Cole's Mistake (Haven, Texas 8)

“Joel said you might be going there with your Dom? Malone, right?”

“He’s not our Dom,” Julian snapped.

“Ah, right, well, whatever he’s, I hope he’s looking after you.”

“I think you lost the right to care about us a while ago.”

“Julian,” Keira said pleadingly.

He glanced down into her face. Shit. Last thing he wanted was to upset her. He squeezed her closer in apology.

“You’re right. I did. However, it doesn’t mean I stopped.”

“No? You’ve never once tried to find us,” Julian pointed out.

“I’ve had an investigator looking for the both of you for a while now. He couldn’t find anything after you left San Antonio. He couldn’t even find how you left or where you went.”

He stiffened, heard Keira make a tiny noise of fear.

“There’s a gap of time between you leaving San Antonio and coming here. Where were you?”

“Where we were is none of your business.” If Cole started looking into things, if he raised any red flags and Vincento found them . . .

“Julian?” Keira’s voice trembled.

“It will be okay, kitten,” he said soothingly. “I’m here. Nothing is going to happen. He can’t find us.”

“Who can’t find you?” Cole pressed.

“Nothing. Just tell me you’re not looking into where we were.”

“No, I called the investigator off once I arrived here and found you.” Cole looked at them both thoughtfully.

“You cannot look into where we were, Cole. Promise me,” Julian said intently.

“Will you tell me?” Cole countered.

By now, Keira was shaking. “Kitten, he can’t find us.”

“If someone’s threatening you, if someone hurt you . . .” Cole took a step towards them as though he planned to stand between the two of them and whomever was after them. Christ, if Cole knew what he was talking about he’d probably be running a mile in the other direction to get away from them.

“It would be none of your business,” Julian said coldly. “Just stay out of it, Cole. And out of our lives.”

It hurt to say it, but it was best that he did. Cole searching around in the past wouldn’t be good.

For any of them.

17

Oh, this was a bad, bad idea.

Nerves jittered in her stomach, and she felt a little light-headed. In her head she imagined turning to Julian and telling him they needed to leave. That she couldn’t do this. Instead, she just followed behind him, her hand captured in his.

Jardin sent her a concerned look, and she worked up a smile for him as they walked into Saxon’s. She’d never been in there before, but Julian thought they should claim back some of what Vincento had stolen from them.

And she could see his point. They’d enjoyed the times they’d gone to clubs to play. But that had been before . . . before their lives had been turned upside down.

Jardin’s concerned stare didn’t change. She guessed she needed to work on looking reassuring.