More Than Hate You (More Than Words)

“It’s not. Give me ten minutes of your time. I’ll prove it.”

He rattles off an address. “Be there at five o’clock sharp. If you can’t prove what you’re saying, I’ll trash Jeremy McBride’s reputation, call the police to have you arrested for fraud, and make sure Sloan never finds another job in Texas.”

Three beeps tell me he’s gone.

Son of a bitch. I glance at my watch. It’s a quarter past noon. I have a few hours to get my head together and make sure my argument is persuasive. But honestly, I shouldn’t need anything more than last night’s clandestinely snapped video and a balance sheet.

As I pocket my phone, Sloan emerges from her bedroom, then stops short when she sees me. “You’re still here?”

“Of course. I’m not leaving this unresolved.” And I’m not leaving you.

“You’re free. I won’t say a word to anyone about you posing as your consultant friend. Go back to Maui and Stratus and…”

Forget her. That’s what she’s saying.

Not happening.

“What are you going to do?”

She shrugs. “Once you’re not here to gawk at me, I’ll have a long and pointlessly self-indulgent crying jag. Then? I don’t know. I just can’t fight the world right now.”

“You don’t have to. You have me, and I’m not going anywhere. So what if Shane thinks he fired you? This isn’t over.”

“What the hell are you going to do?”

“If I can take Shane down and get you back in a position of power at Reservoir, are you in?”

She scowls at me like I’ve lost my mind. “You can’t do that.”

“What if I can?”

“Sure…I guess.”

“If I can work that out, promise me you’re with me.”

“All right. But I think you’re being way too optimistic. To Mr. Rawson, you’re connected to me, and I spoke to him a few minutes ago. He seems really comfortable with the fact Shane fired me, and he told me never to darken his door again for any reason.”

That son of a bitch. I’m going to crush him.

“Baby…” I cross the room to take her in my arms.

She shakes her head, clearly trying to control her tears. It’s painfully obvious she’s going to lose that battle. “I’m over it. Just go.”

My heart twists painfully for her. “Not when you’re hurting.”

“I don’t need you.”

“I think you do.”

Her mouth thins into a mutinous line. “Not everyone needs the great Sebastian Shaw.”

Sloan is lashing out in pain, but I’ll help her as soon as she lets me. “I don’t care about everyone, baby. Just you.”

“Why?”

She doesn’t really want me to answer that question. I don’t think I want to know the answer, either. It’s not logical. No one falls in love with someone they’ve known a handful of days and never had sex with, right?

“Because you’re amazing. And because some things just are.”