Page 50 of Cautious Love

“I don’t care if you did or didn’t. He’s affecting my business, and you know if my business is affected, then … I can’t control the outcome.”

My stomach twists and bile lurches in my throat. I’ve seen what happens when hisbusinessis affected.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask him.

He tilts his head, and it feels like his beady little eyes are boring holes through the glass into my heart, and a little bit of me hates myself even more for being with him for as long as I was. I realized last week I haven’t mourned our relationship because there was nothing to feel bad about. If there’s been any grief I’ve had to work through, it’s hating myself more than anything else. The regret is heavy, and I don’t want to carry it anymore.

Being married to Ledger, even if it’s not out of love, has shown me what I’ve been missing and how much time I wasted onhim.

“You know exactly what it means. Do it, or it’ll be both you and yourhusband’sheads,” he says and slaps my hood one more time before sauntering off down the street.

I watch him go until I can’t see him anymore and instead of heading straight for home I take a detour going down country roads and back through town. If someone is following me, it will be easy to spot them, but it also wouldn’t be hard to find me. There are not a ton of places to look.

Instead of putting my Jeep in front of Ledgers I decide to park a couple blocks down the road on a dead-end street. I don’t care if I have to walk.

After I park and look around, make sure my car is locked, and hoof it through backyards. The paranoia is building, and I double back a couple of times

Using my key, I get into the house through the back door, and head straight for my room. Ledger isn’t home and I’m thankful for it. Now I have a little time to figure out how to tell him what happened because this clearly affects him too.

I should have never married him, moved in,relaxed. I should have never allowed Ledger to get involved. I should have disappeared after I shot Grey.

But I’m a stubborn woman and disappearing means Grey wins. I refuse to let him win, and it’s biting me in the ass because of it.

It’s late, Ledger still isn’t home, and it’s not like him. He’s a man of schedules and punctuality. He doesn’t have the patience for anything less. It’s probably why he’s built like a Greek god statue holding the weight of the world on his shoulders. Ledger carries so much, and it’s not because he has to — he wants to. He’s carried me without so much as breaking a sweat.

Reaching for my phone to call him, he walks through the door, making my anxious heart leap.

With his back to me, he drops his hat on the hook and sets his cowboy boots on the mattress. He turns around and pulls up short, greeting me with a frown.

“Is everything alright?” he asks, setting his lunch box and thermos down.

“I…” I trail off, not sure where to start, and simultaneously nervous he might kick me out for bringing trouble to his door, but fair enough — I’d deserve it.

“Are you hurt?” he asks.

I shake my head.

“Then why are you as pale as a ghost?”

I run my hands through my hair, shifting on my feet. “I need to talk to you,” I rush out.

Ledger leans against the counter and crosses his arms. “Let’s hear it then,” he says.

I take a deep breath. “I was leaving work today and Grey approached me. I think he was waiting for me, but uh, he told me to tell you to call of your dogs because it’s affecting his business. Oh, and he knows we’re married.”

Ledger’s jaw twitches.

“Did he say anything else?” he asks, calmly, and glances at my ring.

I’ve started messing with it more when I’m nervous. Something about it calms me.

His reaction shouldn’t surprise me, but the man is cool as a cucumber about something that could be a major issue.

“He, uh, he said if you don’t, he can’t control the consequences, and it’ll be both our heads. Well, he said, ‘my husband and I’s heads’, but yeah.”

Ledger hums. “So let me get this straight, he not only threatened you, but me as well?”

I nod.