Behind those fancy doors, with their brass knockers and deceitful doormats that had the nerve to say, ‘Welcome,’ were the same vicious snobs who’d looked down their noses at me earlier.
Shannon, by all appearances, seemed just as mystified by the day’s events as me. Now her eyes had a vacant look, like she’d drifted off into her own universe to escape the complete shitstorm in this one.
Was I grateful for her help? Hell yeah, but nothing had changed. As if it ever could. What she’d done to my family was unforgivable.
CHAPTER THREE
I Scream, You Scream
SHANNON
____________________________
At least five minutes had passed since I’d given him the hanky, yet my fingers still tingled where we’d touched. I’d ridden in this limo a million times, but it never felt this claustrophobic. Blocking him out was impossible. His presence seemed to fill every inch of space.
Although sending a limo in lieu of the more practical town car was a classic example of Auntie’s smothering and pretentiousness, hindsight made me think again.
The more distance between Trace Dawson and me, the better.
“You still owe me an explanation.”
Like a clap of thunder, the low rumble of his voice came out of nowhere.
I gathered my wits while a bus crammed with riders crept by in a cloud of diesel exhaust. “Sorry?”
“Back there.” He jerked his head. “You helped me. Why?”
The answer eluded me, so I chose the coward’s way out. “Do you know why you tried to help me?”
“No.”
“Well, neither do I.” A weight lifted when he didn’t press the issue, but then the perfect answer came to me. “Trace?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe things aren’t as enigmatic as they seem. Maybe we both just had a visceral reaction and…and there’s no mystery about it. Maybe it just is.”
He squinted as if I’d just sprouted feathers. “Care to say that in English?”
I blinked. Two heartbeats later, I said, “Some things are instinctual. Like gut reactions? But then other things are more complicated.” I dipped my head, brushed my bangs away. “Like this conversation.” His granite expression softened. Encouraged, I kept on. “Since I heard you were getting out, I’ve worried about things like where and how to approach you…and what to say…and what you’d think if I—you know, how you might react when we….” I tossed a hand. “I’m not making any sense, am I?”
“Some.”
Some. Amazing how one simple word could lighten a burden. “To be honest, you blindsided me this morning,” I said, picking at the hole in my jeans. “And when you started running, I thought….”
He eased forward. “Yeah?”
“I thought you wanted to hurt me.” I lowered my eyes again. “But then I understood. You would’ve pushed me out of the way had you been closer.”
“That was the plan.”
“Right. So, I started thinking that maybe I should offer an olive branch. You know, considering all we’ve—”
He cocked a brow. “An olive branch, huh?”
“Yes.”
Trace’s eyes flickered with a chilling combination of veiled amusement and…contempt? “Don’t you think it’s a little late for olive branches?”
Whatever relief I felt vanished. Something had just gone horribly wrong.
“Oh, before I forget.” He snagged a magazine from his pillowcase, and tossed it on my lap. His cool gaze slid to the three-carat solitaire winking on my ring finger, then raked up my arm to rest on my face. “Congratulations.” When I eyed the tabloid in distaste, he said, “Turn to page seven.”
I feigned indifference. That is, until I found the article. By the time I’d finished reading it, my stomach was in tatters. With a circulation in the gazillions, the filthy rag went all over the country, and it was as accurate as a mood ring.
“I don’t know where this vulgar woman gets her sordid ideas,” I said, pitching the disgusting paper aside. “But I am not, nor have I ever been a ‘swinger.’ As for the ridiculous sadomasochism garbage—”
“I kinda knew that already. What about the engagement?”
“Uh….” I didn’t have to apologize for my choices, yet for some reason, I needed to explain. “He’s my fiancé, but I’m not throwing an engagement party now or in the future.”
“Isn’t he nearly twice your age?”
My jaw tightened. “That’s none of your business.”
“All right,” he said with ease, but he’d judged me. “So let’s get back to those olive branches.”
My voice quavered. “Do you plan on making Temptation your home?”
“It’s always been my home, Shannon.”
“I know that. All I meant was—” My left brow trembled. Stitches of pain followed. “Why are you making this difficult? I’m just trying to bridge the gap between us.”
He rubbed his ribs. “See, that’s the thing.” A muscle in his jaw flexed. “You’re wearing yourself out for nothing. We don’t have to bridge any gaps. Stuff is just fine the way it is.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Look….” His pause was as pregnant as they come. “I’m grateful for what you did back there, but the best thing we can do is get on with our lives and leave each other alone.”
“We’ll never resolve anything that way.”
“Who says we have to? I hate to be blunt, but just being with you brings back a bunch of stuff I’d rather forget.”
“That’s the problem. I’ve forgotten too much.” I sighed. “These are the facts. Mother is dead, I testified, and you went to prison. Let’s deal with it.”
His face sobered in degrees. The body armor went on next.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean—”
He raked his fingers through his damp hair. “Talking’s not gonna make a bit ‘a difference.”
“Why did you come with me then?”
“Why else?” He rested an ankle on his knee. “You practically begged—” He paused mid-sentence, like an epiphany had struck him. “Aw, hell.” Laughter danced in his eyes. “Why didn’t I see it before? This is nothin’ but a guilt trip.”
“What?”
“Guilt.” The smile he flashed didn’t have a trace of humor in it. “Everything you did back there. The threats to the Grays. This little powwow. It was all part of a plan, wasn’t it? I wouldn’t be surprised if Eddie was in on it.” He nodded to himself as if he were putting puzzle pieces together. “First Icky conveniently shows up to get me, and now here we are. Damn. This scheme y’all cooked up was brilliant.” He glared at me. “So who’s the mastermind? Couldn’t be Eddie. He’s too stupid.”
All pretense of civility vanished. “You’re not serious.”
“As the grave, baby doll.”
My back hit the seat. The man was insane. “Okay, you’re right. We staged the accident and I used my magic powers to lure you there,” I said, wiggling my fingers. “And the incident with the cab? That was me too. I even paid my godfather’s psychotic son to beat you up, just so I could come to your rescue.”
“Go ahead and poke fun, but Icky already admitted he brought me to the plaza on purpose. He knew you’d be there.”
I rolled my eyes. “I had nothing to do with this nonsense.”
“So I’m just having a bad day.”
“Exactly.”
“And Cholly?” He eased back, folded his arms. “I s’pose you’re in the dark about that too. Folks are talking boycotts. He’s had permit delays for the club he wants to open in New Dyer. And none of the local contractors will touch him. All ‘cause of me. Hell, it’s this whole piss-ass town. I knew when I got out folks would be up in arms, but this…this is unreal.”