Page 55 of Between Regrets and Promises (Between Us Trilogy #2)

Stepping behind her, I grab the zipper and slowly pull it up while locking gazes in our reflection. She inhales sharply once I get it zipped to the top. Gently placing my palms on her shoulders, I push her arms down and slide my hands down her fingers.

“Breathtaking,” I whisper into her ear, burying my nose into her hair. “Are you sure you have to leave?”

“I wish I didn’t…trust me.”

I spin her around, taking in how stunning she is with her hair down in loose waves and her lips a perfect shade of peachy red.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” she says, and I can’t tell if she’s trying to reassure me or herself. “I wasn’t sure where you were taking me, so if I’m overdressed or whatever?—”

“Sophie, you look perfect,” I tell her earnestly. “I can barely take my eyes off you.”

I study her tight red dress and see she’s wearing black stockings underneath. “Fuck, this might be an issue.”

“Really? Not good?” Her bottom lip trembles with worry. “I can change if you?—”

“Might be an issue because I want to fucking rip off your clothes right now,” I admit, plucking the thin strap.

The dress has a plunging neckline and a high banded waist that accentuates her tits to the goddamn moon.

“I don’t want to be one of those guys who tells you how to dress, but you shouldn’t wear this to your meeting. You’ll give them all heart attacks.”

Sophie blushes and laughs, the sound going straight to my dick. “I’m gonna slip on my leather jacket before I leave, so don’t worry. The most skin they’ll see is my neck.”

I groan, still not liking it. She looks so damn good— too damn good .

Good enough to eat.

“Stop looking at me like that or we’ll never get out of the house,” she tells me, pushing me back slightly.

I grab her wrist and press a kiss to her knuckles. “That sounds perfect to me. Let’s be on house arrest together.” I wink. Sophie wraps her other arm around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss.

“I’ll be home by seven fifteen at the latest.”

“A minute later and I’m sending out the SWAT team.” I slide my hands down her back, then cup her ass.

“Okay, Colin Farrell. Calm down.” She chuckles then laughs harder at my confused facial expression. “From the movie? S.W.A.T. ?”

I shrug.

“I’m gonna have to man you up with some Jackie Chan and Bruce Willis, too.”

Grunting, I huff. “You can leave that to Liam. That’s right up his alley.”

“Hmm. True.”

“Soph, I think our ride’s here,” Maddie calls out, and all the hair on the back of my neck stands.

“Wait, what?” I ask. “What ride?”

Sophie furrows her brows. “Yeah, I told you Caleb was picking me up for the meeting.”

I pull back, my eyes widening. “Uh, no. You did not. Why the hell is he picking you up?”

“He offered when he asked if I was coming because he was gonna be in the neighborhood from coming back in town or something,” she rambles, waving her hand around. “I swore I told you last night.”

“Babe, trust me. You didn’t tell me. I would remember.”

“Well, what’s the big deal?” She shrugs. “We’ll drop off Maddie, then go to the meeting and he’ll bring me back home. Then we can go on our date.” She wraps her arms around my waist, pulling me closer and looking up with wide, sad eyes.

“Soph…” I warn, resting my forehead against hers. “I don’t trust him. I’ll drive you.”

“Babe, don’t be jealous,” she says softly.

I grunt, pulling back. “I don’t get jealous.”

“Okay.” She smirks. “Then it should be no problem that another guy is driving me.”

“He’s not just another guy , Sophie. He’s a guy I don’t trust. Considering the way I saw him look at you, I have every right not to trust him.”

“I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there.

I already told you this was my last meeting and that I don’t see him as anything more than a friend.

I’m gonna make that clear to him, too. Plus, he’s still grieving his wife, and considering this was a rough week for him, I want to be there for him as a friend,” she explains, but I don’t give two shits about this guy’s feelings.

Sophie is mine, and I want to protect her.

“Sophie!” Maddie calls out. “We gotta go!”

“Mason, please. I don’t want us to fight.”

“I don’t either, so don’t go with him. Make up an excuse. Tell him you have somewhere to go afterward or that I’m taking you instead.”

She frowns, and I can tell her mind is spinning. She hates conflict.

“He’s already here and it’s gonna make things awkward if I go out there and send him away…”

“Then I’ll do it.” I turn to walk out but she grabs my arm before I can march out there.

“Mason, please. Don’t.” Her voice shakes, and I see her bottom lip trembling. “I don’t want to witness another fight. I’ve seen enough violence to last a lifetime.”

Fuck . She knows how to pull at my heartstrings.

A knock pounds on the door. “Are you two doing it? I’m coming in!” Maddie announces. She walks in and stops when she sees Sophie and I. “Are you guys fighting?”

“No,” I say at the same time Sophie says, “Yes.”

“Well…can you two wrap it up? Caleb is waiting, and you’re gonna be late.” Maddie shuts the door, leaving us alone. The last thing I want is for Sophie to leave with us bickering, especially before our date tonight.

“Please don’t be mad. I’ll be back in an hour, okay?”

With my options limited, I exhale a deep breath and pull Sophie to my chest. “Let’s not fight. I want us to have a good night.”

Sophie pulls back slightly with a smile on her face. “With you, it will be.”

Cupping her face, I slant my mouth over hers and kiss her, my tongue finding hers. My hands slide down her body, memorizing every inch of her perfect body.

“Don’t start,” she teases against my lips.

Groaning, I lean back on my shoes as my eyes scan down her hot body. “You cannot wear those fuck-me heels.” I pout as I imagine all the positions I’d have her in while wearing those damn things.

“I wore them for you .” She winks.

Following her out, I spot Maddie with Caleb by the door.

They’re chatting, but as soon as they hear us coming, Caleb’s eyes scan down Sophie’s body.

I clench my fists, wanting to take this guy out simply for checking out my girl.

If he’s not clear that she’s mine, then I’m going to make sure it’s crystal fucking clear.

However, it’s the last thing Sophie wants right now and after everything she’s gone through, I don’t want to bring her anymore pain.

“You ready?” Caleb asks, stuffing his hands in his front pockets.

“Hey, almost. Gotta grab my jacket.”

I grab it from the hook and hold it out for her. She pushes her arms through, then fixes her hair and adjusts herself. Once she’s turned toward me, I step closer and whisper in her ear, “You really do look stunning, baby. I’m gonna be hard all damn night long.”

She blushes and bites her bottom lip. “Better wait for me,” she teases, then walks toward Maddie and Caleb. I follow behind and see them out.

“See ya, Mads. Bye, Caleb.” I grind my teeth together as I force his name off my lips. Before Sophie walks out, I lean down to cup her jaw with my hand. “Bye.” I wink before pressing my mouth to hers once more.

Caleb stands like a statue with an unreadable expression. If he wasn’t aware she’s taken, he is now.

Sophie blows me a kiss, and then the three of them pile into Caleb’s car before he drives off. Moments later, Liam’s date stumbles down the stairs.

“Fuckin’ asshole,” she mutters, storms past me and out the door, then slams it behind her.

I snort and chuckle. “What the hell did he do this time?”

Taking the steps two at a time, I walk to his bedroom and knock on the door. “You decent?”

“Depends who’s asking.”

“Just me, ass face.”

“Then yeah, come in.”

Hesitantly, I let myself in and find him on the bed playing his PlayStation. “Uh, wanna tell me what happened?”

He shrugs. “Cheryl was expecting more than I wanted to give.”

“Wasn’t her name Cindy?”

“Was it? Well, whatever. I told her to leave if she wasn’t happy to just hang out, and she got pissed.”

“And you wonder why you’re a bachelor,” I tease, leaning against the doorframe.

“Pfft. I don’t wonder.” He laughs, keeping his eyes on the screen. “I know why, and I plan to keep it that way.”

Since I have time to kill, I sit and play with him, or rather, he fucking destroys me because I never play video games. He tries to show me some things, but it’s pointless because Liam kills me every damn time.

“You suck,” I mutter after losing again.

“Actually, you suck.” He cackles.

It’s almost seven when Jerad calls, and I realize time has flown, and Sophie will be back soon.

“Hey, man,” I answer, stepping out of Liam’s room to avoid his shouting and cursing at the TV every five seconds. “You find anything yet?”

“Well, kind of. I think so. First, the license plates didn’t match a Caleb Royce.”

My heart sinks. “Not surprised, but what name was it listed under?”

“Well first, I wanted to ask. The last guy you asked me to look up. His name was Weston Westbrook, right?”

The cautious tone in his voice has me on edge as I walk downstairs and into the living room.

“Right, but he’s dead,” I remind him.

“Well, these plates are registered to a Dalton Westbrook.”

“What do you mean? Who’s Dalton? Weston’s brother?”

“It appears that way. One brother and one sister. The sister lives in Tulsa. Dalton is a thirty-three-year-old male from Los Angeles, worked as a broker at a bank up until six weeks ago. No kids.”

Blinking, I try to wrap my head around this information. “What about a wife? Is he married?”

“Actually, I found a marriage license from a few years ago to a woman named Sarah.”

“Okay and?” My heart is pounding so hard I wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it over the phone.

“I also found her death certificate that was filed five months ago.”

“Jesus.” I brush a hand through my hair as sweat beads on my forehead.

Pacing the living room, I grab some water before I fucking faint.

“Yeah, that’s not all,” he warns, inhaling sharply.

“The cause of death was ruled as an accidental drowning, so I dug some more into the case and found Dalton was the number one suspect, but no concrete evidence was found to accurately charge him. There had been several domestic abuse calls, and although there was bruising near her neck, they couldn’t pinpoint him being home that night. ”

“What?” I gasp. “Where the hell did he say he was?”

“Up here in Sac with his brother, Weston, who confirmed his alibi.”

“And they believed him even with a record?”

“Seems so. They didn’t have any other evidence to hold him longer than forty-eight hours.”

“Motherfucker.” I’m seething, my blood is boiling to a dangerous level of rage at the moment, and I don’t know how to calm myself. “Jerad, he’s fucking with her right now. Shit, shit, shit. So, you’re telling me Caleb is Dalton Westbrook, Weston’s older brother?”

“Yeah, man. It’s all right here. He must’ve figured out where you guys live and who y’all are and stalked Sophie or something.”

“Or he stalked her to get to me. Perhaps what my dad said was true, except the brother didn’t want to wait for the court.”

“Or he heard you were another privileged guy, son of the DA, who got off on a murder charge.”

“It was self-defense,” I retort, but I know I don’t have to explain myself to him. “This can’t be happening. I need to text her, tell her to get away from him, go pick her up or something. Then what? Can I have the cops haul his ass in for something? Stalking?”

“Not without a warrant or probable cause. All he’s done so far is lie about who he is, not exactly illegal.”

“Alright, I gotta go. I’ll call you if I need something.”

“Let me know.”

“I will.”

“And Mason? Be careful.”

I text Sophie as I run up the stairs to tell Liam.

Mason

Baby, are you still at your meeting? I need to speak with you right away. Call me as soon as you’re out. Don’t leave with Caleb.

“What?” Liam nearly knocks me over once I tell him everything Jerad said. “You’re shitting me, right?”

“Look at me. Do I look like I am? I need to go find her.”

I call her and get sent to voicemail, so I text her again.

Mason

Soph, listen to me. Do not get in the car with Caleb. He’s not who he says he is, and I’ll explain everything as soon as you call or text me back but promise me you won’t leave with him!

“It’s after seven. Why isn’t she checking her messages?

” I pace frantically around his room. “I can’t just stand here.

I need to go find her before he does something.

” I continue pacing. “Fuck! I don’t know where her meetings are.

She’s always called it group or circle, and I never thought to ask which specific location. ”

“Text her sisters, they probably know,” he suggests, so I do without alarming them.

While I wait for one of them to respond, I call Sophie again only to get sent to voicemail.

Mason

Baby, where are you? You should be out of your meeting by now. Call me ASAP please!!! Text me so I know you’re okay. Caleb is dangerous, and you need to get the hell away from him. He’s not who he says he is…trust me. GET. AWAY.

“What the fuck am I gonna do?” I’m downright panicking, bending over to rest my palms on my knees as I try to catch my breath. “Fuck it, I’m gonna google it and go to the closest one.”

“I’ll go with you,” Liam offers, placing a hand on my back. “You can’t drive like this. I’ll take you.”

He pushes me along, then we’re both out of the house and climbing into his truck. I’m on my phone searching and the nearest meeting location is five minutes away, so we try that one first.

“Fuck, the parking lot is nearly empty. I don’t see his car,” I say, sticking my head out the window. Just then two people come out of the exit door, and Liam drives over.

“Hi, excuse me. Do you know if Sophie Corrigan attends your grief meetings?”

“Never heard of her,” the woman says.

“Is anyone else inside?”

“No.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck .

Before I search on my phone again, I finally get a response from one of her sisters.

Lennon

St. Luke’s Church over on fifth.

I tell Liam and yell at him to book it. It takes us almost ten minutes to get over there thanks to traffic, and by the time we arrive, the parking lot is empty. It’s seven thirty, and the meeting ended a half hour ago.

Jumping out of the truck and slamming the door behind me, I begin screaming her name.

“Sophie!” My voice is deep and loud, a sound I’ve never heard come from my throat before.

I yell three more times before Liam tells me to get back into the truck.

I don’t listen, but instead lean up against it, hoping for a damn miracle that she comes back to me.