Heartthrob (The Bennett Brothers 3)

“She knows. She has to know.”

“If you believe that, then you are the biggest fucking idiot in the world.”

“We’re done here.” I try to push past him, but he blocks me.

“Do you love her so much that it racks you to your soul thinking about a life without her?”

I try to picture my world without Claire.

His words hit me hard, and I back into the wall, my chest seizing.

“I loved her at first sight.”

“Well, you finally admit it.” Shaw looks pleased with himself.

“My relationship with Claire is completely different than yours with Bizzy.”

“You don’t have to tell me that; it’s obvious. I had a ring on Bizzy’s finger in less than six months. Nick was married to Grace in six months. You’re the one taking the slow boat.”

“Don’t compare our situations. You and Nick had huge issues.”

“Yeah, we did. Issues or not, we almost lost our wives because of stupidity. The one thing we have in common is we relied on each other for help. You seem to be on an island, and let me tell you something, the way I see it, it’s about to be a lonely island.”

“We’ll get through this. Stay out of it.”

“Too fucking late for that. You need us.”

“I don’t need anything.”

“Doesn’t it bother you that, when you eloquently stated ‘this double occupancy thing isn’t working out,’ she was able to haul ass so easily? For Christ’s sake, Mathis, she had a packed bag ready to go. That has to tell you something is wrong in the scenario!”

“You heard Nick, she can’t be tamed.”

“Tamed? You think having clothes in your closet and belongings in your drawers is tamed? You’re an asshole.”

“You’re beginning to piss me off.”

“Good, maybe you need to be pissed off! Because I’d rather take a chance with pissing you off if it gets your head straight. You’re about to lose the best thing in your life. This calls for action and, like it or not, you now have four other people in your business. We love you and Claire, and we’re not going to stand by while you destroy this. She’s worth fighting for.”

“I don’t have to fight. She

’s mine.”

He blows out a breath and looks at the ceiling, muttering, “slow, slow, slow boat.”

“We’re done.” I shove past him with my focus on one thing.

Finding Claire.

Shaw’s words replay in my mind. He may be an asshole, but he’s right about one thing—she shouldn’t have been able to get away so easily last night. With the exception of her toothbrush, there are no traces of her in my condo.

I get to the recreation area and search through the hordes of people, listening for her laughter. Nick catches my eye from across the room and gives a curt nod.

“She’s gone.” Nurse Evie lays a hand on my shoulder, her eyes loaded with pity.

“Where’d she go?”

“I don’t know, she saw you and Shaw and told me she had to go.”