Give Me a Reason (Redemption Hills 1)

The heel of my hand pressed to my temple.

All the craps.

“I’m so sorry…I completely forgot.”

“You completely forgot that we’ve had coffee and doughnuts every Saturday morning for the last six years?”

I cringed. “Maybe?”

“You little hooker…you had cake instead, didn’t you?” I could feel her glee through the phone.

My attention darted around like I was going to find a bug planted in the room. The bedroom was vacant, no movement about, and I quietly snapped the door shut behind me as I hissed, “I did not.”

“You are the worst liar of all liars. I can literally hear the sex dripping off your tongue. You ate it all, didn’t you?”

Gah.

“I hate you.”

Tessa squealed. “Oh my god, hallelujah.”

“Shut up.”

“Was it good?”

My back slumped to the wall as I gave, as I let it all rush me. The feeling. The truth that when I looked at my reflection in the mirror across from me, there was something new written in my being.

My reflection the same but different. Stronger and more vulnerable. Wiser but a fool. But I’d known all along if I gave myself to Trent that I would be changed.

That’s what succumbing did.

It opened you up to whatever was waiting on the other side.

And I wanted it all.

“It was the best night of my life, Tessa.”

She was silent for a second before she whispered, “He’s the ace. Your wild card.”

“You were right, Tessa. I’m terrified of loving him. Terrified of what it could mean. Terrified of what he makes me feel.” The admission bled free. True and whole and devastating.

I was terrified of it all, and I still wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

“Um…the man is terrifying, so there’s that. Not sure how you wouldn’t be.”

I choked on a small laugh, fighting the feeling that came on so savagely it was going to knock me to my knees.

No darkness to keep it shrouded.

The light of day chasing away the shadows.

“Does he treat you right, Eden?” Tessa pressed, worry in her voice, all the teasing gone when she felt the crush of my emotions.

And I couldn’t confess to her the rest. What had brought us here. The truth my car wasn’t simply parked outside Trent’s house because our connection had been too intense, and I’d followed him home.

Couldn’t confess that this was so much more complicated than she knew.

With my wild card, the stakes were the highest they’d ever been.

I could only murmur, “I think he would burn the world to the ground for me.”

I hoped it would be enough. That in the process of taking down whoever wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t take us down, too.

She swallowed hard. “I’m so happy for you, Eden. So proud of you for stepping out and taking a chance. Are you okay? You sound…weird.”

“I’m fine,” I told her.

“Um…the word fine should have no place in this conversation. Amazed. Astounded. Staggered. Those would all do.”

A slight giggle bled free. “Oh, it was amazing, Tessa. I just need to process it all.”

She sighed. “I know, Eden. I know you well, and that’s why I need to know you’re all good. You need me, you say the word, and I’m there. Hell, I might even save you one of these doughnuts.”

“Thank you, Tessa.”

“Pssh…just be thankful I didn’t call your daddy and ask him if he knew where you were. You know, since you left me hanging for two freaking hours, banging on all your windows and doors, having no clue where you were without so much as a text. I was about to break into your house to make sure you weren’t going to star in the next episode of True Crime.”

Um, yeah, don’t even joke about that.

I couldn’t say it aloud. Instead, my teeth clamped down on my bottom lip before I addressed the more pressing matter. “Thank you for not saying anything to my daddy. I have no idea how I’m going to ease him into this.”

If it would even come to what I could only imagine would be uncomfortable introductions and unpleasant explanations.

A signed release declaring that I was in a romantic relationship with one of the parents.

Is that what this was? Is that what Trent envisioned for us?

Questions came faster with each second that I hid away in this bathroom.

“I say rip off the Band-Aid. Sit him down and give it to him straight. ‘Daddy, I’m banging the bad boy. Deal with it.’ Only thing you can do.”

“Are you insane?”

“Um…I think we already know the answer to that.”

I pressed my fingertips to my forehead.

“Seriously, Eden, like, you need to talk to HR. You’re sleeping with one of your student’s daddies…who’s also your other boss. And I’m not criticizing, but even for me, that’s messy, and it’d be much better just to get it reported and on file so there’s no fallout. You know those moms who pretend like they’re not secretly ogling the man when they pick up their kids would have a field day with that kind of scandal.”