38. Brooks
THIRTY-EIGHT
Brooks
Clover and I yank apart as we make eye contact with her father. But I know it’s too late. There’s not a chance in hell he didn’t just see me kissing her.
Especially going off of the look on his face. Fuck .
Stunned silence hangs over the room, and not even the EMTs and cops who’ve been sweeping the scene and tending to people step up to diffuse the tension.
Apparently, they’re all fine with Leo committing a murder—because I’m sure that’s what’s going to happen.
My heart also can’t catch a break. It’s been pounding for too many reasons, for too long. From kissing Clover to watching her dance around my question, then to saving her fucking life to kissing her again.
And now right back to “oh, shit” mode as Leo sends his glare into me like a goddamn laser.
Bad. This is bad. This is so fucking bad.
I’m frozen, though. My hand is still on the small of Clover’s back, and I can’t move, crushed by the weight of the situation.
I watch Leo look between Clover and me, his eyes flaring wide before settling into a firm scowl. He rushes forward, his finger up in the air like it’s the only thing keeping him from sending his fist into my face.
“What did you do to my daughter?!”
Clover is quick to push between us, keeping Leo from sinking his teeth into me. “Dad, stop. He didn’t do anything. It was someone else. Look.”
She gestures out the door to where Kyle is raging in the cop car. “Okay? He’s the one who attacked me. Not Brooks.”
Realization crosses over Leo’s face, but that simmering anger doesn’t dissipate. As he stares at me, Leo starts shaking his head over and over again.
“No, no, no. This isn’t…” Looking up abruptly, Leo yanks Clover into his arms, squeezing her tightly. “Did…I can see you’re not banged up. But did he…did he take advantage of you? Of this?”
It’s like being stabbed in the gut, and taking the cue, my ribs send a sharp wave of pain through my side. Does Leo really think I’d hurt Clover? That I’d taken advantage of her?
“Leo, I didn’t?—”
His furious stare comes to me over Clover’s shoulder. “I’m not fucking talking to you.”
The words bite—hard.
“Dad, no. Brooks didn’t do anything. He didn’t take advantage of me. We were packing boxes when Kyle got here. That’s the guy. The one I was telling you about. He attacked and?—”
“Christ, Clover. You can’t just fall into the arms of anyone close just because of all that.”
She reels backward, looking at her father, horrified. “Dad! I didn’t…how could you think that?”
“And what the hell else am I supposed to think? I hear that there’s been an altercation at my old apartment and come running, only to find my supposed best friend plastered all over you!”
Her mouth drops open, and I can see that Clover is honestly shocked down to her core. She fumbles through a few words, but they’re not coming.
I need to fix this.
“Leo,” I step forward, careful to leave them space, “I swear to you on my life, I didn’t hurt Clover. We were packing the boxes when Kyle knocked. He tried to kidnap your daughter. I fought him off before the cops got here.”
Still sneering my way, Leo scoffs. “And then what? You fell onto her mouth? It’s not like you can just trip and kiss someone.”
I sink into myself. Goddamn it. This is so not how I wanted to do this. “No. Look, Kyle’s threats have been escalating. He’s been watching Clover, sent a private investigator to spy on her, and he had photos of my son. I swore to Clover that I’d do anything in my power to protect her. All I want is her safety. I promise you. I didn’t intend on falling for her.”
Leo pulls back, his brows down over his eyes before he looks to Clover. “Why didn’t you tell me the situation with Kyle was so serious? I wouldn’t have just sat around, honey. I could have helped you.”
She sighs, the glassy coating on her eyes back in place. The poor thing hasn’t gone five minutes without crying.
“I didn’t want to worry you. You’ve been trying so hard to get the farmhouse, to do it in Mom’s memory. I didn’t want to interrupt that. I…and I thought I could handle it. I didn’t even tell Brooks how bad it was until recently.”
Swiveling his attention back to me, Leo is still staring at me like I abused his daughter.
“I vouched for you. I recommended Clover as your goddamn nanny. And this? This is the thanks I get for sticking my neck out? I trusted that she’d be safe with you, and you’re throwing yourself at her. She’s my daughter , Brooks. Did you not think about how wrong you were even once?”
I sigh, hanging my head. I knew this day would come, and the thing is, I was never going to be ready for it. I just have to go with the truth. It’s the only thing I can rely on.
“I did, Leo. I thought about it constantly. We both did. We just didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t plan on any of this. All I wanted was a nanny, honestly.”
I shrug, shaking my head and feeling so damned stupid.
“But the more time I spent with Clover, the more I saw just what you’re always talking about. She’s incredible. She’s one of the best people on this entire planet. For the first time in seven years, I went against every instinct inside me that told me to protect myself, protect my heart. I am so sorry for going behind your back with all this. I am, but there isn’t a moment with Clover I regret. She’s taken hold of my heart so firmly, and I just pray that she doesn’t break it. Because this is serious for me. It’s real. I love Clover with every fiber of my being, and I will do everything I can to keep her safe, even if that means risking harm.”
I can see the family resemblance between Leo and Clover even more as their mouths hang open, both stunned by what I’ve said.
But I meant every single word.
Neither of them speaks. If the room was quiet before, it’s deadly silent now. They’re both staring at me as the cadre of professionals swarm his old apartment after everything that went down.
My head is spinning, too. It seems wild that I just helped to save Clover from being kidnapped—and likely worse—by Kyle, and then Leo discovered our little secret.
Our enormous secret, that is. Ugh, just say something.
I can hear my blood in my ears, my pulse too high. As far as afternoons go, this one was far too exciting, and I’m ready to lay down for a fucking year now.
You know, if I’m not killed in the next few minutes.
Clover blinks, moving toward me from right next to her father. She’s the first to try and speak, but she doesn’t get far.
“You…”
Leo shakes himself out of the temporary stupor and backs up. “I…I just can’t right now.”
He spins around on his heel, his eyes immediately going down to the floor and refusing to look at either of us. Leo storms out of the apartment through the open front door.
“Brooks, I…” I look at her, and Clover’s stare goes from me to the empty space where her father was just standing. “I’ve lost my mother, Brooks. I can’t lose him, too.”
She rushes out of the door, and I’m left standing in the empty apartment—alone.