Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,320

for each other. We’re family, and I take family seriously. I have no doubt that you’d go off at someone who was giving one of your sisters or your mom a hard time. Wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah, true. If you’re coming with me this Friday, you better rein in the temper, though, especially if Luke is there. I don’t want you getting into trouble for me.”

“If he keeps his mouth shut and keeps his distance, then we won’t have a problem.”

I take Dylan in. It’s as though she’s projecting her thoughts through to me. Her face tells me everything I need to know.

She takes a deep breath and then says, “Well, I don’t think you should come with me then. I won’t have that. I’m sorry. I’ll take Vivian with me.”

I release her hands. “No. Don’t do that, Dylan. I’m not a violent man, but I will protect what I care about.”

“I’m sorry, Cole. I can’t take that risk. Don’t worry about coming on Friday.”

“Fine.” I stand and grab my jacket and slip it on. Turning to her, there are tears in her eyes. “Sorry you feel that way and can’t trust me to control myself. I guess this—whatever it is—is done.”

“Wait, Cole! P-please don’t leave.” The pleading in her cracked voice makes me stop, but only briefly before I head to the door and exit.

18

Dylan

“He left?” I swipe tears from my cheeks as I hold my cell out and put it on speaker.

Scarlett’s soft voice answers, “What happened?”

I fill her in on the conversation that transpired between Cole and me. Watching him leave was heart-wrenching. I hardly know this man, so why do I feel so invested in him and how he feels. I wasn’t expecting feelings to develop so soon for him. He was simply helping me out of a pickle with my mom.

Oh great. Mom.

I’ll have to fill her in next week at dinner.

That’s going to be fun.

I thought perhaps Cole would join me again.

“Why did you push him away like that? He’s obviously fiercely protective of those he cares about. Don’t hate me for saying this, but I honestly think you overreacted over something that isn’t a big deal.” Scarlett’s words solidify how stupid I was in talking to Cole the way I did. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. I don’t need him protecting me and perhaps punching Luke if he turns up on Friday. “But what if he causes a scene and loses his job defending me? I couldn’t stand that.”

“I understand. I doubt he’d blame you. He’d look at it as though he was defending someone he cares about.” She pauses a moment. “How do you feel about him?”

I don’t even hesitate. “I care about him. I like him. Is that stupid? I mean, I’ve only just met him. He’s met my family, and we’ve slept together. It almost seems unreal, like he doesn’t really exist. You know what I mean?”

Scarlett laughs. “Yeah, I get it. Sometimes things happen and they’re instantly right. Maybe you were meant to meet Cole. He was meant to walk into your work, and you were supposed to take him to dinner. Things happen for a reason. You did something on impulse by taking him to your family, but I think your subconscious knew what he would eventually mean to you.”

“I’m not one of your romance stories, Scarlett,” I say with a hint of humor.

“Hey, don’t mock the books. Sometimes things in them can happen in real life. Hell, my story is one for the books. We both know that.”

“Isn’t that the truth. So, what am I supposed to do about this mess I’ve made?”

“Ring him. Apologize. Tell him you still want him to come with you.”

Guilt ripples over me because of my stupidity. I could have been lying in bed with him right now, but instead, I chose to sabotage something good in my life. This time, it wasn’t my job. This time, it was simply me.

I groan. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Well, we all do silly things sometimes, but I have no doubt that all of this will work out in the end.”

“I hope so. I do like him and would like to see where this goes. He’s the first guy who didn’t run off because of what I do.”

“I know. He’s a keeper…I think.”

We end our conversation, and I simply stare at my cell.

Do I ring him?

My heart pounds so loudly I can hear it in my ears. I hit his name