His First Choice

She had to trust Jem. He’d take care of this. He’d see what Tressa was doing to her...

“Let’s talk about this, Tress. You know you don’t want to do any of those things.”

“Are you really seeing her, Jem?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“What?”

“Amelia didn’t see Levi at the beach with Lacey. She saw him at the beach with her twin sister.”

“There’s two of them?”

He was siccing Tressa on Kacey, too?

“Are you screwing them both?”

“You don’t want to do this, Tress. Think of your classes. Of Levi.”

Think of her classes? Of Levi? She needed to be thinking about what she was going to tell the police as soon as they were called.

“I thought we were going to be a family again.”

“We’ll always be family.” What? “You’re Levi’s mother.”

Lacey’s heart fell, hard, even as she recognized what he was doing.

“I broke your glass.”

“You were going for the door handle and missed. Is your hand okay?” He was doing what any man would do when danger appeared at his front door, defusing the situation in the only way he knew how, in order to protect his family.

Problem was, Jem’s way only enabled Tressa. Giving her more power, not taking it away.

There’d been a pause. And then “Yeah. The cut’s not that deep.”

“Let me take a look at it.” Another pause. “You’re right. You got lucky.”

“I’m sorry.” She sounded it. She was calmer, too, because Jem was giving her what she needed.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll have a new piece in there by morning.” That was it? Don’t worry about breaking the glass in my front door with your hand when you came barging in after ten o’clock at night, uninvited, at a house you’ve been told to stay away from? Don’t worry about it?

“So...this woman...Lacey... You’re not...like...”

“I told you, Amelia misunderstood.”

He was lying because it was the only way he knew how to get rid of her. Once she was gone, they’d call the police. And then, finally, this whole nightmare would end.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

JEM CLEANED UP the glass as soon as Tressa’s car pulled slowly away down the street.

He’d have to deal with her in the morning, like he’d promised. But for now, the storm was averted.

He’d managed to put out another fire.

And was damned tired of the life he’d been dealt.

“What are you doing?” Lacey had appeared at the end of the hall. He’d hoped that she’d stayed in the bedroom. Maybe even had jumped in the shower, where she wouldn’t have heard a word of what had been said.