Page 27 of Let’s Be Real

If my mother hadn’t been holding me with bruising force, I would have said I doubted Decker had been thinking about his sister while he’d been knocking up his wife, but I decided it was better to keep that to myself.

Fortunately, they lost interest in me soon after, and I was released. Nate and I made eye contact, and it only took him a moment to break away and come to me.

He put his hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“I’m—” I rolled my lips over my teeth, willing myself to get it together. “I’m fine. I found out my brother and his wife are expecting a baby any day now.”

His brow dropped. “You didn’t know?”

I shook my head. “No. I didn’t know.”

His sigh was warm against my temple when he pressed his cheek to the side of my head, and leaning into the loose circle of his arms around my back was nice. Almost a hug but not quite. But what really mattered right now was it didn’t hurt.

“Have we been here long enough?”

“Probably not.”

He backed away, his eyes darting between mine. “We’re going to leave anyway.”

I nodded. “I’d really like that.”

With his knuckle, he lifted my chin. Then he took my hand in his, and we walked out together, my head raised high.

Chapter Ten

Nate

Me: Samantha’s family are assholes.

Adrian: What did they do? Is she okay?

Me: They barely acknowledged her tonight. Plus, her brother’s wife is about to have a baby, and no one told Samantha she was even pregnant. Is this what they’re always like?

Adrian: Yes. That’s why you’re there. You need to run interference as much as possible.

Samantha was taking a long shower in the bathroom, and I was…at a loss. I didn’t like what I had seen tonight but had no idea what to do about any of it.

I had failed on multiple levels. I’d allowed us to be separated. I’d gotten distracted. By the time I’d made it back to Samantha, she’d had a shell-shocked expression, looking like she’d shrunk by ten inches.

And she’d hidden it from me, but I was certain her mother had grabbed her wrist hard enough to bruise.

Me: I’m not sure I’m the right person for this job.

Adrian: Too bad. It’s you or no one. Are you telling me you’re going to leave her to hang out to dry because feelings make you feel squicky?

I groaned, rubbing the spot between my brows. I should have texted Rome. He had a natural instinct for caretaking. He would have known what to do.

But a big part of me wanted to protect Samantha, and that meant not sharing what I’d seen. I had a feeling she was embarrassed by how her family treated her and wouldn’t have wanted anyone but Adrian to know, and I wasn’t certain she’d even want that.

Me: I’m not hanging her out to dry. I didn’t know what I was walking into, and now I do. I won’t leave her alone for even a second.

Adrian: Good. That’s why you’re there. She won’t protect herself against them. She doesn’t think she has the right. It’s your job to stand up when she won’t.

Me: I get it now. I don’t understand why she lets herself be in this position, but I guess I don’t need to.

Adrian: Should I call her?

Me: She’s showering and we ordered food. I think she’s okay. I’ll let you know if that changes.