Mine - HelenKay Dimon Page 0,105

you won’t admit she saved you.” Andy made a tsk-tsking sound. “Seems like the perfect pair to me.”

Gabe stopped and took a mental step back. Andy wasn’t yelling or crucifying Natalie for her actions. He almost joked, as if everything happening now amounted to not much at all. “What’s your point?”

“Did you really ask her to live with you?”

So, Andy had been hiding outside, listening, for longer than Gabe thought. He’d heard and there was no use in denying the basic gist of his offer to her. “Not in those words.”

“Now who’s being difficult?”

“People get close and then they lie to me.” The admission cost Gabe something.

Andy sobered. “Some did and you deserved better.”

“Including her.” A noise above him had Gabe turning around. Natalie thumped her way down the stairs, with her boots smacking against each step as she carried a duffel bag over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“Leaving.” She kept right on walking. Breezed past him and headed for the front door.

“We’re not done,” he shouted at her retreating back.

“Oh, we’re done.” She turned around and tapped her hand against the side of the duffel. “You bought all of this for me, so charge it to Bast. I’ll pay for everything when I pay my legal bill.”

A chill moved through him. The idea of her leaving cut deeper than the idea of her running the DNA test. He didn’t even know what to be angry about anymore. It all merged together until his head pounded and he wished they could climb back into bed and start this shitty day over again.

Then there was his real job. Keeping her safe. “Where exactly do you plan to go?”

She held the bag’s strap in a death grip. “It’s fine for me out there, remember?”

“That is not what Rick said.” God, if after all this his words caused her to run out and get hurt or worse . . . there was no way he could live with that. Gabe knew that much.

“I’m a big girl.”

“You’re running. Just like you always do.”

She didn’t look away from his stare. “It’s a skill that works for me.”

Andy cleared his throat. “I can take you to D.C. or wherever you want to go.”

The offer had Gabe’s head spinning. “What the hell?”

“She wants to leave,” Andy said.

She shook her head but didn’t move any closer to the front door. “I’m fine.”

“At least let me take you to the cabin.” Keys jingled as Andy pulled the chain out of his front pocket. “Then you can scatter from there.”

“Deal.” This time she did reach for the doorknob and pulled.

The numbness returned. A deep, black nothingness that made Gabe hope for the return of his anger. “So that’s it?”

She froze but didn’t turn around to face him. “You made this decision.”

Then she opened the door and stepped outside, leaving it open behind her.

Gabe watched her walk down the front steps and look out over his open front yard. He turned on Andy. “What are you thinking with that offer?”

“That you have until I get to the cabin to figure out letting her go is the wrong move.” Andy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ll drive slow, but get there fast because losing her will be the biggest fucking mistake you’ve ever made.”

The words had Gabe jerking with surprise. “I am not running after her.”

“You sure as hell better be. And you need to make a big gesture.”

Andy kept talking like the problem had been resolved. Any way Gabe put the pieces together in his head he could not make the puzzle come out that way. “She’s the one who fucked me over.”

“Again, you didn’t pick an easy woman.” Andy slapped the back of his hand against Gabe’s chest. “Man up and fight for her.”

Andy headed out, following Natalie’s path. But Gabe just stood there, trying to figure out the last few roller coaster minutes. Good news. Horrible news. Keeping Brandon safe. Losing her forever.

Misery and relief swamped him. He’d never dealt with confusion like this. Never felt as if so much rode on the next decision he made. Not that he had much of a choice. Despite everything, including the gaping hole inside him, he loved her. Forget falling, he’d fallen already.

His gaze went to the peg in the kitchen and his car keys hanging there. Getting in that vehicle meant fighting for her and forgiving and letting the hurt go. Staying right where he was, wallowing, fit more with how he felt, that she needed to stop running