Because I Can (Necklace Trilogy 2)

Jack begins talking to Tyler while Dash and I just stare at each other, his eyes narrowing on mine, understanding in their depths. He knows I told Tyler to stay away. I’m glad he knows. After a night fighting over Tyler, Dash needs to know I chose him as if that was ever even up for discussion. Of course, I chose him.

But despite my intended message, the pulse in Dash’s jaw says he is not pleased, and I get it, I do. Tyler insinuated himself into Dash’s life tonight, and me with him, in a way Dash had not yet intended, and may never have allowed, which was intrusive. He stole Dash’s freedom to choose and exposed his dirty secret. But on the flip side of the coin, Tyler wasn’t wrong to be worried about him. And I can’t regret knowing what I now know, not if I can help Dash. I just really hate the way this all came about.

But the universe works in mysterious ways and Dash needed an intervention.

I know that now, standing here with Dash, looking at the damage to his face. That doesn’t mean Tyler is forgiven or welcomed either. He needs to stay away right now. He needs to give Dash space. He needs to give me a chance to protect him, to help him. To just be with him.

Seconds have ticked by like hours when Jack finally hands me the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”

He being Tyler again, of course, and I accept the phone while Jack eyes Dash. “I’m going to look around out back. You two stay here in the kitchen until I give you the ‘all clear.’”

“Thank you,” I say, but Jack is already heading toward the door.

I press the phone to my ear and say, “Tyler?”

Dash’s expression tightens, almost as if he can’t even stand Tyler’s name on my lips. So much so that he turns away, walking to the kitchen, his back to me, as he presses his hands onto the island, his shoulders bunched.

“Are you sure someone was in the house?” Tyler asks.

“Someone was here,” I assure him. “The lights were on and they went out.” As if reacting to news he’s already heard, but perhaps digests differently or fully now, Dash turns to face me again as I add, “I know I turned on the alarm, but it’s off now. Could it have been Allison?”

There’s a several-beat pause before Tyler says, “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m trying to reach her. If I hear anything I’ll call you.” He hesitates. “I wasn’t wrong tonight. Talk sense into him or I will before he self-destructs.”

My agitation with Tyler is real. He pushed Dash tonight and he knew what he was doing. Or perhaps he didn’t expect to push Dash as far as he did. I don’t know what to think at this point.

I slide my phone into the pocket of my jeans. Dash catches my hand and walks me to him, the heat in our touch as addictive as I fear it is radioactive. We’re still all taut anger and attraction, mixed together in combustible heat. His fingers slide under my hair and he drags my mouth to his. There’s a pulse between us and then he’s kissing me, a deep, demanding, angry kiss before he says, “You aren’t staying here. You’re coming home with me.”

I could tell him that we can’t pretend tonight didn’t happen. I could remind him that we just talked about me moving in with him, and recap all the reasons I said no. I could tell him that when I saw the Russian Beast beating on him, the idea of him being hurt, destroyed me.

There are so many things I could say, but right now, in this volatile state that defines us, I decide that less is more. “Yes.” That is all I say. Just yes.

“Can I have a word, Dash?”

At the sound of Jack’s voice, Dash strokes my hair. “Go pack.”

“I already have my things at your place. I really don’t need anything.”

He turns me toward the bedroom. “Take more,” he orders softly, which could mean he still wants me to live with him, or maybe he just wants to get rid of me to talk to Jack. The reality here is that after tonight, I don’t know where we stand, what he wants, or even what I want.

For now, a reprieve is welcomed and the truth is, I do need to pack. I quit my job and I’ll have to move anyway. I don’t know what that means for the charity event or my involvement, but I know that my working for Tyler is causing trouble. Ironically, I think as I step into the bathroom, I’ve blamed myself for tonight, but at the root of every problem, was Tyler. He showed up at the bar tonight. He picked a fight with Dash. He was what triggered me and Dash fighting.