Chapter 22 #2
“You’re supposed to understand that this family protects itself.
Sometimes that means questioning everyone, even people we want to trust.” Caroline’s eyes meet mine in the mirror.
“If you’re innocent, and I believe you are, then time will prove it.
The real leak will make another mistake.
Until then, you deal with the suspicion. ”
“That’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. But it’s reality.” She pulls off the highway onto the ranch access road. “Welcome to being married into a family with power and enemies. This is what it looks like.”
We drive through the ranch gates in silence. Caroline pulls up to the main house and kills the engine.
“Nathaniel’s staying at the hospital with Dad and Mom, Patricia has the girls for a while, and James is handling security. I’m going to the office to deal with legal fallout.” She looks at Sebastian. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” he admits.
“Figure it out. Because right now, your wife looks like she’s about to run, and our father thinks she’s a traitor. It’s not a good look for her.” Caroline climbs out. “Fix it, Sebastian. Before it gets worse.”
Then she is gone, heels clicking on the driveway, disappearing into the house.
I reach for the door handle. “Where are you going?” Sebastian asks, stopping me before I can get out.
“The house. To pack. To think. To get away from you for a while.” I open the door. “Unless you’re going to accuse me of stealing silverware while I’m there?”
“Lennox.” He reaches out for me, but I push his hand away.
“Save it.” I climb out, then lean back in. “Out of this entire family, I thought you’d at least be in my corner.”
“I don’t think you’re guilty.”
“Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit it.” I slam the door and walk in the other direction, toward the house I had begun to think of as ours, my vision blurring with tears I refuse to let fall until I’m alone.
Behind me, I hear Sebastian’s door open, his footsteps following.
“Don’t follow me,” I yell without turning around.
“It’s my house.”
“Then I’ll leave. I’ll go to the main house. Sleep in a barn. I don’t care. Just give me space.”
I make it to the bedroom before the tears come, hot and angry and frustrated.
I’ve done everything I can to make this shitty situation less shitty.
I’ve tried to be a part of a family that’s more fucked up than my own, which is saying something.
My fake-it-till-I-make-it attitude is gone. None of it is enough.
I’ve still ended up accused, suspected, treated like an enemy.
The door opens behind me, but I don’t turn around.
“I asked you to leave me alone.”
“And I’m not good at following instructions.” Sebastian’s voice is closer now. “Especially when my wife is crying.”
“I’m not crying.”
“Lennox.” His hands settle on my shoulders, gentle this time. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not defending you. For letting Dad’s accusations go unchallenged. For making you feel like I don’t trust you.”
“Do you? Trust me?”
The pause is too long, too telling.
“I want to,” he finally answers.
“That’s not the same thing.” I pull away from his touch and face him. “You either do, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground here.”
“It’s complicated.”
“It’s really not. Either you believe I’m working for Marshall or you don’t. Either you think I’m a traitor or you think I’m your wife trying to help. Pick one.”
“I think…” He stops, running a hand through his hair.
“I think my father raised legitimate concerns that I can’t just ignore.
I think the timing of everything is suspicious, even if you’re innocent.
I fucking bought you, knowing nothing about you other than I wanted you.
And I’ve wanted you since I saw you in my resort.
I haven’t seen you as anything but my plaything for the next two years. ”
“Thanks, Sebastian, that makes it so much better hearing you say I mean nothing.” I shake my head and move past him toward the closet, start pulling out clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“Packing. Moving somewhere nobody looks at me like I’m a traitor.
Putting distance between us until your family figures out I’m not the enemy.
” I shove jeans into a bag. “Or until they decide I am, and you all kick me out, contract be damned. I’m sure Caroline has something drawn up to cancel the contract already. Either way, I can’t be here right now.”
“Lennox, don’t.”
“Don’t what? Don’t react to being called a traitor? Don’t have feelings about any of this?” I spin to look at him. “What exactly am I not supposed to do, Sebastian?”
“You’re not supposed to run.”
“I’m not running. I’m creating space before I say something I can’t take back.
Before this gets worse.” I go back to packing.
“You want to know me? I’m someone with pride.
Someone who won’t grovel or beg to be believed.
Your family wants to suspect me, fine. But I won’t live under the same roof as someone who looks at me and wonders if I’m lying. ”
“That’s not fair.”
“None of this is fair!” The bag falls from my hands.
“I got sold at an auction, Sebastian. Bought like property to save a friend who couldn’t save herself.
I didn’t choose this marriage, this family, this life.
But I’ve been trying. Really trying to make the best of it.
To find something real in the middle of a heartless transaction.
And just when I thought maybe we were getting somewhere, just when I thought maybe you saw me as more than property.
” My voice breaks. I can’t finish. Sebastian moves toward me, but I hold up a hand.
“Don’t. Please. I can’t do this right now. ”
“Then when?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Maybe never.” I pick up the bag. “Until then, I need space.”
“How much space?”
“As much as it takes.” I head for the door. “I’ll be in the empty bunkhouse. Don’t follow me. Don’t try to fix this. Just let me breathe.”
I walk out before he can respond, across the property toward the bunkhouse that hasn’t seen people for a decade, but it doesn’t matter; I need to be away from him. So I toss my bag over my shoulder and walk out of the house and away from Sebastian, with my heart in a million pieces.
Seven hundred and nine days left.