photos ran in the local paper a few weeks back. When you’re on the run, you’re supposed to fade into the background. I’m definitely not doin’ that here.”
“I doubt you’re capable of hidin’ in the background,” he said softly.
“I hid in the background for thirty-one years. I just seem to be incapable of doing it here.” But to be fair, I was a different person here. Leaving my name and my past behind had allowed me to become the person I’d always wanted to be—the person who’d always hidden inside the shell of Caroline Blakely. “Part of the reason I decided to stay was because you said we’d work together to bring our fathers down, but I can’t do squat to help if you don’t tell me anything.” I turned my head to face him. “What happened between you and your dad?”
Frustration filled his eyes. “Carly…”
I was a fool. Wyatt wasn’t going to tell me anything.
I pushed away from the wall with a long sigh. Would I always be fool enough to fall for lines from good-looking men? “I need to get back to work.”
He rushed to block the doorway. “Carly, wait. Why are you pushin’ me away?”
I shook my head, amazed at his gall. “Are you serious? You’re the one pushin’ me away, Wyatt. You know everything about my life, and you’ve shared next to nothing with me!”
His chest puffed out. “That’s not true! Besides, I guessed your secret. You didn’t voluntarily share it.”
“Yet I suspect if I guessed yours, you wouldn’t admit to it.”
“I’ve told you things.”
My eyes narrowed, my anger rising. “Sure, you’ve told me plenty of inconsequential things, but you have yet to tell me anything of importance. I thought we were supposed to be in this together.”
His jaw set and I could see a war waging in his eyes, even in the dimly lit parking lot. “I’m tryin’ to protect you.”
“Bull. Shit,” I snapped, poking him in the chest. “I’m not sure who you’re really protectin’, but it sure as hell isn’t me.” Then I stormed past him into the bar, so pissed I could kick something.
The men were all watching me when I returned, not that I was surprised. I’d had my run-in with Bingham, then Max had dragged me to the back. They all probably thought I’d gone off to sulk after being reprimanded. What burned is they weren’t wrong, but it made me look weak, something I couldn’t afford in this town.
Maybe it really was time to move on.
Chapter Five
Wyatt left soon after that. Part of me was hurt that he’d taken off without saying goodbye. Then I reminded myself he probably thought I didn’t want to talk to him. He was right, which only proved I was a hot mess over that man.
What was I doing starting a relationship with everything else going