Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters) - By Caitlyn Robertson Page 0,33
someone. The panic had burrowed into his chest like an insect, and for the first time his heart lightened at sharing the news.
“What is she going to do?” Cam said.
“I don’t know. Maybe nothing.”
“Why did you kiss her?”
Fresh tears of frustration and anger filled Dex’s eyes. He looked across the road to the supermarket, watching people struggling to their cars with bags of heavy shopping. How could everything be so normal when his world was falling apart?
“She taunted me,” he said, his voice low. “I told her—by mistake—that Honey and I hadn’t slept together, and she started going on about us, things we used to do… It made me angry. I left that life behind and I thought I’d moved on, but she made me feel that some of the darkness still remains inside me. She grabbed me and kissed me and, for one second, I didn’t stop her.” He looked back at Cam, his eyes blurry. “It was only a second, but I know it’s not an excuse, and I know I did wrong. I’ve hated myself for it ever since.”
“You still love Honey?”
“Of course. I know I’ve screwed up. I love her so much, Cam, it’s killing me to think I’ve hurt her…”
To his surprise, Cam reached out and rested a hand briefly on his shoulder. “Calm down,” Cam said, sounding amused. “You haven’t committed murder. Or even been unfaithful. You haven’t hurt Honey—yet. And you won’t, because she’s not going to find out.”
Dex blew out a long, slow breath. “Okay.”
“At least I’m not going to tell her. And neither will Koru. It was a friend of his who saw you and told him, you know.”
Dex closed his eyes. “Fuck.”
“Fuck indeed.”
“Is he angry?”
“He wanted to cut off your dick and stuff it in your mouth. I managed to persuade him otherwise.” Cam continued to sound amused.
Disappointment swept over Dex. His shoulders sagged. He couldn’t believe Koru had seen him. “Why aren’t you going to tell her?” he whispered.
Cam studied him thoughtfully. “Because she’s had a hell of a time in the past, and this is the happiest I’ve seen her in years. Because she’s crazy about you and, in spite of all this, I think you’re crazy about her. And because I sincerely believe that, deep down, you’re a good man, and you want to do well by her. I think you’ll be faithful to her, and you’ll look after her.”
“I will,” Dex croaked.
“Because if you don’t, I’ll let Koru loose on you.” Cam’s eyes glittered.
Dex looked at his feet, remembering Koru’s tale of what he’d done to Ian Mc-Fucking-Idiot. “How mad is he?”
Cam sighed. “He’s angry. But the thing is…we’ve all been there, Dex. You think you’re the only one who’s ever had an unhealthy obsession with a girl? People can have a hold over us for all sorts of reasons. Women are like sirens—they call out to your soul and there’s often not a damn thing you can do about it—you go running whether you want to or not.”
Was he talking about Marama or someone else? Dex wasn’t sure.
“Do you want this girl?” Cam asked.
“No!” Dex spoke vehemently. “God, no.”
“And do you love Honey?”
“Yes. I swear it, Cam. With all my heart.”
“Then let’s forget about it and concentrate on the weekend. But Dex? If you see her again, I want you to come and tell me.”
“I will, sir.”
“This woman is a worthless piece of trash and I won’t have her ruining my girl’s wedding.”
“I understand.” Dex swallowed. Cam’s eyes were hard and cold. He wouldn’t like to make an enemy of the man. He still couldn’t believe Cam had been so understanding—he wouldn’t have been surprised if Cam had phoned Honey immediately and told her, then got her brother to beat him up. Talking of which… “What about Koru?”
“Koru thinks with his heart and not with his head. But he’s been there too. He went out with a girl for a few years in England who got her claws into him. He tried to break it off several times, but each time she swore she couldn’t live without him…you know the drill.”
Dex nodded. Indeed he did. “What happened?”
“Much as the same as what happened to you, I suspect—in the end he just walked out and told her to do her worst. In his case, she carried it through, though—she took an overdose.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. One of those cry for help things, I guess. She knew someone would be walking in the door any minute. I guess she was